Losing Weight - For GAA Players

Excess fat can hinder performance in football, so losing body fat is often high on the wish list of many football players. You may have gained some excess weight following an injury or during the off-season period when your exercise levels dropped. It can be hard to respond to a sudden drop in exercise levels immediately with an equal reduction in food energy intake. In fact, many players are tempted to eat more however, the result is a rapid gain in body fat. Whatever the reason for your weight gain, the key to losing weight is to achieve a long term scenario where energy intake is lower than energy output. It is important not to become obsessed with dieting or embark on faddy weight loss methods.

Guidelines for Losing Weight

Set a Realistic Time-Frame
Organise your program so that fat loss can be achieved in a reasonable time frame and during a period where any side-effects or pressures are unimportant. For example, start at the beginning of pre-season training (or even before) so that it is not an issue during important competitions.

Examine Current Exercise and Activity Patterns
Exercise is the other half of the weight loss equation. The best way to manage your weight permanently is to combine a programme of regular exercise with a balanced, low fat diet.
If training is primarily skill or technique-based, or you live a sedentary lifestyle between training sessions, you may benefit from scheduling in some aerobic exercise activities to help burn the fat. This should always be done in conjunction with your coach. If you live a ‘couch potato’ lifestyle between training sessions, try increasing the energy cost of day-to-day activities such as walking and cycling to college, work or the shops etc.

Keep a Food Diary for a Week
Many players who feel that they ‘hardly eat anything at all’ will be amazed at their hidden or unintentional eating activities. Simple changes to cut out unnecessary eating or unneeded portions sizes can make a long term difference.

Lose Weight Slowly
If loss of body fat is required, plan for a realistic rate of loss of about 0.5kg-1kg/1-2lb per week. Any more than this and you risk losing muscle and depleting your glycogen reserves (fuel for the working muscle). To lose 0.5kg/1lb per week, you need to create an energy deficit of 3500kcal. So, by eating 500 fewer calories per day, you will lose 0.5kg/1lb per week. Increasing your energy expenditure will increase your weight loss further. It is a good idea to set short term and long term goals.

Reduce your Fat Intake
Remember that fat contains more calories (9kcal/g) than carbohydrate or protein (4kcal/g) so cutting down on high-fat foods quickly reduces your calorie intake. Swap high fat foods for low fat, nutritious alternatives.

How to Reduce your Fat Intake?
Start your day with fruit, yogurt, wholegrain cereal, porridge or wholemeal toast.
Include five portions of fruit and vegetables in your daily diet – eat fresh fruit as a snack, pile salad into your sandwich or add a side salad to your main meal.
Make vegetables and grains the base of your meals – pasta, potatoes, rice, cous cous, bulgar wheat.
Flavour salads and vegetables with herbs, lemon/lime juice, fruit vinegar
Add extra vegetables to pasta and curry sauces, stews, soups, bakes, shepherd’s pie and lasagne.
Make fresh fruit the base for dessert – add yogurt, fromage frais, custard or half fat crème fraiche.
Minimise added fats and oils in food preparation (e.g. dressings, added butter and margarine, cream, fatty sauces).
When cooking, opt for lower fat cooking techniques such as baking, steaming, boiling and grilling instead of frying.
Reduce saturated fats e.g. butter, pastry, biscuits and puddings. Choose lean cuts of meat and substitute skinless chicken, white fish and beans for some of the meat in your diet.
Avoid foods made with animal fats or hydrogenated vegetable fats as they contain larger amounts of trans fatty acids i.e. margarine, biscuits, cakes and bakery items.
Low Fat Snacks
* Sandwiches/rolls/pitta/bagels (filled with salad, tuna, chicken, turkey, ham, marmite or banana)* Low fat yogurt and fromage frais* Fresh fruit (e.g. apples, bananas, pears, peaches, nectarines, grapes)* Scones, potato cakes, crumpets* Dried fruit* Rice cakes/ bread sticks

What about Carbohydrates?
Eat enough carbohydrates because carbohydrates fuel all types of exercise. If you eat too little carbohydrate, you will experience fatigue, lack of energy and your training will suffer. Low carbohydrate diets can result in muscle loss. Sugary foods and drinks may be useful to meet carbohydrate goals in some situations – for example, using a sports drink during exercise. Take advantage of these uses, but otherwise focus on bulkier and more nutrient-dense carbohydrate-rich foods.

Fill up on High-fibre foods
High fibre foods will help to fill you up and feel satisfied for longer, keeping hunger at bay. The following is a list of high fibre foods which you should base your meals and snacks on:
* Wholegrain breakfast cereal
* Porridge
* Wholemeal bread and pasta
* Brown Rice
* Beans and lentils
* Potatoes
* Fresh fruit
* All kinds of vegetables

Eat Little and Often:
Aim to eat 5-6 small meals and snacks each day at regular intervals. This will help maintain energy levels, prevent hunger and avoid fat storage. Avoid leaving long gaps between meals as people often over-eat when they are hungry or are ‘eating on the run’. A well-chosen snack before training or in the afternoon can take the edge off evening hunger. Take time to slow down and eat, even when you are busy. Your brain and your stomach both need to enjoy the experience of eating.

Alcohol
Cutting down on your alcohol intake can help you lose unwanted body fat. One pint of beer is equivalent to 182 kcal so if you cut out five pints per week, you’ll save 3640kcals per month, that’s 0.5kg in body weight! Since alcohol is associated with relaxation, it is often also associated with unwise eating. From a sports performance point of view, alcohol can interfere with post-exercise recovery. It acts as a diuretic and may slow down the process of re-hydration after a match. Alcoholic drinks are low in carbohydrate content and will not fuel up your glycogen stores.

Fad Diets
Be wary of diets and supplements that promise weight loss. There are no special pills, potions or products that produce safe and effective weight loss. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Consult a Dietitian if you are having difficulties with your weight-loss goals or you would like a supervised, individualised program. Expert advice is needed for those who are struggling with an eating disorder or disordered eating behaviour.
Dara Morgan,
MINDI
Source - http://www.medicalwelfare.gaa.ie/losingweightforgaafootballers.html