How can a boxer lose weight fast

Best Diet For Boxers (With Meal Plan Example)

So, you want to eat like a professional boxer huh? Put down those Cheetos and pick up that steak. Ive got the best diet for boxers that will transform your body and boxing performance.

The best diet for boxers is one that is high in carbohydrates (3 g per kg of bodyweight), lower in fat (1 g per kg of bodyweight), with moderate protein (2 g per kg of bodyweight). This ensures that you are adequately fueled for your boxing training while being able to build or maintain muscle mass.

Having this macronutrient breakdown is great. But Im going to show you how to put it into action. Firstly, lets cover how often you should eat a day.

How Many Meals Do Boxers Eat?

Boxers will generally eat enough meals needed to meet their caloric requirements around their training schedule. For example, Rocky Fielding would eat five meals a day leading into his fights. If you want a fully effective weight cutting strategy as well as Rocky Fielding's diet strategies by his performance nutritionist, check out our online weight cutting course.

As a boxer, you may be training once to twice a day. Sometimes three depending on your training schedule. This means you need to eat smaller, more frequent meals so you can train without feeling full and bloated.

Very rarely will a boxer eat only three meals a day as would be difficult to ingest the required calories while not negatively affecting boxing training.

How Do Boxers Lose Weight Fast?

Boxers will lose weight quickly by cutting water weight. This is an acute weight loss strategy that is often employed a day or two before the weigh-in. Most importantly, this fast weight loss isn't done long term. And further, it only consists of between 5-8% loss of bodyweight.

Losing weight quickly through extreme food restriction and extreme dehydration is a quick path to poor boxing performance, adverse health outcomes, and potentially a trip to the hospital. Worst case scenario? Death.

If you are undergoing weight-cutting strategies, seek a professional to help with your game plan. It is well worth the investment to avoid these risks. Further, getting this right will have you boxing like an animal.

What Can Boxers Eat During Training?

It is well-known boxing training can be long and intense. During these sessions, it is smart to fuel yourself so you can maintain training quality and intensity.

FREE Weight Cut Template That Automatically Calculates Your Macros

Research suggests that moderate to high-intensity intermittent exercise (i.e.boxing workouts) of greater than an hour would benefit from 30-60 g of carbohydrates per hour^[1].

It's important to note that these carbohydrates need to be fast digesting. An example would be a full sugar sports drink that you can sip on during your training. You can also use dextrose or maltodextrin powder which are dirt cheap. However, they are unflavored so you need to mix them in something with flavor.

What To Eat After Boxing Training?

Eating after your boxing training is going to help refuel your body to accelerate recovery and provide energy for your second session of the day if you have one. Some foods are better than others to consume directly after training.

Ideally, these foods should be fast-digesting so they can be broken down for fuel quickly to be used by the muscles. Fast digesting foods would be lean protein sources and sugary carbohydrate sources.

Some may opt to just consume a protein shake but the research suggests that protein + carbohydrates post-workout might be better than just protein to enhance muscle protein synthesis (the building of new proteins)^[2].

So here are some post-boxing training meal options that digest quickly to enhance your recovery:

• Whey protein and maltodextrin shake
• Whey protein shake and rice cakes
• Whey protein and Gatorade
• Whey protein and cereal with low-fat milk
• Whey protein smoothie with low-fat milk, banana, and berries
• White meat (chicken breast or fish) and white rice
• White meat and rice cakes
• White meat and pasta
• White meat sandwich
• White meat, banana, and pineapple
• Egg white omelet and toast with jam
• Egg white omelet, banana, and pineapple
• Greek yogurt and fruit

Boxing Diet Plan For Beginners

Firstly, you must calculate your macronutrient breakdown. Dr. James Morehen, performance nutritionist for many professional boxers (most notably Rocky Fielding) recommends an intake of 1 g per kg bodyweight of fat, 2 g per kg bodyweight of protein, and 3 g per kg of bodyweight of carbohydrates.

