Let's be real. PEDs are one of the most talked about, most misunderstood, and most misrepresented topics in bodybuilding. So we decided to go there.

In this episode, Chris and Rachel break down what performance-enhancing drugs actually are (spoiler: caffeine counts), the real health risks nobody wants to talk about, the difference between tested and untested federations, and why "just a little bit" is never really just a little bit.

Here's what we get into:

• What actually counts as a PED (it's way more than steroids)
• The categories: anabolic steroids, peptides, fat loss compounds, and performance enhancers
• Real short-term and long-term health risks, including cardiovascular, hormonal, and fertility impacts
• Female-specific risks that can't always be reversed
• Why peptides are marketed as "safe" when many aren't even approved for human use
• Social media distortion and the natty-or-not illusion
• Ethics vs legality: why legal doesn't mean safe
• Natural vs untested federations and why neither path is morally superior
• When (if ever) it makes sense to even consider PEDs
• Chris's honest take on his own TRT journey and why transparency matters

⚠️ DISCLAIMER: This episode is for education and awareness only. Nothing discussed constitutes medical or coaching advice. You are responsible for your own decisions, research, and health.

Whether you're natural, enhanced, or just curious, the takeaway is simple: make informed decisions, know your risks, and don't be a dick about it.

🎧 Like and subscribe so you never miss an episode!

📲 Find us here:

Instagram: @macro_lounge_podcastYouTube: @TheMacroLoungePodcast

💼 Work with us:🩰 Posing coaching with Rachel: @accentuate_posing_academy

💪 Contest prep and coaching with Chris: @teamboldphysique

👙 Competition bikinis: @accentuate.bikinis

📩 [email protected]

Dropping a sweet chilli bottle on your foot is one way to get out of Bulgarians. Not recommended. (We're talking to you Rachel)

But it does make for a very relevant episode.

This week on The Macro Lounge, Chris and Rachel get into what actually happens when injuries and illness hit during prep - and more importantly, why pushing through is almost always the wrong call.

They break down the physiology of why prep makes you more susceptible to both, when to modify vs when to fully stop, the rule for training through illness, and why 3 days of rest is nowhere near the crisis your prep brain is telling you it is.

They also give a big shout-out to Ed at Ascend Sports Rehab and Performance (you can find him here: @ascendsportsnz) - because having the right physio in your corner isn't a luxury, it's prep strategy.

Plus: the Sharns segment, the APA Poser of the Year award announcement, ICN regional show sponsorship news, and Rachel's new crossover bikini range drop. Phew - its a corker!

If you've ever trained through something you absolutely shouldn't have, this one's for you.

Like and subscribe on Spotify and YouTube - it helps more than you'd think.

Find us here:🎧 Follow The Macro Lounge on Spotify📸 Instagram: @macro_lounge_podcast▶ YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@TheMacroLoungePodcast⁠📩 Email: ⁠[email protected]⁠Work with us:

👙 Posing School: Accentuate Posing Academy ⁠https://www.instagram.com/accentuate_posing_academy/⁠

💪 Coaching with Chris: Team Bold Physique ⁠https://www.instagram.com/teamboldphysique/⁠

✨ Competition Bikinis with Rachel: Accentuate Bikinis ⁠https://www.instagram.com/accentuatebikinis/

The word "sponsorship" gets thrown around constantly in the bodybuilding and fitness world, but most athletes have no idea what it actually means, what it costs, or what it demands in return.

In this episode, Chris and Rachel pull back the curtain on how sponsorship in the NZ and Australian fitness space really works, and why most people approach it completely wrong.

They break down:

• The real numbers at entry, mid, and elite athlete levels
• The difference between a sponsor and an affiliate (and why it matters)
• What brands are actually looking for before they say yes
• Why authenticity is non-negotiable, and how businesses spot fakers fast
• How to approach a brand the right way without leading with "give me free stuff"
• Why sponsorship is not a salary, not a reward, and not permanent

Plus, Brooke's Follies aka Sharns are back with some of the most chaotic prep brain stories yet, and Chris finally shares a sponsorship story from his early 20s involving gold sparkly shorts, baby oil, and a very well-known gay bar. You really need to hear it.

🎧 Follow The Macro Lounge on Spotify so you never miss an episode.

