Last week I suggested not cutting weight. However, that is if you are already at your optimal weight. If you have excess body fat, you may be better off losing some weight so that you can be faster on the mat. This is where it can become a little subjective. Some guys can function well at only 7% body fat, while others perform best at 12%, as well as any shade of gray in between. You can get a simple body composition test from most any qualified trainer using calipers. Then keep track of your weight, body composition, and energy level each week.
There are also the situations where you simply have to lose weight so that your team can fill every weight class for dual meets. If there are multiple guys vying for one spot, someone's going to have to move up or down. But the key here is losing weight - not cutting weight. There is a difference; losing weight will be a slower process but more permanent, whereas cutting weight is the crash diet weekly yo-yo cycle that can leave you drained by the end of the season. For all you procrastinators, I'll give tips on that later this fall.
If you need to lose weight, simply eliminate most or all of the processed foods from your diet. That would be candy, pop/soda, fast food, chips, white bread, etc. Include plenty of fruits and vegetables, meats, nuts, eggs, good fats, and good carbs. Many people swear by eliminating all starches, as in the paleo diet, and I've seen it work, but I don't think it is necessary. The philosophy behind the paleo diet is to eat how people ate before the agricultural revolution. However, humans have been eating grains for millennia, yet society has only gotten fat in the last century or so. That's why I think better exercise is the solution, not less bread. So what are good carbs? Some of my favorites are oatmeal, brown rice, potatoes (especially sweet potatoes), and breads with minimal processing (roughly six or fewer ingredients). As long as you stick to these sources of carbs and don't overdo it, you'll be off to a great start.
Find some calipers,
Jeff
Actually, the paleo diet doesn't require to eliminate all starches. It's not very concerned with macro-nutrients, but more with food quality. In fact, a decent amount of starch is recommended for someone with a high activity level like yours, as long as it doesn't come from grains.
ReplyDeleteGrains aren't the sole cause of obesity, but based on anthropological data, as soon as people started eating grains consistently they became smaller, weaker, and had weaker bones. The mechanism isn't fully understood, but anecdotally most people do a lot better without them.
And: first comment on the blog
Thank you for the info E. There are several variations of the paleo diet, some allowing sweet potatoes and some not allowing any starches. What starches would you recommend that aren't grains?
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