So, if you are a 165 lb boxer, divide your bodyweight in pounds by 2.2 which equals 75 kg.

Protein = 150 g

Carbohydrates = 225 g

Fat = 75 g

This is the easiest way to calculate your macronutrient breakdown. Here is a boxing diet plan for a boxer who is training twice a day. Boxing session in the morning and a strength or conditioning session in the afternoon.

"A really massive part of the success was the weight cut."

"Dr. James Morehen knew my body better than me. My performances were staying, my training in the gym, my sleep pattern was good. I wasn't going to bed starving, I was getting good rest in and sleep in."- Rocky Fielding (WBA Super Middleweight Champion)

References

1. Burke, L. M. (2010). Fueling strategies to optimize performance: training high or training low?. Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports, 20, 48-58.

2. Phillips, S. M. (2011). The science of muscle hypertrophy: making dietary protein count. Proceedings of the nutrition society, 70(1), 100-103.

Boxers' Weight Cutting Strategies

In the realm of professional boxing, weight management stands as a crucial aspect, with boxers often undertaking methods to cut weight before a fight. Understanding the reasons behind weight cutting, the techniques employed, and the health implications involved sheds light on this integral yet challenging aspect of a boxer's preparation.

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The connection between how boxers cut weight and weightlifting for boxing resides in the balance between maintaining muscle mass and achieving the desired weight for a specific division. While boxers often engage in weightlifting to build strength and power, especially during off-season training, when cutting weight for a fight, their focus shifts to shedding excess fat or water weight to reach a specific weight class. Weightlifting, when coupled with proper nutrition, aids in preserving lean muscle mass during weight cutting. Regarding divisions, a catch weight in boxing denotes a negotiated weight between two fighters, often slightly above or below standard weight classes. Cruiserweight is a division between light heavyweight and heavyweight, while bridgerweight is a new division introduced to bridge the gap between cruiserweight and heavyweight. Boxing bodyweight workouts encompass exercises using one's body weight for strength training, agility, and conditioning, providing an alternative to traditional weightlifting for boxers aiming to enhance their physical capabilities without the use of external weights.

Why Do Boxers Cut Weight?

Boxers cut weight to compete within a specific weight class, aiming to gain a size or strength advantage against opponents. It allows fighters to meet stringent weight requirements, maximizing their chances of success in a designated division while maintaining their physical attributes.

How Do Boxers Cut Weight Fast?

Boxers employ various methods to cut weight rapidly, including strict diets, increased cardiovascular training, and often resorting to dehydration techniques such as sauna sessions or the use of sweat suits to shed excess water weight.

How Do Boxers Lose 10 lbs Overnight?

Losing 10 lbs overnight can be achieved by extreme dehydration methods like intense sauna sessions, diuretics, or not consuming fluids, but such rapid weight loss can severely impact a boxer's health and performance.

How Can I Cut Weight for Boxing?

To cut weight for boxing, boxers typically follow a disciplined regimen involving a calorie-restricted diet, increased cardiovascular workouts, and strategic water manipulation in the days leading up to a weigh-in.

The Best Methods for Cutting Weight for Boxing:

The most effective and safer methods for cutting weight involve gradual weight loss over an extended period, combining a balanced diet, regular exercise, and close monitoring by nutritionists and trainers to ensure optimal performance.

Is It Healthy to Cut Weight for Boxing?

While weight cutting is common in boxing, extreme weight reduction methods can pose serious health risks, including dehydration, decreased performance, muscle loss, and electrolyte imbalances, which might impair a boxer's ability in the ring.

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Pros and Cons of Cutting Weight for Boxing:

Pros of cutting weight include fighting in a preferred weight class, potentially gaining a size or strength advantage, and optimizing performance. However, cons include health risks, decreased energy levels, and potential impairment of overall fighting abilities due to extreme weight fluctuations.