WORK WITH US👙 Accentuate Bikinis: https://www.instagram.com/accentuatebikinis/

🏆 Accentuate Posing Academy for posing coaching https://www.instagram.com/accentuate_posing_academy/

💪 Team Bold Physique for coaching: www.boldphysique.com

📧 [email protected]📸 Instagram: @macro_lounge_podcast▶️ YouTube: @TheMacroLoungePodcast

Coffee's optional. Cardio wisdom isn't.

This week Chris and Rach are breaking down one of the most common myths in bodybuilding and fitness - that doing MORE means getting BETTER results. Spoiler: it doesn't.

They're getting into why recovery is just as important as training, why your first prep should be your hardest, and what it actually means to train with intent. Plus Rach drops a race car analogy that genuinely slaps, and there's a registration day disaster story involving wrong divisions, no shoes, no wallet, and a ProCut bikini that still somehow has a happy ending.

This one's for every athlete who's woken up at 4am for cardio while running on three hours sleep and called it dedication.

It's not. Go to bed.

Topics covered:

• Metabolic adaptation and why starting too hard leaves you nowhere to go
• Volume training and junk volume (not the same thing)
• DOMS, fatigue, and why suffering isn't a progress metric
• How to know when your prep is actually inefficient
• The bullets in the gun analogy - only so many tools up your sleeve
• Why the magic is made in the off season, not during prep
• Signs you're overtraining and what to do about it

Like and subscribe on Spotify and YouTube - it helps more than you'd think.

Find us here:🎧 Follow The Macro Lounge on Spotify📸 Instagram: @macro_lounge_podcast▶ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheMacroLoungePodcast📩 Email: [email protected]

Work with us:👙 Posing School: Accentuate Posing Academy https://www.instagram.com/accentuate_posing_academy/

💪 Coaching with Chris: Team Bold Physique https://www.instagram.com/teamboldphysique/

✨ Competition Bikinis with Rachel: Accentuate Bikinis https://www.instagram.com/accentuatebikinis/

Chris and Rachel go deep on the Arnold Classic bikini, wellness, and fit model divisions - who deserved the win, who missed their peak, and what the lineup tells us about where these divisions are heading into Olympia season.

Plus, Sharns are back! Helen Ruth Bailey Strong left her car in a multi-storey and then drove it into a wall two days out from show day (yes, there's video evidence). And Natalia's prep pumpkin almost took out her apartment while she was mid-Stairmaster vibing to Lady Gaga. Prep brain is real, people.

If you've been following along, Episode 7 with Sully from the OCB apparently ruffled a few feathers - so if you haven't listened yet, go back and start there. New episodes every Monday at 5am - just in time for your cardio sessions at the start of the week! (you crazy animals)

Like and follow so you never miss an episode!

He bumped into Arnold at 13. Walked into a seminar he had no business being at. Got given two free tickets to the Mr. Olympia. And the rest? Well, 160 competitions, three military branches, a police career, and one of the world's largest natural bodybuilding federations later, here we are.

This week Chris and Rachel sit down with Sean "Sully" Sullivan, founder and co-owner of the OCB (Organisation of Competitive Bodybuilders), the largest natural bodybuilding federation in the United States and now spanning 13+ countries worldwide.

This one ran long, and we left every second of it in.

We cover:

• How Arnold personally sparked Sully's love of bodybuilding at age 13
• Three military branches, combat deployments, and becoming a Command Chief Master Sergeant
• Why the OCB was built as a culture before it was ever a federation
• How judging should actually work and why most federations get it wrong
• Angular geometry in judging and why "first in the middle" ruins fair scoring
• Out-of-competition drug testing and what makes natural testing credible
• Why OCB competitors are encouraged to compete everywhere, including rival feds
• What "festivals of muscle and feminine beauty" actually means in practice
• The OCB's expansion to 13+ countries and what's coming next

This is a double episode. Season A competitors, that's two cardio sessions sorted. Season B, you're covered for the week.

Connect with Sean here on Instagram

Find us here:🎧 Follow The Macro Lounge on Spotify

📸 Instagram: @macro_lounge_podcast

▶ YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@TheMacroLoungePodcast⁠

📩 Email: ⁠[email protected]⁠

Work with us:

👙 Posing School – Accentuate Posing Academy ⁠https://www.instagram.com/accentuate_posing_academy/⁠

💪 Coaching with Chris – Team Bold Physique ⁠https://www.instagram.com/teamboldphysique/⁠

✨ Competition Bikinis with Rachel – Accentuate Bikinis ⁠https://www.instagram.com/accentuatebikinis/⁠

This week Chris and Rachel are joined by Maria Reym, who shares her journey through competitive bodybuilding and the transition that comes after stepping away from the stage.

