Performance-based weight loss -
The loss of food nutrients due to a reduced calorie intake combined with increased activity is common during weight loss and can cause or accelerate the loss of lean body mass. This is the primary rationale for supplying nutrients without increasing calories — i.
Goal setting, monitoring and adjustments When using body fat measurements to determine fat loss, measurements should be taken biweekly. Results are quantified in pounds of body fat lost or gained, not total weight changes.
Take care to also use the same method or device for body fat measurements. If necessary see below only adjust calories in or out every seven days. If progress stops or slows dramatically, one or a mixture of the following adjustments will be necessary to re-start the process: Increase daily activities e.
Once you have achieved your body composition goals, increase your calorie intake, decrease activities or a combination of the two in order to maintain desired weight. In fact, during severe dieting as with bodybuilders or athletes attempting to hurriedly make weight, protein requirements may increase because protein can be used for both energy and maintaining LBM while fats and carbohydrates cannot.
Final note Hopefully you will not need to participate in a weight loss routine during your athletic career, especially young, growing athletes.
Improper weight loss can compromise many natural developing areas including your final adult height. The perfect scenario is that you naturally reach your best playing weight each year, including through your growth years, by maintaining the proper eating habits we have discussed in many of the previous articles.
Body weight, primarily lean body mass, should generally be increasing while body fat remains in a healthy range until your early 20s.
For strength, power and size athletes, muscular weight can increase throughout their competitive careers when done properly. If weight loss becomes necessary, take it slow and plan ahead as described above. Brito et al. The percentages found in all these sports are comparable to the range previously reported in wrestlers.
Gender is not a factor affecting the prevalence of RWL, although competing at a higher levels was related with more aggressive weight management strategies [ 5 ]. However, a recent study [ 10 ] showed that competitive level is not associated with weight management behaviors in jujitsu, judo, karate and taekwondo athletes.
On the other hand, jujitsu athletes started reducing weight somewhat later Evidence shows that weight cycling during adolescence can be a major issue, as it might negatively impact growth and development [ 18 ]. Importantly, it has been suggested that athletes beginning to cut weight at early ages are at higher risk of weight loss-related problems [ 5 ].
It is worthy to note that the range of body weights of the various weight classes in sports recently included in the Olympics e. However, no study was conducted so far in order to compare weight management behaviors between those combat sports.
Such reductions are frequently undertaken in a few days before competitions. In most cases, athletes reduce weight in the week preceding the weigh-in [ 5 , 6 , 15 ]. The Table 1 summarizes the main findings of the studies on the prevalence and magnitude of weight loss in combat sports.
To achieve such a rapid weight reduction, athletes use a variety of methods [ 4 , 5 , 7 , 10 , 15 ], such as: reduced liquid ingestion; use of saunas, blouses and plastic suits; reduced energy intake; fasting one day prior to the weigh-in; reduced carbohydrate and fat intake.
Other more aggressive methods are also used, such as [ 23 ] vomiting, diet pills, laxatives and diuretics. It is important to emphasize that diuretics are prohibited by the World Antidoping Agency [ 24 ] and are responsible for the majority of doping cases in combat sports [ 25 ]. Several investigations have reported that athletes undergoing RWL presented decreased short-term memory, vigor, concentration and self-esteem as well as increased confusion, rage, fatigue, depression and isolation [ 6 , 26 — 29 ], all of which may hamper competitive performance.
Likewise, the lack of concentration and focus can affect the ability of the athlete to deal with distractions during high-level competitions, resulting in poor performance. A low self-esteem may result in difficult to consider the possibility of winning a match, especially against high-level opponents.
Confusion can negatively affect the capacity of making decisions during the match and rage may result in lack of control and, despite the importance of aggressiveness for combat sports, excessive rage may increase the possibility of illegal actions.
Depression and isolation can result in difficulty in coping with rigorous training sessions. In addition to these problems, a high percentage of wrestlers are quite concerned about their body mass and food intake.
Consequently, they resort to frequent dieting or caloric restriction. The constant attention directed to body mass control increases the probability of eating disorders such as binge eating, anorexia and bulimia, with higher risk among female athletes [ 23 , 30 ].
In fact, wrestlers present preoccupation about their body mass and are not satisfied with their body, despite the very low body fat percentage they usually present. This behavior appears to be more marked in athletes competing at higher levels [ 31 ].
Not surprisingly, the prevalence of overweight and obesity are higher in former combat athletes in comparison with former athletes who were not weight cyclers during their competitive career [ 32 ].
A few studies investigated the association between RWL and competitive success in real tournaments [ 16 , 33 , 34 ].
Although competitive success is multifactorial and too complex to be determined by one variable, the associations provided by these investigations are insightful and help discern the impact of RWL on competitive performance.
