Samson Dauda’s diet and mindset are dialed in for the upcoming 2025 Arnold Classic. On February 23, 2025, Dauda reflected on his dieting strategy and battle with body dysmorphia days before competing in Columbus, Ohio.
Samson Dauda is riding high in the IFBB Pro League after securing first place at the 2024 Mr. Olympia. Instead of sitting on the sidelines for his title defense, he plans to represent the UK with an active bodybuilding schedule. He’ll aim to earn a second Arnold Classic title in just a few days, where a heated rematch with former Olympia winner Derek Lunsford awaits.
From superset-focused training to consistent dieting, Dauda wants to solidify his standing as the number one bodybuilder in the world. His goal is to win multiple Mr. Olympia titles but first, is laying out the challenges he’s faced in the lead-up to the second-biggest show of the year.
Samson Dauda Reflects on Diet, Self-Doubt, and Body Dysmorphia Amid Prep for 2025 Arnold Classic
In a recent YouTube video, Dauda explained that his diet hasn’t changed in nearly 10 years.
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“The idea is trying to make it into a lifestyle, an easy habit that you can over and over every day, and it becomes a habit you don’t even think about. You do it automatically. My meals hasn’t changed for over what, how long, 10 years now since 2017.”
The only modification he’s made to his meal plan is utilizing different portions.
“Exactly the same meal for breakfast, second meal, third meal. We increase portions,” he adds. “Everything stays the same. I don’t even think, it’s just a habit, a lifestyle. I get up, I know what I’m eating next, even if we want to go out for a meal, yeah I know what my preferred meals are.”
Like most bodybuilders, Dauda grapples with body dysmorphia. He believes even passing comments from fans can affect how he perceives his physique. He adds that this is what causes issues during prep because athletes want to take measures to correct a problem that’s not there.
“Every single show, every time, you will get that moment where you wake up and be it nerves, be it whatever, something in your mind will trigger and say ‘you’re not ready.’
This is all going to go tits up, this is going to be horrible. Then, you’re going to try to fix it because you think this is not what I want. Then you’re going to do something stupid, then that’s what’s going to cause everything to go awry.”
He had to learn to distinguish these feelings of doubt from reality.
“The hardest part is actually listening regardless of what you think you know or think you believe. Without a doubt, every shadow of you believe at that time that you’re right.
All the evidence is there,” he explains. “The worst thing as an athlete, the one thing I’ve come to learn with years doing this, I need to know where my flaws are, it’s body dysmorphia. Yeah, you do have it and it’s there, it’s prominent in you.”
Dauda also emphasized that being flat or full can affect how he perceives his physique.
“What happens is with the way the skin is, the skin is the outer layer of a balloon, it’s like a balloon inside a piece of cloth, when the balloon is fully pumped up, it pushes against that cloth very hard. The definition of that muscle you can see through the skin. That’s what fullness is.”
“When the muscles are flat, there’s not enough fluid in there so they look a bit more restrained. So what happens is, they don’t have the cloth on top of it that’s also pushed up against it, so it looks like you have this film of water and the definition is not as detailed or anything else.”
As the reigning Mr. Olympia, Dauda will reinforce his championship status if he emerges victorious at the 2025 Arnold Classic. Don’t miss his performance from February 28 to March 1 in Columbus, Ohio; Fitness Volt will have full extensive coverage of the action!
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