Many bodybuilding fans still consider Sergio Oliva to be one of the greatest bodybuilders ever. Sergio was one of the first bodybuilders who weighed over 220 lbs on stage.

Along with size, Oliva also brought conditioning and a great posing routine. To maintain muscle size, Oliva ate a lot. Reportedly, while preparing for his 1984 comeback, Sergio’s then-wife convinced him to follow the Frank Zane diet to get healthy.

However, instead of helping him, the diet hindered Oliva’s progress. In an exclusive interview with Bodybuilding.com, Sergio once explained how the diet affected him.

Sergio Oliva’s experience on the Frank Zane diet

During the interview, Sergio talked about his experience with the Frank Zane diet. Sergio followed the diet before taking part in the 1984 Mr. Olympia contest. The former champion hadn’t competed since 1972 and wanted to make a comeback in 84. However, the diet wasn’t for him.

Sergio said, “I have always been a big eater. So I was going to bed hungry and waking up hungry. So it was not for me. If it worked for Frank Zane, well good for him.”

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“Nothing but fish and a lot of salads. Which was good because I always ate a lot of salads and vegetables,” Sergio revealed. Oliva also said he was reluctant to try the diet. But the former champion’s ex-wife said he could get “real ripped,” by following Zane’s diet.

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However, there was a fatal flaw in Oliva’s ex-wife’s plan. Unlike ‘The Myth’, Zane didn’t weigh over 200 lbs. Sergio stood 5’10 Ft tall and weighed 225 lbs on stage. Even during the offseason, Frank weighed only 220 lbs, 5 lbs less than ‘The Myth’.

Sergio Oliva was the biggest bodybuilder of his time. The Cuban native brought both size and conditioning, a mix that was rare in the late 60s. Even the great Arnold Schwarzenegger described Sergio as “huge” and “fantastic” in his book ‘Arnold: The Education of a Bodybuilder’.

It may have cost him the competition

During the same interview, Sergio also said that he looked much worse on stage because of the diet his wife told him to follow. Oliva finished in eighth place and said, “I know my physique before I met you. I know what I need.” The three-time Mr. Olympia returned to the biggest stage in bodybuilding one last time in 1985. However, he didn’t improve his standing and placed eighth again.

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Frank Zane and Sergio Oliva both captured the Mr. Olympia title. However, they were not the same, and hence, ‘The Myth’ didn’t get any results after eating what Zane ate. Oliva was always hungry, which hindered his training and may have even cost him a much higher placing at the 1984, Mr. Olympia.