In a regional-level wrestling competition, it was observed that athletes who lost a higher amount of weight achieved better classification than the athletes who lost less weight [ 34 ].
Thus, athletes who had practiced more aggressive weight cutting procedures presented better competitive results as compared to those who were more conscious with their health. Studies performed in national level competitions have produced conflicting data.
In a study by Horswill et al. Assuming that the body mass recovered after weigh-in is associated with body mass reduced before the weigh-in, the authors concluded that the amount of weight lost and, consequently, the amount of weight regained after the weigh-in has no effect on competitive success.
In contrast, Alderman et al. Some authors [ 8 ] argue that a successful career is probably built in a single weight class. Despite the paucity of evidence that indicates an association between rapid weight loss and competitive success [ 5 , 14 ], it must be noted that it is possible to achieve success in combat sports while competing in multiple weight classes.
Some prime examples are the successful athletes who moved to heavier weight classes and still performed at the highest level e. While studies are scarce and inconclusive, the impact of RWL on competitive success remains elusive, especially when considered the great number of variables defining wins and losses.
Despite conflicting evidence, most studies indicate that weight loss decreases both aerobic and anaerobic performance. While aerobic performance impairments have been attributed to dehydration, decreased plasma volume, increased heart rate, hydroelectrolytic disturbances, impaired thermoregulation and muscle glycogen depletion [ 30 ], decreased anaerobic performance is mainly related to reduced buffering capacity, glycogen depletion and hydroelectrolytic disturbances [ 30 , 35 ].
Maximal strength seems to not be acutely affected by RWL [ 36 — 38 ], although chronic weight cycling has a negative impact on strength gain during a season [ 39 ].
It is important to highlight that the decrements on anaerobic performance are generally observed when athletes have no opportunity to refeed and rehydrate after weigh-in [ 27 , 38 , 40 , 41 ].
However, in the most combat sports competitions, weigh-ins are followed by a period of time during which athletes may have the chance to recover from the weight loss. Although this period may vary from a few hours to more than one day, it is very likely that within 3—4 hours, athletes are able to recover their anaerobic performance to pre-weight loss values [ 9 ].
Therefore, when followed by a relatively short recovery period, RWL will probably have minimal or no impact on anaerobic performance.
Although this seems to be true for athletes who are experienced weight cyclers, athletes with no experience in reducing weight might be negatively affected by weight loss [ 42 , 43 ]. It suggests that weight cycling may lead athletes to develop physiological adaptations that help them to preserve performance after weight loss.
However, to date there is no direct evidence supporting these hypothesis and further studies are needed to confirm or refute them. Some epidemiological studies have associated RWL with increase risk for injuries [ 44 ]. Oöpik et al. Due to the possible adverse effects of RWL, there are rare cases of death related to this practice.
In , just three months before Atlanta Olympic Games, Chung Se-hoon 22 years, 74 kg , considered the probable gold medal winner in the 65 kg weight category in judo, was found dead in a sauna.
The c ausa mortis was a heart attack. One year later, three collegiate wrestlers died due to hyperthermia and dehydration associated with intentional RWL [ 47 ].
During the Sydney Olympics, Debbie Allan from Great Britain was disqualified during the weigh-in because the scale used by her was not calibrated due to an alleged scale sabotage [ 48 ]. The problem seems also to affect children.
Those extreme cases, together with the very high prevalence of RWL achieved by aggressive methods, illustrate quite clearly that the scenario is disturbing, the problem may be more serious than many people involved with the sport may think and that more attention to this problem should indeed be given.
No athlete should be encouraged to cut weight quickly in order to compete in a lighter weight class. Gradual weight loss i. Athletes should aim to maximize body fat loss and minimize muscle wasting and dehydration when adjusting weight.
During the weight loss period, strength training and BCAA supplementation may help preserve muscle mass. Athletes should not undergo low-carbohydrate diets in order to make weight as they seem to be more detrimental to physical performance [ 41 ]. If an athlete will have less than 3 hours to recovery after the weigh-in, RWL, dehydration and restricted carbohydrate ingestion should be avoided.
During the recovery period after weigh-in, athletes are encouraged to consume high amounts of carbohydrates, fluids and electrolytes. Creatine supplementation may also be of use if the athlete will recover for a long period after weighing-in.
Control strategies to avoid RWL practices can be divided in two areas: 1 coach and athlete educational programs; 2 management procedures to control or discourage RWL. According to Burke and Cox [ 3 ], athletes and coaches should receive information about: caloric balance; how to prepare each food portion; how to avoid increase weight especially fat after the competition; how to prepare food using low fat ingredients; how to prepare snacks with low caloric content using fruits and vegetables; how to avoid combating stress through excessive food intake; how to avoid gastronomic novelties during high-level competitions abroad or when inside the Olympic village; the importance of avoiding fast-food restaurants while travelling; how to increase satiety using low glycemic index foods; how to avoid excessive food and alcohol intake during celebrations; how to keep a diet diary and how to identify the main difficulties to maintain adequate nutrition.
