9 science methods for athletes to lose weight

  


  Man needs a certain amount of body fat to maintain basic functions.

  However, a high body fat percentage may negatively affect performance in athletes.

  That said, athletes need to lose weight with care.  Failing to do so can affect training and may cause muscle loss.

  Here are 9 science-based weight loss tips for athletes.

  1. Reduce fat during the off season

  It is very difficult to reduce body fat and reach peak fitness at the same time.

  To lose fat, you need to eat fewer calories.  This can make training more difficult and prevent you from performing at your best.

  For this reason, it is best to reduce fat in the off-season when you are not competing.  If this is not possible, aim for a less intensive training period.

  Attempting fat loss in the off-season will give you more time to reach your goal.  Losing weight at a slower rate reduces the chances of muscle loss and tends to support better sports performance 

  Most research agrees that weighing 1 pound (0.5 kg) or less per week is ideal.

  Summary for losing weight during the off-season at a rate of 1 pound (0.5 kg) per week or less.  This will reduce muscle loss while supporting sports performance.


2. Avoid Crash Diet

  If you cut calories a lot, your nutritional intake may not support proper training and recovery.

  This can increase your risk of injury, illness, and overtraining syndrome (2).

  The latest sports nutrition guidelines also warn against eating too few calories and reaching a dangerously low body fat percentage, which can both disrupt reproductive function and reduce bone health (2).

  The lowest safe recommended body fat percentage is 5% in men and 12% in women.  However, these levels are not necessarily the best for all athletes, so discuss what is best for you with your coach and sports dietitian (4 Tryst Source).

  Cutting calories too early can also negatively affect hormones and metabolism 


  To reduce body fat, athletes must eat approximately 300–500 fewer calories per day, but avoid eating less than 13.5 calories per pound (30 kilocalories per kg) of fat-free mass per day.

  If you do not know how much fat-free mass you have, estimate your body composition with a skinfold test or bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA).

  You can measure your body composition by double-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) or underwater weight.  These are more accurate, but also expensive and difficult to come by.

  SUMMARY:Crash diet may increase the risk of illness and injury, as well as negatively affecting your training and recovery.  Therefore, avoid cutting your calorie intake beyond 300–500 calories per day.

  3. Mix less sugar and fiber

  Low-carb diets that provide less than 35-40% calories from carb seem to be very effective in promoting fat loss.


  However, restricting carbs very dramatically is not always the best for athletes.  This is because it can negatively affect training and sports performance.


  Aim for a carb intake that is 40% of your daily calories to maximize fat loss.  Nevertheless, do not consume 1.4–2.8 grams of carbs per pound.

  Reducing excess sugar is the healthiest way to reduce your total carb intake.

  To do this, check the label and reduce foods that contain sugars such as sugar, glucose, sucrose, and fructose.  Also, avoid sugarcane juice, dextrin, maltodextrin, barley malt, caramel, fruit juice concentrate, fruit juice crystals, or other syrup.

  Instead, increase your intake of vegetables high in fiber.  These will help you stay full for longer, making you feel more satisfied.


  Using less sugar and more fiber can help you reach your body fat goal.  Athletes should aim to eat 1.4–1.8 grams of carbs per pound (3 to 4 grams per kilogram) per day.


4. Eat more protein

  Protein prevents fat loss in many ways.

  To begin with, high-protein diets increase feelings of fullness and the number of calories burned during digestion.  They help prevent muscle loss during periods of weight loss, including well-trained athletes.


  In fact, many studies suggest that eating 2 to 3 times more protein per day can help athletes maintain more muscle while losing fat.


  Therefore, athletes who limit their calories to lose weight should eat 0.8–1.2 grams of protein per pound of body weight (1.8–2.7 grams), per day.

  That said, there is no use to cross these recommendations.

  Excess of these amounts can displace other important nutrients from your diet, such as carbs.  This may limit the ability to train your game and maintain good game performance.


  SUMMARY:Higher protein intake helps limit muscle loss while your weight is dropping.  Athletes should aim to consume 0.8–1.2 grams per pound (1.8–2.7 grams per kg) of protein each day.

  5. Spread protein intake throughout the day

  In addition to eating more protein, athletes can benefit from spreading their intake throughout the day.