Conclusion: Weight cutting remains an integral but contentious practice in boxing, demanding a delicate balance between performance optimization and potential health hazards. Understanding the methods, implications, and risks associated with cutting weight enables boxers to make informed decisions, ensuring their physical well-being while striving to excel within their weight divisions. Balancing performance goals with health considerations becomes pivotal in navigating the complexities of weight management in the sport of boxing.

Did you find the blog helpful? If so, consider checking out other guides:

Top 9 Tips: How to Cut Weight for Boxing?

Dieting is the simplest and most obvious method, yet one of the most effective ways of decreasing your weight at a fast pace.

Every time you find yourself in a situation like the one presented in the introduction, the first thing you should do is significantly cut down on food consumption.

If you really want to lose 4 kg in 2/3 days for the weigh-in, you simply must eat as little as possible.

Again to make this very clear: we are not talking about a long-term weight cut here, but rather we are talking about less than 5 days before the weigh-in.

In such a situation, you do not have enough time to plan a great diet and so you need to minimise the amount of food you eat. If you are knowledgeable about dieting and calories that is a plus, but most of us are boxers, not nutritionists and as a rule of thumb, you need to eat as little as possible.

Everybody is different and everyone has different meals that one needs to eat.

Some people cannot function without breakfast, while others cannot fall asleep without eating a meal. Some boxers (or maybe everyone!) must have a coffee because they cannot function.

With some exceptions, it is up to you what you want to cut and what you dont want to cut.

The key is to minimise.

For example, when I cut and I know I basically cannot eat, I would usually skip breakfast, eat a small lunchchicken breast with broccoli to keep me going and finish the day with an egg. I naturally do not feel great, and of course, that amount is not enough, yet when you need to cut weight fast, you have to do it.

However, the most important diet tip is to AVOID fibre (vegetables, pasta, starches, and some fruits) as the lack of fibre results in short-term weight loss since it removes the fibre from the intestines that hold food particles. Instead, try to concentrate on calorie-dense food that is protein-rich, such as peanut butter.

How To Cut Weight For A Fight: Full Guide

Done correctly, cutting weight for a fight can give you a massive advantage over your opponents. You'll be bigger, stronger, and more energized allowing you to dominate your opponent. However, getting your weight cut wrong can lead to many complications.

Not just being depleted in the ring, octagon, or on the mats. But potentially ending up in hospital. Or even death.

This is why it's of utmost importance to learn how to cut weight safely and effectively for your next fight. But first, we must define what a weight cut is as there is a big difference between just losing weight and cutting weight for a fight.

Quick Disclaimer:

The contents of this blog, such as text, graphics, images, and other material contained within are for informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice; the blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a physician/doctor or other qualified health providers with any questions you may have regarding changes to your diet, hydration, and body weight manipulation. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this book.

Making weight for athletic competition through food restriction, dehydration, induced sweating, and other means outlined in this blog, carries risks to your health. Reliance on any information provided by this blog is solely at your own risk.

The author, publisher, or Sweet Science Of Fighting do not take any responsibility for how you choose to use this material. It is to help you make an informed decision. This should not be confused for prescribing you direct advice to follow.We advise you to enlist the services of a dietitian, doctor, and/or other registered healthcare professionals if you plan on manipulating your diet to make weight for a sporting contest.

What Is Weight Cutting?

Weight cutting starts by trying to reduce fat mass whilst maintaining or even gaining lean mass before the week of the fight. The weight cut refers to the short-term weight loss that occurs during the final week of fight preparation.

Before a competition, combat sports athletes have their body mass verified at the official 'weigh in' to ensure they meet the weight requirements of their competitive division.

Within combat sports, this is known as 'making the weight'. The actual time duration between the weigh-in and stepping into the ring for competition differs between sports, however, a recovery period of at least 3 and up to 24h exists among the Olympic combat sports ^[4].

FREE Weight Cut Template That Automatically Calculates Your Macros

The manipulation of body composition before a competition is best done gradually, as shown by previous case studies in combat sports athletes from colleagues of mine at Liverpool John Moores University ^[13].