Additionally, the recommendations done by Horswill [ 20 ] concerning body mass control during the season are important sources of information. This author suggests specific goals for each periodization phase.
Management procedures have been used in wrestling [ 53 ] and proposed for judo [ 8 ] to avoid weight loss among athletes. The following recommendations were first drafted in [ 54 ] and reinforced in by the American College of Sports Medicine [ 14 ].
They are currently in use in most scholastic wrestling competitions in United States as a part of a program aiming at controlling the weight management issue among wrestlers. This program has been shown effective in attenuating the aggressive patterns of rapid weight loss and discouraging athletes from losing weight irresponsibly [ 20 ].
Therefore, these recommendations should be implemented by other combat sports organizations in order to avoid widespread weight loss among combat athletes [ 8 ]:. no athletes are allowed to compete in a weight class that would require weight loss greater than 1. Kim S, Greenwell TC, Andrew DPS, Lee J, Mahony DF: An analysis of spectator motives in an individual combat sport: a study of mixed martial arts fans.
Sport Mark Q. Google Scholar. Ko Y, Kim Y, Valacich J: Martial arts participation: Consumer motivation. Int J Sport Mark Spo. Burke LM, Cox GR: Nutrition in combat sports. Combat Sports Medicine. Edited by: Kordi R, Maffulli N, Wroble RR, Wallace WA. Chapter Google Scholar.
Langan-Evans C, Close GL, Morton JP: Making Weight in Combat Sports. Strength Cond J. Article Google Scholar. Artioli GG, Gualano B, Franchini E, Scagliusi FB, Takesian M, Fuchs M, Lancha AH: Prevalence, magnitude, and methods of rapid weight loss among judo competitors.
Med Sci Sports Exerc. Article PubMed Google Scholar. Steen SN, Brownell KD: Patterns of weight loss and regain in wrestlers: has the tradition changed?.
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar. Artioli GG, Scagliusi F, Kashiwagura D, Franchini E, Gualano B, Junior AL: Development, validity and reliability of a questionnaire designed to evaluate rapid weight loss patterns in judo players.
Scand J Med Sci Sports. Artioli GG, Franchini E, Nicastro H, Sterkowicz S, Solis MY, Lancha AHJ: The need of a weight management control program in judo: a proposal based on the successful case of wrestling. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. Article PubMed Central PubMed Google Scholar. Artioli GG, Iglesias RT, Franchini E, Gualano B, Kashiwagura DB, Solis MY, Benatti FB, Fuchs M, Lancha Junior AH: Rapid weight loss followed by recovery time does not affect judo-related performance.
J Sports Sci. Brito CJ, Roas AF, Brito IS, Marins JC, Cordova C, Franchini E: Methods of body mass reduction by combat sport athletes.
Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. PubMed Google Scholar. Kazemi M, Shearer H, Choung YS: Pre-competition habits and injuries in Taekwondo athletes.
BMC Musculoskelet Disord. Tsai ML, Chou KM, Chang CK, Fang SH: Changes of mucosal immunity and antioxidation activity in elite male Taiwanese taekwondo athletes associated with intensive training and rapid weight loss. Br J Sports Med. Perón APON, Zampronha Filho W, da Silva Garcia L, da Silva AW, Alvarez JFG: Perfil nutricional de boxeadores olímpicos e avaliação do impacto da intervenção nutricional no ajuste de peso para as categorias de lutas.
Mundo Saúde. Oppliger RA, Case HS, Horswill CA, Landry GL, Shelter AC: ACSM Position Stand: Weight Loss in Wrestlers.
Oppliger RA, Steen SA, Scott JR: Weight loss practices of college wrestlers. Alderman BL, Landers DM, Carlson J, Scott JR: Factors related to rapid weight loss practices among international-style wrestlers.
Kordi R, Ziaee V, Rostami M, Wallace WA: Patterns of weight loss and supplement consumption of male wrestlers in Tehran.
Sports Med Arthrosc Rehabil Ther Technol. Roemmich JN, Sinning WE: Weight loss and wrestling training: effects on growth-related hormones. J Appl Physiol. CAS PubMed Google Scholar. Fabrini SP, Brito CJ, Mendes EL, Sabarense CM, Marins JCB, Franchini E: Práticas de redução de massa corporal em judocas nos períodos pré-competitivos.
