How I Did It

After watching the finals on TV each year since 2003, I attended all six sessions of the NCAA Division 1 National Tournament for the first time this past weekend with my dad.  It was quite an experience and the atmosphere the whole weekend was intense.  In short, we both decided we need to do it again next year.  In between the morning and evening sessions each day was a Fan Festival held next door which was a giant who's who of wrestling.  On day three one of the events was a technique clinic put on by 2011 World Champ Jordan Burroughs.  When he took questions from the audience at the end, one young wrestler asked him what he eats before competitions.  His response affirmed what I said in previous posts: "I'm gonna let them do the weight cutting while I feel good and eat well all week."  Burroughs was only about 169 going into his senior year of college, and even weighed in a few pounds under on the second and third day of Nationals.

Ideally, you don't want to cut weight.  But there are certain cases where it may be necessary.  For example, if you can't beat the guy in front of you and need to drop down a weight class to make the starting lineup.  All season I wrestled at 133, but when my main practice partner decided to drop down to 133, I started considering 125.  Each team could enter two guys at regionals, but neither of us wanted to run into a scenario where one of us took a national qualifying spot away from the other.

I really haven't been any heavier than last year, but I knew it wasn't going to be easy, so I had to be disciplined in order to make 125.  Here is an example day of how I ate the weeks leading up to my cut:

Right after waking up: 2 cups of water
Breakfast: 1.5 servings of plain oatmeal, 2 eggs scrambled with one ounce cheese, 1 apple, 1 cup green tea with 1 Tbsp. of raw, local honey, 1 cup water
Midmorning: Half cup plain yogurt, quarter cup ricotta cheese, quarter cup unsalted walnuts, 1 oz. of berries or dried fruit, all stirred together, 1 cup water
Lunch: 4 oz. chicken breast on 2 slices of sprouted grain bread with 1 slice cheese and lettuce and tomato, 1 orange, 1 cup water
Midafternoon (at least 1 hour before practice): Half cup trail mix (unsalted almonds, pecans, walnuts, or sunflower seeds, and raisins), 1 hard boiled egg, 1 cup water
Less than 20 minutes after practice: 2 servings of gatorade powder mixed with half scoop of protein powder (trust me, they taste fine together) in 16 oz. water
Dinner (about 1 hour after practice: 4 oz. of lean pork, beef, or fish, 1 sweet potato, 2 servings of broccoli, 2 cups water
Evening snack (at least one hour before bed): 1 chopped up celery stalk in half cup cottage cheese, 1 banana, 1 cup water

Be sure to drink lots of water (about 1 cup per hour) between meals and even more water during and after practice.  This meal plan should keep you full while keeping your energy levels up while training hard.  All amounts may be adjusted up or down depending on your weight or activity level.

Keep an eye out for part two.

Feel good and eat well,
Jeff