Question: Are there safe ways for young athletes to lose weight? My son wrestles and is always starving himself and taking steam baths to make his weight. Is this dangerous?
Answer: Any athlete who uses starvation or dehydration to reach a certain weight is gambling with both his or her health and performance. Your son is going about it all wrong and in a dangerous fashion. As a wrestler, he should plan for his season by gradually reaching the weight he desires to compete in. There are no magical, easy diets that will help him cut corners.
Make sure he avoids any ``fad`` diets. These generally eliminate carbohydrate-rich foods that athletes need for strength and endurance. They also radically change the caloric intake and can result in personality changes and physical weakness. They don`t result in fat loss, but muscle deterioration and water loss, both of which are critical to any athlete, but particularly those competing in strength and stamina sports such as wrestling.
Your son should concern himself with reducing his percentage of body fat, not just weight loss. After he sets a realistic goal, he should plan on dropping two or three pounds a week. He must be patient because losing more than this is not healthy. Remind him that just as it took time to put on weight, it will take time to take it off.
Don`t allow him to change his eating habits drastically. Instead, have him cut down on the amounts of his favorite foods. Maybe two hamburgers instead of three or three pancakes instead of five, for example. Encourage him to eat more fruits, vegetables and low caloric foods instead of greasy, creamy or fatty items.
As he diets, make sure he doesn`t skip meals. Many times people become ravenous at night after missing earlier meals and splurge--which is much worse than just eating at consistent times.
Another area in which he can benefit from better planning is his fluid intake. Stress to him that water is the best thing he can drink to quench his thirst and replace the body fluids he has lost through perspiration. Beer and soft drinks are full of calories and selecting water instead will help his dieting as well as being better for him overall.
Finally, exercise can help the dieting process tremendously. Have him run a couple of more laps or walk to places he might ordinarily drive. This extra work will not only help his conditioning, but help him shed a few more of those tough pounds.
Don`t allow him to continue his starvation and steam-bath program. Besides being dangerous to his health, they will leave him weakened and his performance will suffer. Make him lose weight the right way and he will benefit much more in the long run.
Do you have a question about youth-in-sports? Address your questions to
``Pat Answers,`` P.O. Box 17791, Ft. Mitchell, Ky. 41017.