Weight Loss Whilst Training

Your interest in weight loss may be driven by a desire for better health, fitness, or achieving 'optimal race weight' for performance. Regardless of the reason, providing your body with the necessary nutrients and fuel for effective training is essential. Neglecting these needs may result in illness, injury, and lost training time. You won't maximize your training sessions or enhance your performance without proper fueling.

Body Composition

Losing weight should be considered as improving body composition, which reflects the percentages of fat, bone, water, and muscle within the body. This approach can be more beneficial than merely measuring weight alone. 

Muscle is denser than fat, meaning you can enhance body composition without actually losing weight as you train. Increasing muscle mass also elevates your basal metabolic rate, the number of calories your body uses at rest. 

Optimal weight varies from person to person. BMI charts typically aren’t useful for athletes, as they overlook the differences in muscle and fat weight. While charts showing body fat percentages and age groups for professional athletes can provide insight, they often rely on limited sample sizes, meaning your ideal percentage could differ. Your optimal body fat percentage is affected by various factors, including genetics, age, gender, and your sport's specific requirements.

Fuel Your Training

As coaches, we can advise on fueling your body for training and offer general guidance on sensible eating to manage weight. However, you will need to consult a sports nutritionist for specific support, diet plans, and professional advice. You must consume enough to sustain your training performance. Achieving a calorie deficit while training successfully is not feasible, and recent research indicates this approach is unnecessary.

Weight Management

The most effective long-term weight management strategies involve improving the quality of your diet. Opt for foods supporting appetite management, optimising nutrient availability, and eliminating unnecessary items. Research suggests that by improving the quality of your diet, primarily by adding more plant-based foods, you will increase fibre intake, which can help you feel full and satisfied. 

The following tips can support weight loss without reducing food intake:

• Increase fibre content and avoid processed, refined, and convenience foods.
• Reduce the consumption of calorie-dense foods, often those that are processed.
• Increase the variety and volume of fruits and vegetables.
• Include a variety of beans and legumes.
• Stay hydrated, ensuring adequate electrolyte intake to aid absorption.
• Minimise the consumption of meat and dairy products.
• Time your meals, fuel during the day when you require energy, and lessen intake in the evening.

By following these tips, along with consistency and patience, you can reduce excess weight. Remember, a gradual and steady weight loss of 1-2 pounds per week is most effective for maintaining your ideal weight in the long run.

Conclusion

Focus on incorporating quality foods rather than restricting or eliminating options, as this fosters sustainable, positive, lifelong changes to your diet and eating habits. For further exploration of this subject, consider referring to the book 'How Not To Diet', which provides an evidence-based analysis.

You can also find other relevant nutrition information in the MyProCoach help articles.

Nutrition in Training

What Nutrition Guidance Do You Offer?

How Much Should I Eat When Training? 

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