kdsmith27 14 Report post Posted December 31, 2007 3 Must-Have Weight-Cutting Tips! by Steve Preston www.wrestlingperformance.com ---------- As you know, many wrestlers struggle with weight-cutting this time of year.With all of the Holiday foods and growing bodies, it becomes difficult to stay at your weight class.Unfortunately, this is when many wrestlers will turn to more severe, destructive weight-cutting methods in order to try to stay in their current weight class. or drop down to a lower class.As we all know, your body fat percentage and your hydration levels will dictate how low you can safely go.That's great!!!It's for a wrestlers' safety. and when you get older you realize that you can't wrestle or do anything well if you don't keep your body safe.Instead of doing things like starve yourself of food, running endless miles or riding endless mile on a stationary bike, sitting in saunas and not drinking any water, vomiting etc. I challenge you to get 'cutting-edge' in your weight-cutting methods this season.It will help keep you stronger as your competition slowly starts to fizzle.Here are 3 Fast Tips you can use to ensure that you make weight feeling stronger and more energetic like you never have on the mat.1.EAT!When you program your body to make weight week after week by starving yourself for a couple of days, your body reacts in order to protect itself.Your metabolism is slowing down so that your body feels protected from this 'starvation mode'.Each time you do this, your body will use more and more of your own muscle for energy.This is because your body doesn't want to let go of any more body fat.Fat is the most calorie-dense macronutrient and holding on to body fat is what your body will start doing.Even if you are cutting weight. ESPECIALLY if you're cutting weight, you need to eat 5 and preferably 6 times daily.You will notice that you are feeling stronger while still making weight.2.Protein With Each MealI like to recommend that wrestlers eat up to 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. The average Joe on the street doesn't need this much, but wrestlers aren't average Joe's.This is for guys who are cutting weight.Just take your current bodyweight and that is the number of grams of protein that you would strive for daily.Now take that number and divide by 6.This is how many grams of protein you need to consume in 6 daily meals.Stick to the lean proteins.No fatty, greasy foods.3.Protein/Carb ManipulationThere's no way around it.It doesn't matter who you are or how good you are.If you want to wrestle at your best you have to treat your body like a fine-tuned machine.That means you need to fuel your body properly.I like the protein-carb manipulation method to ensure that any wrestler, whether gaining, losing or maintaining bodyweight will keep strong, alert, energetic, and SAFE!You need protein and you definitely need good carbs.The potatoes, rice, oatmeal, sweet potato, tomatoes, corn types.Just keep the saturated fats like butter and fat from meats out of your meal plan.Keep the sugars down to 'nada' this season.Now, whatever portion of protein you have on your plate, I want you to match in size with your carbohydrate.I'm talking about visually.Look at your protein and decide to keep your carbohydrate the same size if you're comfortable in your weight class.This will become a good life-long habit for good health.If you are cutting weight, make your protein portion a Share this post Link to post Share on other sites