9 Science-Based Strategies for Weight Loss in Sports

A certain quantity of body fat is necessary for humans to sustain essential processes.

A greater body fat percentage, however, can have a negative impact on an athlete's efficiency.

However, players should take caution when trying to lose weight. Failure to do so may impact training adversely and result in muscle loss.

Here are 9 weight reduction advice for athletes founded on research.

1. Reduce body weight in the off-season

It's very challenging to achieve optimum exercise while also reducing body fat.

You must consume fewer calories in order to reduce weight. As a result, training may seem more challenging and you may not be able to give your best effort.

Because of this, it's ideal to reduce your body fat during the off-season when you're not participating. If it's not feasible, try to exercise less intensely during those times.

You'll have more opportunity to accomplish your objective if you try to lose weight off-season. Slower weight reduction reduces the risk of losing muscle and appears to improve sports ability (1Trusted Source).

Most studies concur that weekly weight reduction of one pound (0.5 kg) or less is optimal (1Trusted Source, 2, 3Trusted Source).

2. Prevent quick fixes

Your nutrient consumption might not support proper exercise and recuperation if you reduce calories too severely.

You may become more vulnerable to sickness, overtraining syndrome, and injuries as a result (2).

The most recent sports nutrition recommendations also caution against consuming too few calories and achieving a perilously low body fat percentage, both of which can impair bone health and interfere with reproductive function (2).

For both males and women, 5% of body fat is the lowest level that is considered healthy. However, not all players should adhere to these standards, so talk to your instructor and sports dietitian about what's best for you (4Trusted Source).

Hormones and digestion can be adversely impacted by abrupt calorie reduction (5Trusted Source).

Athletes should consume between 300 and 500 fewer calories per day to reduce body fat, but they should not consume less than 13.5 calories per pound (or 30 kilocalories per kg) of fat-free mass per day (2, 3Trusted Source).

Get your body composition determined using either a skinfold test or a bioelectrical impedance study if you are unsure of how much fat-free mass you possess (BIA).

Additionally, you can weigh yourself underwater or use dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) to determine your body makeup. These are more precise but also more costly and difficult to find.

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 3. Consume more fiber and less extra sweets. 

 With less than 35–40% of calories coming from carbohydrates, low-carb diets appear to be very successful at encouraging weight reduction (6Trusted Source, 7Trusted Source, 8Trusted Source).

However, severely limiting carbs is not always optimal for sports. That's because it may have a detrimental impact on exercise and athletic ability (2, 3Trusted Source, 9Trusted Source, 10Trusted Source).

To optimize fat reduction, aim for a carb consumption of 40% of your daily calories. However, don't go below 1.4-1.8 grams of carbohydrates per pound (3-4 grams per kilogram) per day (2, 11Trusted Source).

The best method to decrease your overall carb consumption is to stop eating added sugars.

With less than 35–40% of calories coming from carbohydrates, low-carb diets appear to be very successful at encouraging weight reduction (6Trusted Source, 7Trusted Source, 8Trusted Source).

To achieve this, read food labels carefully and limit items that have additional sugars like fructose, sucrose, and glucose. Additionally, stay away from syrups that contain cane juice, dextrin, maltodextrin, barley malt, caramel, fruit juice concentrate, or fruit juice crystals.

Increase your consumption of veggies instead that are rich in fiber. These will aid in keeping you satiated for longer and increasing your sense of satisfaction (12, 13Trusted Source, 14).

4. Consume more protein 

First off, eating a lot of protein increases satiety and the amount of calories expended during digestion. Additionally, they aid in preventing muscle loss during times of weight reduction, even in properly trained competitors (5Trusted Source, 15Trusted Source).

In truth, numerous studies demonstrate that increasing daily protein intake by 2-3 times can help players maintain more muscle while reducing fat (9Trusted Source, 16Trusted Source, 17Trusted Source).

As a result, individuals trying to reduce weight should consume 0.8 to 1.2 grams of protein per pound of body weight (1.8 to 2.7 grams per kilogram) each day (2, 3Trusted Source, 18Trusted Source).

Nevertheless, there is no benefit to going above and beyond these suggestions.

Eating more than this can cause other crucial nutrients, like carbohydrates, to disappear from your diet. This may restrict your capacity to practice to improve one's athletic ability (2, 3Trusted Source, 9Trusted Source, 19Trusted Source).