  In fact, 20–30 grams of protein per meal is enough to stimulate the muscles, so that protein can be produced for the following 2-3 hours.

  This is why many scientists believe that eating protein-rich food or snacking every 3 hours is ideal.

  Interestingly, studies of athletes show that the spread of 80 grams of protein over 4 meals stimulates muscle protein production more than dividing it by 2 large meals or 8 small.


  A 2-week weight loss study in boxers also found that those who increased their daily calorie allowance on 6 meals instead of 2% 46% less muscle.


  Eating a 40-gram protein snack just before bedtime can also improve recovery from training and increase muscle protein synthesis during the night.


  However, more research is needed in athletes to draw strong conclusions.

 Summary: Consuming 20-30 grams of protein every 3 hours, including just before bed, can help maintain muscle mass during weight loss.



6. Refueling well after training

  It is important to eat the right foods after training or competition, especially when trying to lose body fat.

  Proper refueling is important with two training sessions or when you have more than eight hours of recovery time between workouts and events (2).

  Athletes following carb-restricted diets should consume between 0.5–1.7 g carbs per pound of body weight (1–1.5 g per kg) as soon as possible after a training session.


  Adding 20-25 grams of protein can further speed up recovery and boost protein production in your muscles (2).

  SUMMARY:Consuming a good amount of carbohydrate and protein immediately after training can help maintain your sports performance during weight loss.



  7. strengthen training


  Individuals attempting to lose weight are often at risk of losing some muscle other than fat.  Athletes are no exception.

  Some muscle loss can be prevented by eating adequate amounts of protein, avoiding crash diets, and lifting.


  Research shows that both protein intake and strength training exercises stimulate muscle protein synthesis.  What's more, a combination of the two produces the greatest impact.

  Nevertheless, be sure to talk to your coach before adding any additional workouts to your schedule.  This will reduce your risk of overtraining or injuries.

  SUMMARY:Strength training training can help prevent muscle loss often experienced during weight loss periods.


8. Increase calories gradually after reaching your goal

  Once you reach your body fat percentage goal, it entices you to start eating more quickly.

  However, this may not be the most effective way to maintain your results.

  This is because your body can optimize a limited calorie intake by adjusting your metabolism and hormone levels.

  Researchers believe that these adaptations may persist for a while after bumping up your calorie intake and allow you to quickly regain lost fat.


  A good option may be to increase your calories slowly.

  It can help restore your hormone levels and metabolism better, reducing weight.


  Slowly increasing your calorie intake after a period of weight loss can help you lose weight.



  9. Try some of these other weight loss tips

  Although weight loss is a widely researched subject, the number of studies conducted on athletes is limited.

  Nevertheless, several scientifically proven strategies to help non-athletes lose body fat can also benefit athletes.  Thus, you can try some of the following:

  Record your excerpts.  Measuring your portions and keeping track of what you eat is scientifically proven to help achieve better results.


  Drink enough fluids.  Drinking fluids before meals, whether it is soup or water, can help you consume up to 22% fewer calories in food.


  Eat slowly.  Slow eaters eat less and feel fuller than fast eaters.  Eating slowly if you are not hungry can reduce your calorie intake.  Aim to take at least 20 minutes for each meal.

  Avoid alcohol.  Alcohol is a source of empty calories.  What's more, it can prevent athletes from refueling properly after exercise, which can negatively affect future performance.

  Get enough sleep  Research suggests that very little sleep can increase appetite and hunger by up to 24%.  As sleep is also important for athletic performance, make sure you get enough.


  Reduce your stress.  Having high levels of stress increases cortisol levels, which promotes craving of food.  Mental and physical stress can also prevent recovery.

  SUMMARY:Stress, sleep, hydration and alcohol all affect weight loss.  Eating slowly, controlling portion size, and sleeping well can all help you lose weight.

  Bottom-line

  Fat loss can be beneficial, but athletes should do it in a way that does not negatively affect their sports performance or health.

  Those who want to reduce their body fat levels should aim to do so during the off season.

  Keep in mind that lowering body fat is not always better.  Athletes should discuss weight loss goals or strategies with their coach or sports dietitian.

Do you know some other to reduce weights in comment box?