For those who practice judo and combat sports, weight loss is common practice. Before a competition, many athletes perform it, sometimes with strategies that risk undermining health and performance.
While weight loss guarantees a series of advantages, the ways in which it is performed can radically change the final result.
Contacting a sports nutritionist expert in judo nutrition helps to avoid falling into improper and dangerous practices:
- rapid dehydration over 2% of the weight;
- perform prolonged fasts;
- play saunas after many hours of fasting;
- use waterproof clothing to speed up sweating.
Despite all these recommendations, weight loss in judo still today is left to consolidated practices over decades of word of mouth among professionals in the sector, without paying attention to the sustainability of these practices and the health of the athlete himself.
Exist safer ways to cut the weight?
Here are 5 practical tips for those looking for a pre-competition weight loss.
THE WEIGHT LOSS IN THE JUDO PRE-RACE
DIET WITH CONTROLLED CALORIC SUPPLY
Although many still resort to extreme diets that even reach below 1000 kcal per day, there are much safer ways which can achieve the same result by paying attention to preserving the hormonal mechanisms and guaranteeing the processes of physical recovery.
The recommended dividing line for normal weight athletes is 30 kcal per kilo of weight per day. This quantity is of little use if we have a few days before the race, but it becomes important if we are talking about a few weeks of work and if we are talking about 3-4 kg of resizing.
In more extreme cases, the sports nutritionist is able to help by selecting an even more restrictive calorie intake, but for limited periods of time.
KEEP FATS WITHIN A CERTAIN LIMIT
Especially if the weight loss in judo is based on variations in water and the decrease in muscle glycogen, it is important to maintain fats around 0.8 g per kg of weight per day in normal weight athletes.
This minimum indispensable amount is crucial for maintaining endogenous hormone production and avoiding the possibility of suffering from chronic fatigue.
INTRODUCE A CORRECT SUPPLY OF WATER
Avoiding practices like the water loading, not recommended due to the side effects that can be encountered, it is essential that in parallel with a reduction in carbohydrates, the total water intake is increased. Some male athletes reach 4-4.5 liters per day, but it is essential that this quantity is customized according to your weight.
Using water dosages that are too high, in addition to the diuretic and fluid loss effect, could lead to a risk of hyponatremia and a risk to the athlete’s health.
MAKE SMALL MEALS THAT INVOLVE CHEWING
In the past, the use of large quantities of protein supplements allowed to go into hyperaminoacidemia and increase the chances of maintaining muscle mass. To date, the safest and most controllable solution is manage power.
According to the ISSN guidelines it is possible, in important weight cuts, to even touch 3 grams of protein per kg of weight per day, in order to compensate for the almost total elimination of carbohydrates in the days prior to the competition (ISSN 2018).
The use of solid food is always preferable also for the neurological stimulus that is provided by chewing, rather than by taking liquid supplements which, although useful, must be contextualized within a much broader discourse linked to the global diet .
USE FOODS WITH LOW CALORIC DENSITY
The caloric density is the amount of energy (calories) supplied for one gram of food.
The foods very rich in water and fiber they are those with the lowest caloric density that help to control the caloric intake in relation to the weight of the food introduced.
Among these we find:
- low-fat natural yogurt;
- raw fennel;
- chinese cabbage;
- radishes;
- valerian salad;
- watermelon;
- plums.
Fruits and vegetables, often excluded from ketogenic diets and / or a strong restriction of carbohydrates, can instead help in some phases to provide a sense of fullness.
Il weight loss in judoas in the other martial arts, it must be programmed adequately and with knowledge of sorts, not forgetting that in combat sports the equal weight cut for all does not exist, there are different strategies that can adapt to the athlete.
Is critical adapt weight cutting strategies to the athlete and not vice versa.