A recent publication of mine published in the International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism shows body composition changing substantially over time.

Body mass, fat mass, fat-free mass, and body fat percentage changes over time during 11 contests.

Put simply, this figure shows how the body composition of a combat sports athlete changes over time. You should strive to have a better body composition profile towards the end of each camp, compared to the start of each camp.

Ultimately, you should at your optimal body composition when entering the final 7 days before the weight cut.

If done correctly, the weight cut should be a planned, prepared, and easy process to perform which will result in a well-nourished, well-hydrated, and happy athlete in the ring, octagon, or on the mats.

If implemented poorly with minimal evidence or by individuals who are not registered nutritionists/dieticians, the athlete can struggle, experience distress, and in some instances end up in hospital. It can get worse with some fighters potentially losing their life.

Essentially, get the recovery from making the weight wrong and it could easily negatively impact your fight performance.

What Are The Benefits Of Cutting Weight For A Fight?

Many combat sports athletes believe that cutting weight before a fight result in advantages over their opponent. Mainly, the ability to rebound in weight allowing you to enter the competition heavier than your opponent.

This weight advantage can be used in the clinch, up against the ropes, finishing takedowns, and even defending various grappling techniques.

Interestingly, studies correlating weight manipulation strategies to competitive outcomes in boxing have reported greater weight loss and regain to improve ^[5,6] or have no influence on competitive success^[7,8].

However, although data is limited and warrants research, weight regain may have a greater influence in grappling and MMA where weight advantage players a bigger role when wrestling.

With this in mind, it does depend on what you prefer to do, what has been practiced in training, and what works best for you.

Irrespectively, ensuring individual strategies are implemented is key, rather than trying to copy and paste one weight-making strategy to the other.

In my experience, making sure you are well-nourished and well hydrated with plenty of room for short-term weight loss will ensure you enjoy the process of the weight cut itself.

Following this, you will also enjoy weight regain as you can replace fluids lost and ensure you are rehydrated.

This means you can enjoy a substantial amount of energy and replace the glycogen in the muscles ready for the fight. Always remember a happy fighter is a dangerous fighter.

The opposite of this is a fighter who enters the final week of the short-term weight loss dehydrated and having undereaten. They will already be struggling and in most cases, should not put their body through further short-term weight loss. This can be dangerous and should be reconsidered.

How Much Weight Is Too Much Weight To Cut?

It is widely accepted within the industry and literature that decreases >10% body mass in the final few days before a competition can be dangerous and should not be attempted.

The current literature suggests that fighters commonly lose 5% body mass in the week before weigh-in^[9]. However, as mentioned this is very individual, and whilst it is acknowledged there is no single ideal short term weight loss target, under some conditions, short term weight loss of 58% body mass may have an acceptably small impact on health and performance.

Again, the starting point before short-term weight loss (or the weight cut) should represent body mass associated with a fully hydrated, well-nourished state, offering plenty of opportunity for meaningful manipulation of gut content and body water^[4].

Where possible you should always assess body competition using standardized measurement methods and regularly and correctly collect body weight. This will give you a far greater insight as to how much bodyweight needs to be lost in the final few days.

When cutting >10% body weight in the final few days before a fight, big problems can occur especially to your health.

See these videos for an example:

In my recent publication, I present data showing an approx. 5kg decrease in body mass during the final 5-day period before the official weigh-in (see below) which was typical of the wayRocky Fielding made weight for the 11 camps that we worked together over the last 4-5 years.

You can see how Rocky was still above 80kg the day before the weigh-in and lost between 3-4 kg in the final 24 hours. This represented about 5% of his body weight.

How To Start Cutting Weight 5 days Before A Fight

How you start your weight cut 5 days before a fight is highly dependent on your body mass at the start of the fight week. This guide will help you make weight if you are 3-4 kg over your target weight which is ideally where you should be.

