ASK THE "DON'T DIET" DOCTOR

Dear Dr. Dorie:
I am a high school wrestler.  I need to lose weight so that I can meet
my weight class requirements.  What is the safest way to lose weight?
- Wrestle to Win

Dear Wrestle to Win:
As a high school athlete, you need to focus on getting adequate nutrition and enhancing your fitness level and wrestling skills.  If you are dieting, fasting, or using other restrictive measures to control your weight, you can also expect to compromise your athletic performance and ultimately your overall health.  You or your teammates may have also tried purging as a means of weight control.  However, regurgitating after a meal or using laxatives to purge the meal is a sign of an eating disorder.

Some of the consequences of restrictive weight control methods and eating disorders include dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, nutrient deficiency, weakness, fatigue, and muscle cramping. An athlete with these symptoms puts himself at increased risk of injury, and more seriously, risk of sudden cardiac arrest.

If you are getting pressure from a parent, coach or teammate to lose weight, explain the risks of restrictive weight control.  They may claim to have a 'safe' approach to weight loss, but any attempt to control weight can lead to more restrictive methods down the road.  Forget about the 'weight loss games' and set your sights on a different goal.

Rather than trying to lose weight to fit into a lower weight class, try instead to fuel your body with good nutrition so that you can compete and win in a weight class that fits your natural weight.   Eat a good balance of protein, carbohydrate, fat, vitamins, minerals and water. Consult with a registered dietician to assist you with food selections for best athletic performance.

Let your weight regulate itself, and focus on building your fitness level and wrestling skills. Forget about supplements such as creatine that are touted to build strength and improve performance. The long-term risks of strength-enhancing supplements are unknown.  You can build strength and increase your skill level by following a sound fitness program.  When you are prepared for peak performance through adequate training and good health, then you can compete to win.

It is not worth risking your life to fit within a weight class that is too low for you.  Focus on fueling your body with good nutrition and enhancing your performance to compete at a weight class that fits your natural weight.

© 2006 Dr. Dorie McCubbrey, all rights reserved.  As one of America's leading experts on obesity and eating disorders, Dr. Dorie is the author of How Much Does Your Soul Weigh? (HarperCollins, 2003).  Visit www.DrDorie.com for more diet-free solutions to your food, weight and body worries.

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