5. Divide out your daily protein consumption. 

Athletes can profit from spreading out their protein intake throughout the day in addition to consuming more of it (20Trusted Source).

In reality, it appears that 20–30 grams of protein per meal is enough to encourage muscles to make protein for the next 2–3 hours.

For this reason, many scientists concur that consuming a protein-rich supper or snack every three hours is optimal (3Trusted Source, 21Trusted Source).

Surprisingly, research on athletes demonstrates that consuming 80 grams of protein over 4 meals rather than 2 bigger or 8 smaller ones stimulates the creation of muscle protein more (22Trusted Source, 23Trusted Source).

Boxers who split their daily calorie allotment over 6 meals rather than 2 lost 46% less muscular mass during a 2-week weight reduction experiment (24Trusted Source).

Before going to bed, having a snack with 40 grams of protein can help with exercise recuperation and boost muscle protein synthesis (25Trusted Source).

However, more analysis of competitors is required before making firm judgments.

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 6. After exercise, refuel properly 

 It's important to eat the right foods after working out or competing, especially if you're trying to lose body fat.

For days with two training sessions or when you have less than eight hours to recover between workouts and events, proper refueling is especially crucial (2).

Aim to eat between 0.5 and 0.7 grams of carbohydrates per pound of body weight (1 to 1.5 grams per kg) as quickly as feasible after a workout for athletes on carb-restricted diets (2, 3Trusted Source, 11Trusted Source).

An additional 20 to 25 grams of protein can hasten healing and encourage your muscles to produce more protein (2).

7. Engage in weight exercise 

People who are trying to lose weight frequently run the risk of losing some muscle as well as fat. The same is true for athletes.

By consuming enough protein, avoiding crash diets, and moving weights, some muscle loss can be stopped (3Trusted Source).

According to research, eating protein and doing weight training activities both promote muscle protein synthesis. Additionally, mixing the two seems to have the biggest impact (26Trusted Source).

Before adding any additional workouts to your plan, however, be sure to talk with your coach. You will have a lower chance of getting hurt or overtraining. 

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 8. After reaching your target, progressively increase your calorie intake. 

It can be enticing to start consuming more right away after reaching your target body fat percentage.

However, it's possible that this isn't the best strategy for keeping your outcomes.

This is so that your body can change your metabolism and hormone levels to a calorie-restricted diet.

According to researchers, these adaptations can last for a while after you increase your caloric intake, causing you to quickly regain the fat you lost (5Trusted Source).

Consider steadily increasing your calorie intake as a viable option.

This could minimize weight increase by improving your hormone levels and digestion during the restoration process (5Trusted Source).

9. Attempt some of these additional weight-loss suggestions. 

Although weight reduction is a subject that has received a lot of study, there haven't been many studies done on athletes.

However, many of the methods that have been clinically shown to reduce body fat in non-athletes may also be useful for players. As a result, you could attempt a few of the following:

- Note the amounts you use.

Science has shown that tracking what you consume and measuring your portions will help you achieve improved outcomes (27Trusted Source).

 - Take in enough liquids.

Soup or water consumed before a dinner can help you consume up to 22% fewer calories at the meal (28Trusted Source,

-  Eat slowly.

Compared to rapid consumers, slow eaters typically eat less and feel fuller. You can cut back on calories while still feeling full by eating carefully. Attempt to give each dinner at least 20 minutes (30Trusted Source, 31Trusted Source).

 - Avoid alcohol.

Booze contains unnecessary energy. Additionally, it may make it difficult for athletes to properly replenish after working out, which may harm their efficiency moving forward (32Trusted Source, 33Trusted Source, 34Trusted Source).

- Get adequate rest.

Research suggests that too little sleep can increase hunger and appetite by up
to 24%. As sleep is also important for athletic performance, make sure you get
enough (35Trusted Source, 36Trusted Source).

- Reduce

High amounts of worry raise cortisol levels, which encourage cravings for food. Stress on the body and mind can also hinder complete healing (37Trusted Source, 38Trusted Source).

 The bottom line

Fat reduction can be advantageous, but athletes must do it in a manner that doesn't compromise their health or athletic ability.

In the off-season, people should try to lower their body fat percentages.

Remember that losing bodily weight is not always a good thing. Athletes should talk to their instructor or a sports nutritionist about any weight reduction objectives or plans. 

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