How Boxers Lose Weight

It is important for boxers not only to train hard enough to learn the skills necessary to defend and attack during a fight but to maintain a certain body weight. A boxer follows a number of strict routines to reach his target weight before a fight.

Significance

Weight loss is important for a boxer. Prior to each fight, when competitors must weigh themselves to ensure that they are the correct weight for the fight. Those who are not the correct weight are unable to participate in the competition.

Expert Insight

Professional boxing coach Ross Enamait states that boxers are able to achieve quick weight loss by consuming small meals several times a day. They exercise daily, which promotes a high metabolism and a negative energy balance. They also take extreme measures, such as eating only egg whites and jumping rope while wearing a sweat suit.

Carbohydrate Reduction

Before a fight, a boxer will reduce his intake of carbohydrates, including pasta, bread and potatoes, because they produce weight gain. By cutting down or eliminating these foods from their diets, boxers force their bodies to burn through existing body fat. The negative aspect of this weight loss method is that forcing the body to feed off existing fat can lead to a reduction in energy.

Sauna

Many boxers will use the sauna frequently in the days before a fight. At times, they will take extreme measures and wear layers of clothing while performing jumping jacks in the sauna. This method has its drawbacks; in 2008, U.S. Olympic boxer Gary Russell, Jr. collapsed due to the vinyl sauna jacket he was wearing, which pushed his body temperature up to 105 F. He was later disqualified.

Bowel Emptying

Before a weigh-in, a boxer often spends a lot of time going to the toilet to ensure that he has lost all the weight required to qualify for the fight. Some boxers will take laxatives the night before a weigh-in. The intestines can carry as much as 5 lb. of fecal matter; boxers aim to eliminate as much of this as possible before a fight. This weight-loss method can cause a boxer to become dehydrated, which can cause a loss of energy before a fight.