PillarofBalance
Strength Pimp
- Feb 27, 2011
- 17,066
- 4,640
The easiest advice I can give to someone who is considering cutting weight to compete in a lower weight class is simply this:
Don’t
Here at Strength First, we don’t typically provide nutrition plans because frankly there are people that are much better at it then I. I won’t pretend to be an expert in a subject and when that knowledge is needed I have the network to back me up. My ego will never cause my clients to fall short.
But what I will do in the case of an athlete approaching a meet is keep a close eye on their weight. If large fluctuations are occurring or they are greater than 10 pounds over competition weight I will start asking for a log of their meals and all snacks. From there we will simply cut calories. That 10 pound threshold is what I have found to be manageable within days of the meet.
I will never in any case ever recommend or condone the use of drugs for cutting water. I have no problem working with clients who use performance enhancing drugs as I believe it is a personal choice. However, I draw the line at the inclusion of drugs such as Lasix. The possibility for something to go wrong and have serious negative health consequences is simply too much to risk in my opinion. If you require drugs to cut weight so rapidly then you should live with the consequences of your failure to control your diet and compete in the higher weight class than you desired.
You prepare to compete by training your lifts. You should be prepared come weigh-in as well.
It is highly recommended that if a 24 hour weigh-in is offered you take advantage. This can be the difference between attempting to compete slightly dehydrated and cramping up versus completing your lifts without doing the strained hammy dance. So in the case of a 24 hour weigh in here is what I recommend to a client who is within 10 pounds of their weight class:
7 days out – salt your food, bring water intake to 1 gallon per day minimum 1.5 gallons maximum.
4 days out – decrease salt intake, keep water intake at 1 gallon per day minimum.
3 days out – Eliminate salt in food, continue drinking 1 gallon of water minimum
2 days out (day before weigh in) – Continue no salt added foods, hydrate upon waking, as of noon small sips of water throughout the day. Drop carbohydrate intake to 50g per day. Prior to bed, 2 cups of black tea with no sugar or dairy. Up to 4 cups if not stimulant sensitive. Avoid disrupting sleep.
1 day out (day of weigh-in) – Upon waking begin consuming black tea, double bagged. Drink throughout the day until one hour prior to weigh in. No food at this time.
Throughout the night and day you will urinate a significant amount. I have lost 12 pounds using this exact method. Once you weigh in you will begin the process of rehydrating. To rehydrate yourself adequately:
Fill a gallon jug with a 50/50 mixture of pedialyte and water and consume this through the day. You should finish this off within a few hours. Once consumed, just begin drinking water. You should immediately begin eating as well. Be sure to eat a minimum of 60% carbohydrate, however I tend to go well above the 60%.
If there is no 24 hour weigh-in, may God save your soul!
Seriously though if you have to weigh in the morning of the meet, then I recommend you stay within 4 to 6 pounds of your desired weight. In this case the dehydration process is a bit simpler:
7 days out – salt all foods, consume 1 gallon of water per day
3 days out – eliminate salt, continue 1 gallon of water per day, decrease carbohydrate intake to 100g per day
Night before weigh in – consume 2 cups black tea prior to bed
Day of weigh in – begin consuming black tea and try to eat two small meals with 40% carbohydrate and some fruit by weigh in time.
Immediately after weigh in begin drinking the 50/50 mix of pedialyte and water and start pushing carbohydrates down your throat.
In closing I would also add one other DO NOT to this brief article. Do not take a laxative! There is a huge difference in performance when you expel water through urine versus expelling the entire contents of your bowels. Ever had a bout of diarrhea before? How did you feel energy wise after? Taking a laxative prior to a powerlifting meet or any other event requiring your best performance is bad practice.
I'm curious to hear from some of the bodybuilders on here... Nobody knows how to drop water like a bodybuilder. I do question the effect it may have on performance though. I suppose however, if you rehydrate prior the meet things should work out just fine. So give us some insight from the BB world Mike_RN tommyguns2
Don’t
Here at Strength First, we don’t typically provide nutrition plans because frankly there are people that are much better at it then I. I won’t pretend to be an expert in a subject and when that knowledge is needed I have the network to back me up. My ego will never cause my clients to fall short.
But what I will do in the case of an athlete approaching a meet is keep a close eye on their weight. If large fluctuations are occurring or they are greater than 10 pounds over competition weight I will start asking for a log of their meals and all snacks. From there we will simply cut calories. That 10 pound threshold is what I have found to be manageable within days of the meet.
I will never in any case ever recommend or condone the use of drugs for cutting water. I have no problem working with clients who use performance enhancing drugs as I believe it is a personal choice. However, I draw the line at the inclusion of drugs such as Lasix. The possibility for something to go wrong and have serious negative health consequences is simply too much to risk in my opinion. If you require drugs to cut weight so rapidly then you should live with the consequences of your failure to control your diet and compete in the higher weight class than you desired.
You prepare to compete by training your lifts. You should be prepared come weigh-in as well.
It is highly recommended that if a 24 hour weigh-in is offered you take advantage. This can be the difference between attempting to compete slightly dehydrated and cramping up versus completing your lifts without doing the strained hammy dance. So in the case of a 24 hour weigh in here is what I recommend to a client who is within 10 pounds of their weight class:
7 days out – salt your food, bring water intake to 1 gallon per day minimum 1.5 gallons maximum.
4 days out – decrease salt intake, keep water intake at 1 gallon per day minimum.
3 days out – Eliminate salt in food, continue drinking 1 gallon of water minimum
2 days out (day before weigh in) – Continue no salt added foods, hydrate upon waking, as of noon small sips of water throughout the day. Drop carbohydrate intake to 50g per day. Prior to bed, 2 cups of black tea with no sugar or dairy. Up to 4 cups if not stimulant sensitive. Avoid disrupting sleep.
1 day out (day of weigh-in) – Upon waking begin consuming black tea, double bagged. Drink throughout the day until one hour prior to weigh in. No food at this time.
Throughout the night and day you will urinate a significant amount. I have lost 12 pounds using this exact method. Once you weigh in you will begin the process of rehydrating. To rehydrate yourself adequately:
Fill a gallon jug with a 50/50 mixture of pedialyte and water and consume this through the day. You should finish this off within a few hours. Once consumed, just begin drinking water. You should immediately begin eating as well. Be sure to eat a minimum of 60% carbohydrate, however I tend to go well above the 60%.
If there is no 24 hour weigh-in, may God save your soul!
Seriously though if you have to weigh in the morning of the meet, then I recommend you stay within 4 to 6 pounds of your desired weight. In this case the dehydration process is a bit simpler:
7 days out – salt all foods, consume 1 gallon of water per day
3 days out – eliminate salt, continue 1 gallon of water per day, decrease carbohydrate intake to 100g per day
Night before weigh in – consume 2 cups black tea prior to bed
Day of weigh in – begin consuming black tea and try to eat two small meals with 40% carbohydrate and some fruit by weigh in time.
Immediately after weigh in begin drinking the 50/50 mix of pedialyte and water and start pushing carbohydrates down your throat.
In closing I would also add one other DO NOT to this brief article. Do not take a laxative! There is a huge difference in performance when you expel water through urine versus expelling the entire contents of your bowels. Ever had a bout of diarrhea before? How did you feel energy wise after? Taking a laxative prior to a powerlifting meet or any other event requiring your best performance is bad practice.
I'm curious to hear from some of the bodybuilders on here... Nobody knows how to drop water like a bodybuilder. I do question the effect it may have on performance though. I suppose however, if you rehydrate prior the meet things should work out just fine. So give us some insight from the BB world Mike_RN tommyguns2