Day 5

• Regular fiber intake
• Regular sodium intake
• Normal fluid intake
• Normal carbohydrate intake

Day 4

• Regular fiber intake
• Regular sodium intake
• Normal fluid intake
• Normal carbohydrate intake

Day 3

• Regular fiber intake
• Regular sodium intake
• Normal fluid intake
• Normal carbohydrate intake

Day 2

• Low residue intake
• Low sodium intake
• Normal fluid intake
• Moderate carbohydrate intake

Day 1

• Low residue intake
• Low sodium intake
• Moderate fluid intake in the day
• Low carbohydrate intake

Weigh-in day

• Low residue intake
• Low sodium intake
• Low fluid intake
• Check weight and sweat as needed (sweating should be as easy as possible e.g. light skipping, sauna)

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Signs You Should Stop Your Weight Cut And See A Professional

For me, I would rephrase this and ask yourself the question: Are you well hydrated, well-nourished, and have less than 10% body weight to drop in the final 5-7 days?

If the answer is yes, then you are in a good place to enter the final week of your weight cut and making the weight. If you are already dehydrated and have dropped your energy intake, I would seriously consider if you should progress with the weight cut and I would advise against doing it.

If this is you or you know an athlete who struggles with their weight then please reach out to me and I would be happy to work together: [emailprotected]

If you are in a great starting position for the weight cut, but then experiences headaches, poor sleep, and generally feel unwell, then I would stop the weight cut and consider pulling out of your fight.

We must look after your health and well-being and be confident that you are in a healthy position to go ahead and perform and fight.

"A really massive part of the success was the weight cut." - Rocky Fielding (WBA Super Middleweight Champion)

"Dr. James Morehen knew my body better than me. My performances were staying, my training in the gym, my sleep pattern was good. I wasn't going to bed starving, I was getting good rest in and sleep in." - Rocky Fielding (WBA Super Middleweight Champion)

References

1. Morton JP, Robertson C, Sutton L, M DP. Making the Weight: A Case Study From Professional Boxing. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2010 Feb;20(1):805.

2. Langan-Evans C, Germaine M, Artukovic M, Oxborough DL, Areta JL, Close GL, et al. The Psychological and Physiological Consequences of Low Energy Availability in a Male Combat Sport Athlete. Med Sci Sport Exerc. 2020;

3. Kasper AM, Crighton B, Langan-Evans C, Riley P, Sharma A, Close GL, et al. Case study: Extreme weight making causes relative energy deficiency, dehydration, and acute kidney injury in a Male mixed martial arts athlete. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2019;

4. Reale R, Slater G, Burke LM. Individualised dietary strategies for Olympic combat sports: Acute weight loss, recovery and competition nutrition. European Journal of Sport Science. 2017.

5. Coswig VS, Miarka B, Pires DA, da Silva LM, Bartel C, Del Vecchio FB. Weight Regain, but not Weight Loss, Is Related to Competitive Success in Real-Life Mixed Martial Arts Competition. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab [Internet]. 2019 Jan 1 [cited 2021 Aug 5];29(1):18.

6. Reale R, Cox GR, Slater G, Burke LM. Regain in Body Mass After Weigh-In is Linked to Success in Real Life Judo Competition. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab [Internet]. 2016 Dec 1 [cited 2021 Aug 5];26(6):52530.

7. Zubac D, Karnincic H, Sekulic D. Rapid Weight Loss Is Not Associated With Competitive Success in Elite Youth Olympic-Style Boxers in Europe. Int J Sports Physiol Perform [Internet]. 2018 Aug 1 [cited 2021 Aug 5];13(7):8606.

8. Daniele G, Weinstein RN, Wallace PW, Palmieri V, Bianco M. Rapid weight gain in professional boxing and correlation with fight decisions: analysis from 71 title fights. Phys Sportsmed [Internet]. 2016 Oct 1;44(4):34954.

9. Franchini E, Brito CJ, Artioli GG. Weight loss in combat sports: physiological, psychological and performance effects. J Int Soc Sports Nutr [Internet]. 2012 Dec 13;9(1):52.