The harder the prep, the harder the recovery: a qualitative exploration of physique athlete perspectives on competition weight loss and restoration
Athletes experience benefit from early recovery planning, applying flexible approaches to nutrition and training post-competition, and a shift from aesthetic to functional goals. Identified themes support treating recovery as a deliberate and individualized phase within the competitive cycle, with further investigation needed on optimizing post-LEA refeeding and coaching practices.
Authors
- Kate L. Pumpa (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3757-3972)
- Michelle Minehan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4378-1049)
- Naroa Etxebarria (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0642-8230)
- Claire Buechel (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2833-3048)
Institutions
- University College Dublin (IE)
- University of Canberra (AU)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition
- Published
- 2025-10-17
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1080/15502783.2025.2576238
- Primary Topic
- Sport Psychology and Performance
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00