Wrestling and fighting sports like boxing and mixed martial arts are brutally demanding sports because of the toughness and stamina required to excel in them. Their inherent challenges aren't limited to the mat, either. To prevent mismatches, wrestlers and fighters are categorized by weight class, meaning they must follow a strict regimen of diet and use other weight-cutting measures to remain eligible.
Step 1
Eat complex carbohydrates. There are two types of carbohydrates -- simple and complex. Simple carbs are in processed foods, sweets and fast food, and are quickly digested by your body. This causes you to feel hungry sooner than you do when you eat complex carbs, such as oatmeal and lentils. Such foods provide a longer-lasting feeling of fullness, helping you cut down on snacking, and are usually less fattening than simple carbs.
Step 2
Drink plenty of water. You might have the urge to cut out water for fear of gaining water weight, but you need to be hydrated for your big match. Water contains none of the sugar, carbs and calories that soda and sports drinks contain. A 2010 study headed by Virginia Tech researcher Brenda Davy proved that drinking water before every meal leads to weight loss because it makes you feel more full, and you're thus less likely than normal to binge on food.
Step 3
Sweat it out. This is one of the most popular weight-cutting measures for wrestlers and fighters. The night and morning before your bout, put on a sweatsuit and go for a long run. But the practice of sweating it out should be used in moderation, and not in extreme doses. After several wrestlers died trying to lose drastic amounts of weight, the NCAA banned the use of saunas and rubberized suits as weight-cutting measures for college wrestlers.
Step 4
Maintain a low-calorie diet. The FDA's standard recommendation is a 2,000-calorie daily diet. You may need more than this because of all the energy you expend while training, but avoid binging or regularly eating foods that have empty calories -- meaning they have little nutritional value -- such as candy, fast food and other junk food. By keeping your calorie intake levels to a reasonable minimum throughout your training season, you'll avoid having to scramble at the last minute to lose weight.
Member Comments