Rev bras Educ Fís Esporte. Horswill CA: Making Weight in Combat Sports. Kiningham RB, Gorenflo DW: Weight loss methods of high school wrestlers. Tipton CM, Tcheng TK: Iowa wrestling study. Weight loss in high school students. Filaire E, Rouveix M, Pannafieux C, Ferrand C: Eating attitudes, perfectionism and body-esteem of elite male judoists and cyclists.
J Sports Sci Med. PubMed Central PubMed Google Scholar. Cadwallader AB, de la Torre X, Tieri A, Botre F: The abuse of diuretics as performance-enhancing drugs and masking agents in sport doping: pharmacology, toxicology and analysis.
Br J Pharmacol. Article PubMed Central CAS PubMed Google Scholar. Halabchi F: Doping in Combat Sports. Horswill CA, Park SH, Roemmich JN: Changes in the protein nutritional status of adolescent wrestlers. Filaire E, Maso F, Degoutte F, Jouanel P, Lac G: Food restriction, performance, psychological state and lipid values in judo athletes.
Int J Sports Med. Umeda T, Nakaji S, Shimoyama T, Yamamoto Y, Totsuka M, Sugawara K: Adverse effects of energy restriction on myogenic enzymes in judoists. Degoutte F, Jouanel P, Begue RJ, Colombier M, Lac G, Pequignot JM, Filaire E: Food restriction, performance, biochemical, psychological, and endocrine changes in judo athletes.
Fogelholm M: Effects of bodyweight reduction on sports performance.
That said, athletes Performance-based weight loss to approach Performacne-based loss with care. Failing Performance-based weight loss losa so Peeformance-based negatively affect training Performabce-based lead to muscle Vegan meal ideas for weight gain. To lose fat, you weiht to eat fewer calories. This can make training feel more difficult and prevent you from performing at your best. Attempting fat loss in the off-season will also give you more time to reach your goal. Losing weight at a slower rate decreases the likelihood of muscle loss and seems to support better sports performance 1. Most research agrees that weight loss of 1 pound 0.Video
How to Retain Muscle During Weight LossPerformance-based weight loss -
Mountjoy, M. and Ljungqvist, A. The IOC consensus statement: beyond the female athlete triad—Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport RED-S. British journal of sports medicine, 48 7 , pp. Degoutte, F.
and Filaire, E. Food restriction, performance, biochemical, psychological, and endocrine changes in judo athletes.
International journal of sports medicine, 27 01 , pp. Thomas, D. and Burke, L. Position of the academy of nutrition and dietetics, dietitians of canada, and the american college of sports medicine: Nutrition and athletic performance.
Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 3 , pp. Skip to content Resources to Optimize Athletic Performance and Sports Sciences. ShakeBot Bottom Line When it comes to weight loss, slow and steady wins the race. Losing weight at slow rates typically improves body composition and athletic performance measures, compared with faster rates of weight loss [].
Aim to lose 0. Although not discussed in the post, higher protein intakes are suggested during times of caloric restriction [6]. Reference Garthe, I.
The perfect balance takes action and attention to detail. For endurance athletes to lose weight, nutrition plays much more of a vital role than exercise. Athletes should be focusing their exercise habits on performance development first and foremost.
Training solely to burn extra calories leads to either eating more calories or over-training by under-fueling, neither of which results in fat loss. Fat loss takes time. Water loss can happen overnight. Your goal should be fat loss, which means patience is required.
Avoid being too aggressive with your calorie deficit goals. Aim for a to calorie deficit per day for healthy long-term fat loss that is sustainable while base training and building fitness. Other dietary behaviors important for weight loss or weight maintenance after weight loss are also emphasized, such as eating breakfast, spreading food and protein intake throughout the day, eating after exercise, elimination of sweetened beverages, and avoiding fad diets.
As the general population becomes heavier, more young athletes will come to their sport needing to alter bodyweight or composition to perform at their peak. Health professionals need to be prepared with effective and evidence-based dietary approaches to help the athletes achieve their bodyweight goals.
Management of Performance-based weight loss is an ever-increasing challenge in societies where good tasting food olss convenient, relatively inexpensive, and abundant. Developing a weight management Antioxidant-Packed Snacks is Pefformance-based for everyone, including athletes that expend PPerformance-based amounts of Performance-based weight loss in their sport. This brief review addresses the concept of dynamic energy balance and dietary approaches that can be successfully used with active individuals to facilitate weight loss, while retaining lean tissue and minimizing risks for disordered eating. Emphasis is placed on teaching athletes the benefits of consuming a low-energy-dense diet e. high-fiber, high-water, low-fat foodswhich allows for the consumption of a greater volume of food that is satiating but reduces energy intake.
0 thoughts on “Performance-based weight loss”