Praxis Olympic Weightlifting in Salt Lake City, Utah

EATING

Weightlifting Competition 

This is NOT medical or professional dietary advice.  This is information gathered over a 20-year period of reading, learning and applying that to the very specific sport of weightlifting with clean lifters.  This is a gross simplification of a complex subject.  These are layman’s notes so that you don’t have to spend time looking stuff up.  (Although you should always do your own research!)  

You have between 1 to 2.5 hours after weigh in before you start lifting heavy-ass weight in a mentally and emotionally demanding situation.  Consider carefully what you do with your body during that time.

Goals

1. Energize your body (muscles) as soon as possible and maintain for at least 5 hours
2. Think clearly/focus
3. avoid lightheadedness
4. avoid nausea
5. avoid cramps

Key Points For everyone:

Fats and protein from food can make you lightheaded when you lift.  Why?

Your gut draws blood from other parts of your body to digest which can cause 

post-prandial hypotension.  

High carb intake mixed with adrenaline can make you lightheaded when you lift.  Why?

Your body produces excessive amounts of insulin to digest the sugars.  The combination 

of stress/hormones that are released when nervous or excited, can cause post-prandial 

hypoglycemia in healthy adults.

Whey protein and liquid vitamins/nutrients will get to your muscles and brain faster than food.

Dehydration can make you feel tired.  Rehydration takes time.  Feeling better after rehydrating is not immediate, it’s a process. 

Digestion delays vitamin and nutrient (your energy source) absorption.

How to refuel after weigh in varies based on what you did to your body to make weight.  

Very few professional nutritionists fully understand the psychological, emotional, neurologic and physical demands of a weightlifting competition.  Very few weightlifting coaches fully understand the complexities of microbiology and nutrition.  Be extremely careful when reviewing their advice. (That includes the following information.) 

If you’ve dehydrated and/or significantly cut calories prior to weighin: 

Priorities: Rehydrate, avoid digestion

1. Drink at least 24 oz water (NOT distilled.  Distilled is acidic and can cause a mineral imbalance) or pedialyte immediately after you get off the scale.  
2. DRINK your food/protein as soon possible (10-15 min after water).  A meal replacement shake that contains both carbs and protein and is low fat is best.  
3. Don’t drink milk (milk can take up to 4 hours to digest)
4. Don’t eat fatty food or meats (You won’t get the benefits for 4+ hours and they will draw blood away from your muscles into your gut making you lightheaded)
5. Eat easily digestible food (think simple sugars - glucose, fructose - fruits, cereals, grains, pasta) and chew well before you swallow (benefit as soon as 15-30 min).
6. Drink more water as often as able
7. Avoid caffeine prior to the snatch if you are nervous or excited (Your body is already releasing a fantastic combination of hormones, including adrenaline, which is pumping blood into your muscles. Stimulants will constrict your blood vessels and can cause excess stress which you interpret as discomfort and reduced control.)
8. AFTER the snatch session, eat more simple sugars and drink more water 
9. Caffeine or candy may be a benefit after the snatch - bringing you back “up” after you experience a crash from natural adrenaline. 
10. Go urinate during the break.  When you cinch up that belt on the platform, you’ll be glad you did.

If you didn’t cut calories/dehydrate but are waiting to eat after you have weighed in:

1. Eat a small amount of carbs right before you go to bed the night before, supporting glycogen in your muscles.
2. Sip water regularly the next morning regardless of when weigh in is.  
3. After weigh in DRINK your protein.  Food will do you little good at this point because you have to digest it. A meal replacement shake that contains both carbs and protein and low fat is best.  
4. Don’t drink milk (milk can take up to 4 hours to digest)
5. Don’t eat fatty food or meats (You won’t get the benefits for 4+ hours and they will draw blood away from your muscles into your gut making you lightheaded)
6. Eat easily digestible foods (simple sugars - glucose, fructose - fruits, cereals, grains, pasta) and chew them well before you swallow.

If you are able to follow your regular eating plan the day of your competition:

1. Congrats, enjoy the morning
2. Be sure you are well aware of the specific water and food routine your body responds best to before you do a max out snatch AND clean and jerk session that includes a healthy break in between the two lifts.  If you haven’t practiced this, you are not prepared to ‘wing it’.
3. Don’t vary from your known eating/drinking routine (if you do, then you are not following your regular plan and your body will respond differently)

If you are going to ‘wing it’:

1. Good luck!  

You probably haven’t noticed that competitive weightlifters don’t say “good luck” we say “lift well”.  Chances are you may find out the reason for that at your next meet.