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Nutrition > Sport > Weight Control > Weight Loss > Making Weight

Making Weight

by Clare Wood

In many weight division sports, there is often a last minute effort to make your weight category. This can be a challenging and sometimes dangerous thing if it is not done correctly. The best advice is to try and to stay within 3-4kg of your weight category. Making weight should be achieved well before the competition. Making weight is all about energy balance.

Energy in = food and fluids consumed
Energy out = energy used doing daily activities and exercise

To lose weight food intake needs to be lower than energy expenditure, so you can try one of the following of use a combination of both.

• Reduce kilojoules going in
  
• Increase energy going out

Things to Avoid:

• Quick weight loss
  
  • This type of weight loss is NOT fat loss, it is more than likely fluid loss, or could also be loss of muscle mass.
    
  • Losing muscle mass is not what you want as you are also losing strength
• High fat eating - reduce the intake of the following
  
  • Fats and oils in cooking
    
  • Naturally occurring fats
    
  • Processed foods (high fat, low nutrients)
    
  • Takeaway
• Foods with excess energy & low nutrients. E.g. lollies, soft drinks
• Cutting out whole food groups
• Fluid loss / dehydration strategies
  
  • Spa's & saunas
    
  • Running in a tracksuit
    
  • Diuretics
    
  • Reducing fluid intake

Things to aim for:

• Set a realistic goal for yourself - ½ kg per week is a realistic weight loss goal
  
• Reduce fat intake
  
• Slightly reduce total quantity of food intake
  
• Enjoy a wide variety of foods
  
• Be aware of boredom eating
  
  • Stay focused on your nutritional goals
    
  • Keep a food diary
    
• Enjoy healthy low-fat eating
  
• Keep fluid intake up

Related Pages

• Weight Loss for Athletes
• Excessive Weight Loss in Athletes - not all weight loss is healthy.