5 Tips for losing weight for athletes so that performance is maintained

The body needs fat to carry out its normal functions, but a high percentage of body fat can actually reduce athlete's performance. This is why an athlete sometimes needs to lose weight until it reaches the recommended fat percentage.

Typically, one of the obstacles athletes often face is using unsafe weight loss methods. Apart from the risk of changing the body's metabolic rate, these methods can also affect the health of athletes.

Various safe tips to reduce weight for athletes

During weight loss, an athlete should focus on lowering the percentage of fat while maintaining muscle mass. The reason is, a decrease in muscle mass can also be bad for performance.

Here are some tips for athletes to lose weight healthily:

1. Do not reduce your calorie intake drastically

Reducing your calorie intake will indeed decrease your fat percentage quickly.

However, this method can be bad for metabolism, bone health, and hormone and reproductive function. You are also more susceptible to the risk of illness and injury.

Calorie intake should be reduced by 300-500 kcal per day, or adjusted according to the recommendations of nutritionists and trainers.

This way, your body fat percentage can be slowly reduced within a safe range.

2. Reduce sugar and increase fiber intake

Sugar is the body's main source of energy. However, for athletes who are losing weight, sugar intake needs to be limited.

Do this gradually and focus on reducing sugar intake that comes from:

• Foods with glucose, sucrose and fructose content
• Snacks and various sweet cakes
• Sweetened drinks, including syrups and packaged fruit juices

Instead, eat more fiber-rich foods such as vegetables, fruit, whole grains, nuts, and whole grains.

Fiber-rich foods will keep you feeling energized and fuller for longer.

3. Increase protein intake and share it in a day

Foods high in protein help athletes feel fuller and prevent loss of muscle mass when losing weight.

Therefore, it is recommended that you increase your protein intake to 80-100 grams of protein every day.

This amount can be divided into 3 main meals and 3 snacks. One main meal should contain 25 grams of protein.

This amount of protein can come from 4 eggs, 2 pieces of chicken breast, 2 medium pieces of beef, or 1 tablespoon of protein powder.

After one main meal, alternate with a snack serving 15 grams of protein.

Snacks can be a small bowl of yogurt and a sheet of cheese, a handful of mixed nuts, or a glass smoothie fruit mixed with protein powder.

4. Eat after exercising

Losing weight does not mean not eating at all, because athletes need to recover the nutrients lost during exercise.

Launching the Cleveland Clinic page, the best time to replenish the body with nutrition is 30-60 minutes after exercising.

During this period, the body will use the incoming nutrients as the main energy source, instead of storing them as fat tissue.

In addition, you can control your appetite because you don't feel hungry after exercising.

5. Don't lose weight during race season

The season of the race is an important moment for a professional athlete.

During this period, diet can change your body weight, fat percentage, and muscle mass drastically. It will also make it more difficult for you to maintain maximum performance because your calorie intake has been reduced a lot.

Athletes are more advised to lose weight once the season is over. That way, body weight and fat percentage can be reduced slowly.

On the other hand, muscle mass is not easily lost, and the body is not surprised by the changes that occur.

Losing excess weight is good, but athletes must do it safely so as not to harm their performance or health.

As much as possible, avoid risky diets where you have to drastically limit your food intake.

Try consulting with nutritionists and coaches to adjust your diet to the type of exercise you are doing. However, each type of sport has its own unique needs.

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