Case in point: I’m 5’2”…and now fight at 105lbs. I consistently maintain a weight between 107lbs and 111lbs—which makes for a very easy, quick cut to get down to my competition weight. As a relatively athletic, muscular female, I was able to lose and maintain a 20 pound weight loss. (Never thought I could do that).
The Plan...
Losing weight is a SCIENCE. You have to BURN more calories than you eat. You need to BURN 3500 more calories than you consume to lose ONE POUND (on average)! Nutritionists say you should try to lose approximately 2lbs per week. Caloric Intake Your calories should probably be between 1600-2000...BUT, you have to WORK HARD at practice (or at the gym if you don't do judo)!!! I like to snack throughout the day...so my meals look like this: Breakfast (7-8am): 300-400 calories Snack (10am): 100-200 calories Lunch (12pm-1pm): 300-500 calories Snack (3pm) 100-200 calories Dinner (I eat after judo...but it would probably be better for you to eat before judo—5pm): 400-500 calories | !Quick Tip! Do NOT skip meals or starve yourself—it's hurting you!! (It slows your metabolism, reduces your energy, and a lot of times make you have “snack attacks”.) !Quick Tip! Watch your portion size! Start measuring out your food if you have to. Start reading food labels. You're probably taking in more calories than you really think because your portion sizes are American (LARGE, most likely). |
Nutrition Clean up your diet! Most likely, your body is addicted to sugar. It will be hard, yes...but it will be worth it. You'll feel a lot better and have more energy. Focus on whole, natural foods with an emphasis on a healthy balance of high-quality proteins, vegetables, and healthy fats. Try to cut out processed foods, sugar, and artificial sweeteners. |
Protein – stimulates metabolism, balances blood sugar, builds lean tissue, and supports immune function.
- Make proteins a priority at all meals and snacks
- Use protein powders to supplement protein intake as needed when short on time
- 20-35% of total daily calories
Sources of protein:
Meat
- Chicken, turkey, ground turkey
- Pork chops, sirloin, lean ground beef
- Tuna, wild salmon, whitefish, shellfish, cod
Vegetarian
- Kidney beans, black beans, pinto beans, chickpeas, lentils
- Chia seeds, hemp, quinoa, edamame
- Eggs, greek yogurt, tofu
- Whey protein
Carbohydrates – more carbohydrates than your body can handle can lead to fat storage & inability to burn fat. However, carbohydrates are important—don’t cut them out completely! According to Iowa State University, “The roles of carbohydrate in the body includes providing energy for working muscles, providing fuel for the central nervous system, enabling fat metabolism, and preventing protein from being used as energy. Carbohydrate is the preferred source of energy or fuel for muscle contraction and biologic work.”
| !Quick Tip! Avoid Sugars- soda, candy, desserts, etc., Do not eat bagels – 1 bagel is the equivalent to 4+ pieces of bread!! !Quick Tip! Focus carbohydrate intake closer to workout times when body can utilize it best for fuel. |
Vegetables
- Veggies should make up the majority of your carbohydrate intake (limit/eliminate potatoes)
- Aim for a minimum of 5-6 cups per day
- 1-2 cups/servings fresh fruit per day
- No dried fruit (it's made mostly of sugar, which turns to fat)
- Brown rice, oatmeal, steel cut oats, whole wheat spaghetti, etc .
- Limit starches (bread, cereal, crackers, rice, pasta, etc.)
- Wheat is very inflammatory to soft tissue (limit wheat if you have a sensitivity)
- Limit to small portions (1/2c), 2-3 times per day
The body needs fat for energy, to pad organs and to transport vitamins. Too much fat can fuel obesity, high cholesterol, and heart disease. But not all fats harm you if eaten in moderation. **source**
- Monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats are good for you, lowering cholesterol and reducing your risk of heart disease. **source**
- 20-30% of total daily calories
Sources of good fats:
O ils
- Coconut oil, safflower oil, olive oil, sunflower oil, sesame oil, peanut oil
- Almonds, walnuts, pecans, cashews, hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds, flaxseed, peanuts, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds
- Fatty fish (salmon, tuna, whitefish, trout)
- Avocados
Your body is made up of 2/3 water…without adequate consumption, it can’t function. (Ha, I rhymed!) In all seriousness, water is necessary for your cells and organs to operate. If you’re interested in losing weight, bump up your water intake! Your body requires an adequate amount of water in order to burn calories. Plus the more calories you burn, the more toxins that are created—water helps get these toxins out of your body. Main takeaway: drink more water.
I drink, on average, 60-80 ounces per day. This does not include the black coffee that’s attached to me via IV during the workday or the herbal hot tea I drink at night. There are a lot of theories out there about how much water you should consume on a daily basis. To make it simple, drink half of your body weight in ounces. (Example…If you weigh 150lbs, you should drink 75 ounces of water per day.)
Specifically For Weight Cutters
Week of the Tournament (for those who have trouble keeping a maintainable weight and have to cut a lot the week of the tournament)
Diet
- The first part of the week, your diet needs to be high fiber (and lots of water) to promote satiety, assimilate kidneys to high urine flow, and clear the colon
- The last 2-3 days, switch to low fiber (and low water—do not cut it completely!)
Water
- Increase water intake Monday-Wednesday (if you weigh in on Saturday night or Sunday morning) to 80-100 ounces. This will make you have to pee more!
- Thursday, I reduce to 60 ounces. You will still be peeing the same amount, but drinking less water.
- Friday, reduce the amount of water again.
Keep track of how much weight you float at night. Weigh yourself right before bed and right when you wake up in the morning. That way, you'll have a good idea what weight you need to be at the night before weigh-ins to make it. (I normally float a kilo or so)