Airport bathroom selfie means one thing… changing country again.
After a short stay in Mexico, I made it to the airport today with what feels like half of my life packed into my luggage. I’m feeling better than I was yesterday, which is good news because now I have a very long flight ahead of me.
Getting everything packed, carrying all the luggage and making it through the airport was a little stressful. I think this video from the moment I finally sat down on the plane explains it better than I can. 😅
Now I can finally sit, relax and hopefully get some rest.
I also have a lot of hours in the air, so I’ll be doing something I often do on these long flights: answering your questions. Send me your Q&A questions to my Instagram and I’ll work through some of them while I’m somewhere over the Atlantic. ✈️
I came to the United States to compete, first at the Santa Cruz Pro and then at Janet Layug’s Battle of the Bodies Pro in Florida. Between the competitions there was training, traveling, work, photo shoots and trying to keep everything moving while staying in competition condition.
After Florida, I made one more stop in Mexico City to participate in a podcast. It was a great experience and something a little different for me. I’ll share the YouTube video as soon as it is available.
But apparently my body decided Mexico was also where I finally needed to slow down. 🤧
Today was my first full day feeling sick. I’m resting with some tea and hoping tomorrow I feel better, because I have a very long trip ahead of me: Mexico to Barcelona, and then finally back home to Italy.
Travel can put a lot of stress on the body, especially after weeks of competition prep. I arrived in Mexico City after very little sleep, and the altitude here is more than 2,200 meters. When I woke up, some of the numbers I track were already showing changes from my normal baseline.
I put together a few slides showing what I was seeing this morning and how I approach a situation like this when I still have fitness and competition goals to think about.
My resting heart rate was elevated, my HRV was lower, my skin temperature was above my normal baseline and my blood oxygen was lower than usual. Then came the symptoms.
Hydration is one of the things I pay particular attention to when I’m traveling. Long flights, dry cabin air, changes in altitude, disrupted sleep and the stress of travel can all affect how I feel and recover.
And hydration for me means paying attention to electrolytes as well as water.
Sodium, potassium and magnesium all have important roles in hydration, muscle function and recovery. This becomes something I pay even more attention to when I’m traveling frequently and trying to keep my body performing at a high level.
Right now I’m using VAST Sports Hydro Salt + Electrolytes. I normally use it around travel — before a flight, after arriving and again when I wake up.
If you want to try the same product I use, you can find it at vastsports.eu and use my code ALE.
Then there is the question every athlete eventually asks when getting sick: should I still train?
For me, today the answer is no.
When you’re motivated and focused on a goal, it can be easy to think discipline means following the plan no matter what. But I also have to pay attention to what my body is telling me. If my temperature is elevated, my resting heart rate is unusually high, I have symptoms and I’ve slept badly, forcing a hard workout isn’t going to help me prepare for my next competition.
So today I’m concentrating on recovery: some easy movement if I feel up to it, plenty of fluids and electrolytes, enough protein and carbohydrates, and hopefully a long night of sleep.
A few days of adjusting my training isn’t going to erase the work I’ve done. I want to recover properly so I can get back to productive training as soon as my body is ready.
And I’m definitely ready to get home now. 😅
It has been an intense month. Two competitions in the United States, traveling between cities, training, work, the podcast in Mexico and everything else that comes with trying to maintain this lifestyle while being far away from home.
I’m looking forward to getting back to Italy, sleeping in my own bed and having some time to recover from all of it.
It won’t be a long break. I have another competition coming in a few weeks, and soon my attention will turn toward preparing for the next stage. But right now, getting healthy and recovering from this month comes first.
For tonight, I’m staying on the couch with my tea and hoping tomorrow morning brings some improvement. ❤️🩹
And if you’re working toward your own fitness goals and want help finding the right approach to training, nutrition and recovery for your body and your lifestyle, you can apply for a free consultation with me here.
Life doesn’t always have to be moving at full speed.
This photo was taken during the summer of 2021. Training, work, travel, and preparing for competitions can make life feel like a constant race, but I’ve learned that taking time to slow down is just as important as knowing when to push hard.
Some of my best ideas come during the quiet moments, when there’s no workout to finish, no schedule to follow, and no distractions demanding my attention. Those moments give me a chance to reflect, recharge, and appreciate how far I’ve come while thinking about where I want to go next.
Sometimes doing nothing for a little while is exactly what you need to move forward.
My latest YouTube video takes you along for a busy day in Los Angeles as I balance competition prep with work, training, travel, and recovery.
I was only in LA for a couple of days, but there was plenty happening. One of the main reasons for the stop was a shoot for a new brand collaboration. I’m keeping the name under wraps for now, but the video gives you a behind-the-scenes look at the shoot and a little preview of what I’ve been working on.
Brand partnerships have become another part of my career, and I like working with companies that fit naturally with my lifestyle. Bodybuilding will always be at the center of what I do, but there are other areas that are important to me too — fashion, grooming, skincare, travel, and taking care of how I present myself. You’ll be hearing more about this particular collaboration soon.
