Paris Olympics 2024: What Do Athletes Go Through To Lose Weight For A Competition? Explained

The Indian wrestling sensation Vinesh Phogat's journey at the Paris Olympics 2024 came to a heartbreaking halt even before it began. The wrestler was disqualified from the competition because of being a mere 100 grams over the weight limit. 

As the world's top athletes converge for the Paris Olympics 2024, many will have already endured a gruelling and often secretive process: weight-cutting. To meet the stringent category requirements of their respective sports, athletes undergo drastic transformations, pushing their bodies to the limit through severe calorie restriction, dehydration, and intense training regimens. But what exactly does this process entail, and at what cost to their health and well-being? In this article, we'll discuss how athletes go through physical and mental challenges with Rohit Shetty, Steadfast Nutrition Athlete and explore the impact this can have on their performance and long-term health.

Challenges Faced By Athletes Before Big Competitions

“Bodybuilders often face several challenges when trying to make weight for competition,” said Shetty.

Strict Dieting

“To meet specific weight classes, bodybuilders need to follow extremely restrictive diets, which can lead to nutritional deficiencies and energy depletion.”

Water Manipulation

“They often use techniques to manipulate water weight like dehydration and water loading, which can be risky and affect their performance and health.”

Muscle Loss

“Extreme weight cutting can sometimes lead to muscle loss, impacting overall physique and performance.”

Mental Stress

“The pressure to meet weight limits while maintaining muscle mass can cause significant mental stress and anxiety.”

Timing of Peak Physique

“They need to time their peak condition precisely for competition day, which involves carefully managing their diet, water intake and training in the final days leading up to the event only to get totally messed up when the organisers or the bodybuilding official committee fail to manage time efficiently.”

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