Many wrestlers will have to lose a lot of weight very quickly, but is there a way to do this while staying healthy and efficient?  One of the biggest parts of safely losing weight is to watch what you eat.  Krumrie of TeamUSA says “During the season, eliminate all fast food and sugary drinks, including energy drinks and fruit juices.” (Krumrie).  Sugary drinks are a great way for you to put on unhealthy weight which is something that you do not need.  You should not be eating any fatty foods that aren’t good for you either.  It is also better to just eat a few smaller and more frequent meals rather than a just couple of big ones.  A balanced diet is what you should be eating because it will keep you healthy and ready to perform.  You should not be restricting the foods you eat, but if you have to then you should probably take some type of vitamin or mineral supplement.  You should never be fasting or not eating any food to try to gain weight. 

Another method that people usually use is cutting out water, but you cannot do this because it will hinder your performance on the mat and is very bad for your health.  According to the Iowa High School Athletic Association, “Dehydration is the most detrimental method of losing weight” (“Wrestling Nutrition and Weight Control Published by the Iowa High School Athletic Association”).  You should always be drinking the daily recommended amount of water because you do not want to be dehydrated for very intense workouts since it can be very bad for you.  

One very key aspect of cutting weight is making sure that you get a lot of sleep.  If you are sleeping for the right amount of time then you are able to let your body recover and rest.  While you are sleeping your body also metabolizes too, so you could wake up a couple less pounds than you were when you went to bed.  So if you are eating a healthy balanced diet, drinking all the water you need, and getting as much sleep as possible then you will be able to lose weight for wrestling. 

This should not be a quick process; you should be losing a couple of pounds a week rather than a couple a day.  Some of the unhealthy methods to use to lose weight which many people do that should definitely be avoided are cutting out water and food a couple of days before because it is not good for you at all and you will lose a lot of strength and energy for when you wrestle.  You should also not be using laxatives which can cause long-term health issues.  And avoid wearing sauna suits and trash bags during intense workouts which makes you sweat more and lose weight since it is not good for you.  ”Dehydration combined with an extreme calorie reduction can result in a loss of strength, muscular endurance, stamina, and concentration.” (“Wrestlers Lose Weight Safely”).  This means if you are unable to be healthy while losing weight, then you should not be wrestling in that weight class and need to move up. It isn't even logical to lose five pounds right before a match because it is not good for you in the long term and you will lose all your energy and strength to wrestle which will likely cause you to end up losing the match anyways.  Without your strength, stamina, and concentration you will not be able to perform at your best.