Eli5: I recently realized fat is stored energy. If thats the case, then how do bodybuilders manage if they’ve got a lot of muscle and hardly any fat.

Question

Eli5: I recently realized fat is stored energy. If thats the case, then how do bodybuilders manage if they’ve got a lot of muscle and hardly any fat.

In: Biology

Answer 1

My understanding is that, diet-wise, they “bulk” to build muscle, then “cut” to eliminate visible fat. For physique competitors, they are physically at their weakest at showtime. They then take a break (ideally) and repeat the process for the next show.