Expert: Jack Rose - 1/15/2009

Question
I am six foot five inches and walk at about 212lbs.  It took me 1 month and a half to get at this walking weight.  the problem is that for my last fight (the qualifications for the national championships) I decided to cut weight early in hopes to get accustomed to being under 201lbs.  But it did not turn out well.  I was training so hard that I ended up at 192lbs with 4 days until my fight and had to put on weight and ended up being week.  last monday, I walked into the gym at 212lbs and trained for 4 hours (yeah, I can be a little compulsive) and left the gym at 203lbs.  Now I have 6 days until my first fight and I would like to know what kind of diet I should go on to lose weight without losing energy knowing that I can cut a lot of water weight because I drink a minimum of 3 liters a day.  can you help??

Answer
Abokan,

It sounds like your over-thinking the situation. You did the right thing by trying to lose early but you have to monitor your weight closer as you go. At some point between 212 and 192 you weighed 201, at that point you have to change your routine and maintain your weight. You want to be within 2 pounds of your fight weight 1 week before the fight. You can rehydrate 1 or 2 pounds after cutting water for the weigh in but you can't get back more than that before the fight unless weigh ins are a week before the fight. You will be weak for the fight and get drained quickly during the fight.
Well, you don't have much time for this fight so now you have to just try and make weight. Keep drinking the water. Never miss breakfast and eat healthy but eat a small lunch and dinner. Small chicken breast and a small serving of veggies. No bread. No soft drinks. No milk unless it's skim. Don't eat before bed especially not in bed. Hit the road and run distance everyday, hopefully you will be within a pound or 2 by weigh in and you can run off the last 2 pounds of water before weigh in.
In the future weigh in and out everytime you workout, this is how you get to know your body and exactly how much workout equals how much water weight. Let's say after 2 hours you normally drop 3 pounds. This is your landmark for dropping water weight and is a last resort only for making weight. So you drop down to within 2 or 3 pounds a few days before the fight and hold steady. This is how you avoid losing too much weight.

good luck in your fight,

Jackson