Weight Loss for Health & Sport Performance

Question 1

What does a comprehensive program for weight loss include? (3)

Answer 1

1- balanced nutrition, kcal restriction

2- aerobic and resistance exercise

3- behaviour modification

Question 2

When would you ideally want an athlete to lose weight when needed?

Answer 2

during off-season

Question 3

What are chronic vs. acute strategies for weight loss?

Answer 3

Chronic strategies: things that take weeks-months to achieve

Acute strategies: days/hours/weeks leading up to “make weight”

Question 4

What must be considered for weight loss?

Answer 4

*comprehensive program

individual differences in metabolic rate (ideally measure RMR)

genetics

environment

timeline?

Question 5

What is the first thing lost when you are losing weight?

Answer 5

body water

Question 6

How does the %LBM lost differ with fast vs. slow weight loss?

Answer 6

Increased %LBM lost with fast weight loss

decreased %LBM lost with slow weight loss

Question 7

What is considered “slow” weight loss?

Answer 7

<1% of bodyweight lost per week - preserves performance and FFM

Question 8

What causes the initial drop in BW in weightloss?

Answer 8

glycogen/CHO and water

Question 9

Who should be involved in weight loss program?

Answer 9

athlete, coach maybe, physician (medical monitoring), parents maybe, sports psychologist or mental trainer

Question 10

What are some strategies to support safe practices of weight loss for sport?

Answer 10

include minimal competition weight classification based on preseason body composition, and prohibition of unhealthy weight loss techniques

Question 11

What is the difference between acute and chronic weight loss?

Answer 11

Chronic: strategies implemented over several weeks or months to reduce FM while maintaining or gaining FFM

Acute: intentional manipulation of total body water glycogen stores and GI tract contents over a period of hours or days

Question 12

A weight loss meal plan would practically have an energy deficit of what?

Answer 12

~500-750kcal/day

Question 13

Athletes who want to gain lean body mass and increase 1RM strength during a weight loss period combined with strength should aim for a weekly bodyweight loss of what?

Answer 13

0.7%

Question 14

Why should protein content be kept high for weight loss?

Answer 14

Maintain muscle protein synthesis and prevent muscle breakdown

also helps us feel full for longer

Question 15

Even when trying to lose weight, how often should we eat? Why?

Answer 15

Eat every 3 hours because of thermic energy of food and wanting to maintain metabolic rate

Question 16

Why should we limit fluids to only milk/alternatives and water? Why is this important?

Answer 16

important in order to limit calories

Question 17

What is different about macronutrient intake for weight loss?

Answer 17

increase protein intake, decrease fat and CHO intake may be beneficial

decrease CHO intake (~40% kcal) and increase protein intake, helpful in preserving LBM

Question 18

Why increase protein intake?

Answer 18

greater feeling of fullness/satiety compared to CHO or fat

TEF is higher for protein

increase in metabolic cost for ~6hr post meal

maintenance of lean muscle mass would impact resting energy needs (metabolism)

Question 19

What is a low-energy dense diet?

Answer 19

one that is high in whole fruit and vegetables, whole grains, and incorporates low-fat dairy, legumes/beans, and lean meats and fish

diet that is overall lower in fat and redcues or eliminates beverages containing kcal, especially sweetened or alcoholic beverages

Question 20

Do you want to eat more energy dense or less energy dense foods for weight loss?

Answer 20

more low-energy dense foods

Question 21

Do low energy dense or high energy dense diets increase satiety?

Answer 21

low energy dense - can eat more with the same amount of calories

Question 22

How might weight loss impact performance?

Answer 22

short vs. long-term weight loss

strength, power, speed vs aerobic, anaerobic endurance

blood glucose and muscle glycogen levels

decreases in lean muscle tissue

should occur during off-season

Question 23

Weight loss in the off season is not always possible. What are some weight class sports?

Answer 23

wrestling
taekwondo
boxing
rowing

Question 24

In what types of sports does body weight and composition play an important role?

Answer 24

aesthetic
weight class
technical
endurance

Question 25

What are methods for weight loss in sport?

Answer 25

frequent fasting major kcal restrictions increased exercise (primarily cardio) severe fluid restriction heat training cardio training in rubber suits vomiting diuretics (WADA banned)

Question 26

What are ways of 'making weight'?

Answer 26

reduce muscle and liver glycogen (low carb, exercise) reduce water retention (low salt diet, decrease sodium intake) reduce fecal GI bulk (low fiber, low residue) remove water from intra and extracellular space (heat, exercise)

Question 27

What are the potential negative consequences of 'making weight'?

Answer 27

- can we recover water losses before competition? - dehydration - lean tissue - negative impact on RMR from weight cycling - cognitive abilities, mood, RPE - chronic, repeated restriction - turning negative relationship with food - impact on bone health - impact on performance - death

Question 28

What is the timeline for recovery after weight loss?

Answer 28

time frame is based on severity of the weight loss 4-48hrs to fully recover from dehydration 12-48hrs to replenish muscle glycogen

Question 29

What is the impact on health for extreme weight loss?

Answer 29

decreased cognition electrolyte imbalance decreased body fluids poor glycogen storage impairment in thermoregulation cardiovascular impairment death

Question 30

What are the negative impacts of chronic weight loss?

Answer 30

micronutrient deficiencies decreased RMR decreased concentration of sex hormones (REDs) decreased markers in bone synthesis decreased lean body mass impact on growth and development with adolescent athletes disturbed relationship with food/eating

Question 31

For recovery after weight loss, fluid consumed should be what % of fluid deficit?

Answer 31

150% of the fluid deficit to allow for ongoing urine and sweat losses during recovery period

Question 32

What are the goals for post weight-in for weight class sports?

Answer 32

carbs, electrolytes, fluids, complete low fat and lean proteins

Question 33

Research has found that the best refuelling practice between weigh in and competition is what?

Answer 33

between 60-80% carbohydrates and includes some lean protein

Question 34

Are acute weight loss strategies effective for sport? What did the research say?

Answer 34

Research in one case showed that it was not effective

Question 35

What are the rule changes to weight class sports?

Answer 35

prohibited use of extreme dehydration methods increased in weight allowance of 6lb to each weight class weigh-ins closer to event/comp

Question 36

When is the weigh-in for wrestling for USports and National/International events?

Answer 36

night before event - USports 2hrs before - Nat/International

Question 37

When are the weigh-ins for light weight rowing and boxing?

Answer 37

couple of hours before event

Question 38

What would a safe, effective, and realistic weight loss look like?

Answer 38

reduced in kcal, supply essential nutrients wide variety, include healthy fats fits lifestyle slow rate of weight loss supplements when needed

Question 39

What is the danger for young athletes with weight loss?

Answer 39

can impair performance increase injury and infectious disease risk delay physical maturation development of disordered eating practices

Question 40

Quick losses of 5% BM are shown to result in what?

Answer 40

reduced physical performance abnormalities of bone metabolism impairments in cognitive function increased susceptibility to heat illness and illness in general prolonged and repeated --> can cause nutritional deficiencies and limit lean tissue growth recommend and help support a gradual weight loss