Maria talks about the mindset shifts that happen over time, how priorities change, and the moment many athletes begin to ask themselves whether it’s time to stop competing.

We also discuss her move into coaching and judging, and how athletes can remain connected to the sport even when their role evolves.

In this episode we discuss:

• Life after competing
• Identity beyond the stage
• Mindset shifts as priorities change
• Recognising when it may be time to stop competing
• Transitioning into coaching and judging

It’s an honest conversation about the evolution many competitors eventually experience in their bodybuilding journey.

You can follow Marias journey and contact her here: https://www.instagram.com/masha_mashow/

Find us here:

🎧 Follow The Macro Lounge on Spotify
📸 Instagram: @macro_lounge_podcast
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheMacroLoungePodcast
📩 Email: [email protected]

Work with us

👙 Posing School – Accentuate Posing Academy
https://www.instagram.com/accentuate_posing_academy/

💪 Coaching with Chris – Team Bold Physique
https://www.instagram.com/teamboldphysique/

✨ Competition Bikinis – Accentuate Bikinis
https://www.instagram.com/accentuatebikinis/

Do genetics actually matter in bodybuilding?

In this episode, we have an honest conversation about genetic potential, structure, muscle insertions, fat distribution, and why some physiques look more suited to certain divisions.

We cover:

• What good genetics really means
• Bikini structure and proportions
• Muscle insertions and stage shape
• Genetics vs work ethic
• Choosing the right division
• Comparison traps on social media
• Maximising your own potential

Plus another Sharn that reminds us competing is never as polished as Instagram makes it look.

Genetics set the framework. Hard work determines how far you build it.

If you’re serious about improving season to season, this conversation matters. New Episodes every Monday!

Find us here:

🎧 Follow The Macro Lounge on Spotify
📸 Instagram: @macro_lounge_podcast
▶ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheMacroLoungePodcast
📩 Email: [email protected]

Work with us:

👙 Posing School – Accentuate Posing Academy
https://www.instagram.com/accentuate_posing_academy/

💪 Coaching with Chris – Team Bold Physique
https://www.instagram.com/teamboldphysique/

✨ Competition Bikinis – Accentuate Bikinis
https://www.instagram.com/accentuatebikinis/

Everyone wants to improve. Not everyone wants to hear the truth.

In this episode, we talk about feedback in bodybuilding and competition prep - how to receive it, who to listen to, and how not to let ego derail your progress.

We cover:

• Coach to athlete communication
• Handling critique during prep
• Why asking too many people for opinions backfires
• Emotional maturity in competing
• Feedback vs projection
• Why growth requires discomfort

Plus another Sharn that proves not everyone hears what they’re told.

If you’re serious about improving your physique and stage presence, this episode is essential.

Find us here:

🎧 Follow The Macro Lounge on Spotify

📸 Instagram: @macro_lounge_podcast

▶ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheMacroLoungePodcast

📩 Email: [email protected]

Work with us:

👙 Posing School – Accentuate Posing Academy
https://www.instagram.com/accentuate_posing_academy/

💪 Coaching with Chris – Team Bold Physique
https://www.instagram.com/teamboldphysique/

✨ Competition Bikinis – Accentuate Bikinis
https://www.instagram.com/accentuatebikinis/

The off season is not a break. It’s where your next prep is decided.

In this episode, Chris and Rachel unpack what the growth season really means for bikini, wellness, and bodybuilding competitors.

We cover:

• Why prep starts the minute you walk off stage
• Reverse dieting and restoring health post show
• How much weight gain is actually appropriate
• Why staying too lean hurts progress
• Building muscle properly with progressive overload
• Growth season nutrition and protein targets
• Why posing should start long before prep
• The mental shift after stepping off stage

Plus the debut of our new segment “Sharns” featuring one very dramatic two weeks out meltdown.

If you’re serious about competing and improving your physique season to season, this is required listening.

Find us here:

🎧 Follow The Macro Lounge on Spotify📸 Instagram: @macro_lounge_podcast▶ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheMacroLoungePodcast
📩 Email: [email protected]

Work with us:

👙 Posing School – Accentuate Posing Academy
https://www.instagram.com/accentuate_posing_academy/

💪 Coaching with Chris – Team Bold Physique
https://www.instagram.com/teamboldphysique/

✨ Competition Bikinis – Accentuate Bikinis
https://www.instagram.com/accentuatebikinis/