Nutrition In Sports: Diet Tips To Make Weight

In many types of sports, weight classes may matter. To address this, long-term nutrition and diet management is the best tips to make weight in your sport. Optimising body composition ideally occurs during the latter part of the ‘off season’ and the early part of the competition season. However, some athletes need a quick-fix for weight loss to ensure that the competition’s weight requirements are met.

A number of athletes, unfortunately, starve and restrict their diet and fluid intake without the supervision of a health professional. This drastically deteriorates their performance come competition day. So how should one cut weight in the quickest way possible? Check out these tips to make weight and be in tip-top shape!

Low Residue/Fibre Diet

This strategy mainly minimises fiber intake. It may produce as much as 300-750g weight loss by emptying the gastrointestinal contents.*

Restricting Salt

Limiting foods high in salt and avoiding adding salt to meals can help minimise fluid retention and therefore contribute to short-term weight loss.

Fluid Manipulation

Systematic manipulation of your fluid intake can help in making the weight — however, some athletes abuse this method and in return causes a hit on their performance. Any weight loss that is 2-3% more than the body weight can be harmful and detrimental as it affects your abilities and can be dangerous to long-term health. What’s the recommendation? Limit fluid intake on the final day before the competition and away from any training sessions. This can help in retaining more electrolytes and allow rapid rehydration after weigh-ins.

Retain Similar Conditions

It is important that any last minute strategies to make weight are practiced under similar conditions (as close as possible) to a competition scenario to ensure you have confidence in their success and know how your body will respond.

Know What To Do After Weighing In

In order to facilitate optimal rehydration and recovery after you weigh in an appropriate strategy and plan is essential. This also must be practiced and refined. High carbohydrate foods and fluids should be prioritised to ensure that fuel (glycogen) stores are ready to go for the competition. Hydration is also incredibly important for replacing any fluids lost during the making weight process. The use of sports drinks, meal replacement drinks or smoothies can be helpful as they provide both fluid and carbohydrate in one.

Need snack ideas for your endurance event? Read our previous article to know more about it!

If you have left the weight making to the last minute, set up an appointment with me TODAY so I can guide you through the process as safely, and in as best condition, as possible.

*Amount of weight loss may vary from one athlete to another.