Learning From Santa Cruz
I also use the vlog to talk about my recent third-place finish in Santa Cruz.
At the time I filmed the video, I was still waiting for official feedback from the head judge, but I had already received some useful observations from people I trust. One of the biggest areas was posing.
You can spend months preparing your physique, but you still have to present it correctly when you step onto the stage. Small differences in shoulder position, posture and how you open your back can change what the judges see.
In the video, I demonstrate one specific mistake I made during my back pose in Santa Cruz and show the adjustment I need to make. Looking back at the competition footage, I can see exactly where I was fighting the pose instead of letting my physique speak for itself.
It’s a good reminder for anyone preparing to compete: posing deserves the same attention you give your training and diet.
Recovering While Staying Ready
Another challenge is figuring out how to train immediately after a competition when the season isn’t finished.
My body is still recovering from prep, calories are still low, and I may need to step on stage again very soon. That means I have to be smart about how much stress I create in the gym.
In LA, I take you through some of my training and explain the approach I’m using between shows. The goal right now is to keep the muscles stimulated and responsive while giving my nervous system and the rest of my body an opportunity to recover.
Food and sleep become especially important during this period. When you’re already operating with limited calories, you have to think carefully about how much additional stress you’re asking your body to handle.
Competition Is Only Part of Life
This vlog also captures something I’ve learned throughout my career: even during competition season, life keeps moving.
There are shoots to complete, flights to catch, work waiting on my laptop, relationships and friendships to maintain, and decisions to make about what comes next. The balance changes from week to week, and right now bodybuilding requires a lot of my attention. But I still have to manage everything around it.
After Los Angeles, I’m heading to Las Vegas and then Miami. And there’s another decision coming very soon: where I’ll compete next.
I talk more about that journey, what I learned from Santa Cruz, and how I’m approaching the days between competitions in the new video.
Come spend the day with me in LA — and stay tuned, because the next chapter is coming quickly.
The final days before a show have their own rhythm. Training changes, recovery becomes especially important, and I’m paying close attention to how my body responds while making the final adjustments.
And now competition day is here.
Today I’ll step on stage in Fort Lauderdale and have another chance to present the improvements we’ve been working on. I’m excited to see what happens and, as always, to learn from the experience.
Italy is full of places where history, tradition, and craftsmanship come together, and Franciacorta is one of them.
This photo was taken in Franciacorta in the summer of 2023, a region in northern Italy that’s internationally known for its sparkling wines. They’re produced using the traditional bottle fermentation method, the same process used in Champagne, and the area has become one of Italy’s most celebrated food and wine destinations.
I enjoy visiting places like this not only for the scenery but also for experiencing another side of Italian culture. Every region has its own traditions, its own cuisine, and its own character, and it’s always rewarding to explore them.
There are so many incredible places to visit in Italy, and Franciacorta is definitely one worth adding to the list.
I’m happy about what we brought to Santa Cruz. It was important for me to see my condition on stage, especially the improvements we made to my back and upper chest. Finishing third also gave me more information about what is working and what we can still improve.
And now, only a few weeks later, we go again.
This week is peak week, which means we are in the final days before the competition. Most of the work has already been done during the previous weeks and months. Now everything becomes very precise. We watch the food, training, water, recovery and how my body is changing every day.
Peak week is also tiring. 😅
My body fat is very low, I’m eating for the competition, and I don’t have the same energy I would normally have. Sometimes I just want to sleep! Training is different too because the goal now is to arrive at the competition with the best condition possible.
So I’m trying to rest as much as I can between training and everything else I have to do here in Miami.
It is interesting because Santa Cruz was only two weeks ago. Normally you have much more time between competitions to make changes. This time we already have the condition, and we are trying to keep it and make some improvements before I go on stage again.
I’m excited to compete in Florida. Janet Layug’s Battle of the Bodies will have both amateur and professional athletes, and for the IFBB Pro League there will be Men’s Physique and Bikini competitions.
For me, this is another chance to compete with some of the best athletes, enjoy the experience and see what version of Alessandro we can bring this time.
I’ve said many times that competition is you versus you. Of course I want a good result. Every athlete who steps on stage wants that. But I also want to look at myself and know that I continue moving forward.
Some travel destinations are memorable because of the scenery. Others are memorable because they make you smile.
This photo was taken in Tulum, Mexico, in spring 2022. Tulum has become famous for its white-sand beaches, turquoise Caribbean water, and the nearby Mayan ruins that overlook the coastline. It’s a place where nature, history, and creativity all seem to come together.
One thing I enjoy whenever I travel is stumbling across unexpected places like this. You can plan an itinerary, but sometimes it’s the random discoveries that end up becoming your favorite memories.
I don’t remember exactly what was waiting inside this giant rabbit, but I do remember that it made for a fun photo! 🐇
There are moments when the best thing you can do is simply pause, close your eyes, and appreciate where you are.
