Bodybuilding champ Samantha Lynagh on what most people are doing wrong at the gym

Sophie Hessekiel | Oct 14, 2024

Bodybuilder Samantha Lynagh / Samantha Lynagh, @samtiffany_fit

The rise of fitness influencers and the new era of aesthetic lifting has led to a boom for female bodybuilding, but Samantha Lynagh sees a lot of ambitious exercisers making the same mistake: they’re forgetting to tailor their diet to their workout needs.

“Diet makes up 70 to 80 percent of your fitness,” Lynagh asserts. “I see people working hard in the gym, but if they don’t eat correctly, all their effort is for nothing.” How does Lynagh, who won first place at the Pro-am Captain’s Cup in Tampa last year, keep her system primed for building muscle? Her regimen includes lean proteins like chicken and protein pancakes, complex carbohydrates, and frequent meals to maintain optimal muscle definition. The body builder’s Instagram features a highlight reel of recipes for those looking to follow in her highly toned footprints.

Lynagh, who also took top honors at the Double Down Natural competition at the Resorts Casino Hotel in 2024, was always an athlete, but told SI that “the inspiration to train for bodybuilding came when I saw changes in my body composition and decided to get into top physical shape.” She was inspired by fitness magazines. “I would [...] see women in incredible shape,” Lynagh recalls. “I thought to myself, ‘I want to look like that!’ and that’s when I began sculpting my body.” Samantha Lynagh is set to return to Tampa in 2025 to defend her title.

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