This photo was taken in 2022 on the Costa Smeralda, a spectacular stretch of coastline in northeastern Sardinia. Its name literally means “Emerald Coast,” inspired by the crystal-clear turquoise water that has made it one of the Mediterranean’s most famous destinations. While it’s known today for luxury yachts and beautiful beaches, the surrounding region is also rich in history, with ancient stone structures called nuraghi that date back more than 3,000 years.
One of the things I enjoy most about places like this is the opportunity to slow down for a moment. Training, work, and travel can keep life moving at a fast pace, so taking a few quiet minutes to feel the warmth of the sun, breathe deeply, and enjoy the surroundings is something I never take for granted.
You do not need twenty supplements, complicated recipes, or expensive “fitness foods” to build a strong high-protein diet. Most of the best bodybuilding foods are very simple and easy to find in almost any grocery store.
Chicken breast is still one of the most common choices for a reason. It is lean, versatile, relatively inexpensive, and easy to prepare in large amounts. Most of the time I keep it simple: olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, maybe some herbs, and either grilling or air frying.
Eggs are another staple I always recommend. Whole eggs provide good protein and are incredibly easy to prepare quickly. Omelets, scrambled eggs, boiled eggs, or combining eggs with vegetables and potatoes creates very solid meals without much effort.
Greek yogurt is also excellent, especially for snacks or lighter meals. It’s high in protein, easy to digest, and simple to combine with fruit, oats, honey, cinnamon, or protein powder without needing to cook anything.
Lean beef is another great option, especially for people trying to add more variety. Ground beef bowls with rice or potatoes are simple bodybuilding meals that work very well while still feeling satisfying.
And of course, protein powder still has value mainly because of convenience. I do not think supplements should replace whole meals constantly, but shakes are always useful when schedules become busy or protein intake falls short during the day.
Every meal doesn’t need to feel “perfect.”
Bodybuilding nutrition works best when meals are realistic enough to repeat consistently. Simple foods prepared well usually beat overly complicated meal plans people abandon after two weeks because they become exhausting to maintain.
Over the years, bodybuilding has naturally brought me into a lot of photo shoots, collaborations, and creative projects with photographers in different countries and environments.
At first, I thought modeling was mostly about physique alone. You train hard, show up in shape, and the photos take care of themselves.
It doesn’t really work that way.
A strong physique helps, of course, but good modeling is also about awareness, communication, timing, posture, expression, and understanding how to work with the camera instead of simply standing in front of it.
Small adjustments matter. Slight changes in posture, shoulder position, lighting angle, hand placement, facial expression, or even breathing can completely change the feeling of a photo.
I also think newer models sometimes try too hard to look intense or dramatic in every shot. Usually the strongest photos feel more natural and controlled. Confidence tends to photograph much better than forced expressions.
Another important thing is trusting the photographer.
Good photographers see details you may not notice while you are focused on posing or holding tension. The best shoots usually feel collaborative rather than one-sided. It’s important for the model and photographer to communicate, especially when trying to create a specific atmosphere or visual style.
It’s also not a good idea to show up for a photo shoot exhausted.
Sleep, hydration, grooming, skin condition, tan, and overall energy level all affect how someone photographs. In bodybuilding photography especially, lighting and conditioning expose every detail very clearly.
And photo shoots are physically tiring! Holding poses repeatedly while staying tight and expressive takes much more energy than it appears from the outside.
At the end of the day, good physique photography is not only about documenting muscle. The best images capture mood, discipline, personality, atmosphere, and presence at the same time.
That balance is what makes certain photos memorable long after the shoot itself is over.
We’re a day late with this week’s Saturday Selfie, but there was a pretty good reason: yesterday, I was standing on stage at the 2026 Santa Cruz Pro in California.
I finished third in the Men’s Physique Open, behind Jason Huynh, who took first place, and Hossein Karimi, who finished second. It was a strong international lineup, with athletes coming to Santa Cruz from the United States, Italy, Iran, Algeria, Switzerland, Mexico, Brazil and other countries.
Of course, every time I compete, I step on stage wanting the best possible result. But bodybuilding is also about learning from every competition and continuing to improve.
Going into this show, I wanted to see how the changes we have been working on would look on stage, especially the improvements to my back and upper chest. Now I have another result, another experience and more information about what I can continue working on.
Third place at a professional competition is something I am proud of, but the work continues.
I have said many times that bodybuilding is ultimately you versus you. Each competition gives me another opportunity to compare myself with the athlete I was before and find the things I can make better for the next time.
Today, though, I’m taking a moment to appreciate this medal and everyone who supported me through another prep and another competition.
Most people are used to seeing me in tank tops and gym shorts, but every now and then it’s fun to swap them for something a little different.
This photo was taken in Milan in 2022. Fashion and bodybuilding might seem like completely different worlds, but they share something in common: attention to detail. Whether it’s building a physique or putting together an outfit, the little things make a difference.
I still spend most of my days in the gym… but I clean up pretty well once in a while. 😄
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