How to Cut Weight for a Powerlifting Meet

Co-authored by Katie Prendergast and Amy Bobinger

Last Updated: April 14, 2022 References

If you're a powerlifter, you probably already know that there's an advantage to competing in a lower weight class. If you're close to the borderline between two classes, you may decide to lose weight before weigh-in so you can make the lighter class and get an edge over smaller lifters. You can do this by carefully controlling your food and water intake. However, this isn't a good idea for everyone—it's best left to advanced lifters who need to lose 5% or less of their target weight.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

7-10 Days Out

1
Cut less than 5% of your target weight. Find the guidelines for the competition you're preparing for and check out the weight classes. Then, calculate whether your current weight is within 5% of the upper limit for the weight class you want to be in. If it is, you may be able to safely cut weight.^{[1]
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- For instance, if you're a man who wants to compete in the 164–183 lb (74–83 kg) weight class, you'd calculate that 5% of 183 lb (83 kg) is about 9 lb (4.1 kg). In that case, you need to weigh 192 lb (87 kg) or less to cut weight safely.
- If you have to cut more than 5% of your target weight, it's probably time for you to move up into the next weight class.^{[2]
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2
Find your overnight weight loss number. Every night before you go to bed, weigh yourself and write down the number. Then, when you wake up the next morning, use the bathroom if you need to, then weigh yourself again, and record that number as well. Do this for about a week, then average the amount of weight you're losing each night.^{[3]
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- It's normal to lose a small amount of weight each night—probably due to sweat.
- When you know this number, you'll be able to factor it in so you'll know exactly how much weight you need to lose by the day before weigh-in.
- Even if you've already found your overnight weight loss number previously, it's still a good idea to repeat the process to make sure it hasn't changed.
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3
Double your water intake up to a week before the meet. One way to drop weight quickly is to dramatically reduce your fluid intake right before weigh-in. However, if your body is dehydrated, it will want to hang on to as much fluid as possible. It's actually a lot easier to shed that water weight if you start water loading—or drinking about twice as much water as you normally would—a few days before you start restricting.^{[4]
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- This will also help reduce the risk that you'll become dangerously dehydrated.
- Some people recommend that you start water loading as early as 10 days before your weigh-in.^{[5]
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4
Eat more salty foods than usual. Temporarily increasing your salt intake will cause your body to start ditching excess sodium. That will help you excrete more water, as well. This will continue even after you drop your sodium levels closer to the meet.^{[6]
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- Healthy foods that are high in salt include chicken broth, cottage cheese, canned beans and fish, tomato sauce, and frozen vegetables.^{[7]
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5
Stay away from fatty or greasy foods. If you're spending a lot of time training as an athlete, you probably already try to avoid unhealthy fats. However, it's especially important when you're trying to cut weight, so stay away from fried or greasy foods, fast foods, and packaged snacks that are high in fat.^{[8]
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- Get your fats from healthy sources like walnuts, almonds, fish oil, and olive oil.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

3-4 Days before the Meet

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Switch to a low-carb diet. Carbs absorb water, so when you reduce them, your body tends to shed some extra water weight.^{[9]
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Research source} A few days before weigh-in, drop your carb intake by about 45 g (180 kcal) each day, and increase your fats by 20 g (180 kcal). However, don't eliminate carbs completely—you still need about 1 g of carbs for every 2.2 lb (1.00 kg) of bodyweight.^{[10]
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Expert Source

Katie Prendergast
Certified Personal Trainer & Nutrition Coach
Expert Interview. 21 February 2022.}^{[11]
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- Steer clear of any foods made with dough or flour, like crackers or bread. The carbs you do eat should primarily come from foods like oatmeal and sweet potatoes.^{[12]
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- Avoid dairy products like cheese and yogurt, as these can cause your body to retain water.
2
Eat less than 10 g of fiber daily for 2-4 days. Fiber bulks up your stool, which is normally great for having regular bowel movements. However, if you're trying to quickly cut as much weight as possible, eating less fiber can help you carry less stool in your digestive system, which could help you weigh less.^{[13]
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- Fiber is an important part of a healthy diet. Don't use this as a long-term weight-loss strategy! However, it's not likely to have much of an impact on your performance if you only do it for a few days.
3
Stick to energy-dense, low-weight foods. In the last couple of days before weigh-in, stick to foods that will give you plenty of energy without adding a lot of bulk. Whey protein powder is a great option, as are egg whites. However, if you need something a little more substantial, you can also include lean beef, chicken, turkey, and white fish.^{[14]
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- Chocolate is a great snack for getting a quick burst of energy without weighing you down.
- Eating less fiber and low-weight foods in the days leading up to your weigh-in can often help you lose about 1-2% of your bodyweight.^{[15]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

24 Hours Before Weigh-In

1
Avoid sodium. Try not to eat any salty food on the last day before your weigh-in. Sodium causes your body to retain water, which will make it harder to drop water weight, even if you restrict your fluid intake.^{[16]
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- Some sources of sodium might not be immediately obvious—canned soups, condiments, packaged foods, bread, and even cereals can all have unexpectedly high sodium levels.^{[17]
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  University of Rochester Medical Center
  Leading academic medical center in the U.S. focused on clinical care and research
  Go to source}
2
Fast for 14 hours before your weigh-in. Do a total fast, meaning no food or drinks at all. If you have a morning weigh-in, this is pretty easy—have your last meal a couple of hours before bed, then don't eat or drink anything after you wake up until you've been weighed for the meet.^{[18]
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- It's a little harder to fast if you have an afternoon weigh-in since you'll be awake most of that time. If you start to feel thirsty, take a few small sips of water. If you're feeling weak or lightheaded, try eating a piece of chocolate to help you through.
- Keep an eye on your weight leading up to your fast to see if this is necessary. If, the night before weigh-in, you're right at your target weight, you may not need to fast at all. Remember to factor in your overnight weight-loss average!
3
Chew gum or sour candy and spit to drop last-minute water weight. This is kind of gross, but it's a favorite trick of powerlifters who are trying to cut weight. Grab a piece of gum or sour candy and chew or swish it until your mouth starts to water. Then, spit your saliva into a cup or bottle. Keep doing this until your mouth doesn't water anymore.^{[19]
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- Gum works well to increase your saliva production, but sour candy is especially effective.
- Do this right before weigh-in to help lose any extra water you're still holding on to.
4
Rehydrate and eat immediately after the weigh-in. As soon as you get off the scale, start sipping a 50-50 mixture of a sports drink and water. If you'd like, you can add about 1/2 tsp (3 g) of salt to help restore some of the sodium you've lost.^{[20]
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Research source} Then, eat a small meal of high-energy carbs, like a banana, apples, oatmeal, plain potato chips, or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on wheat bread.^{[21]
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- If your energy levels are still low, eat a candy bar right before you lift to give you a boost.
- Mixing a sports drink into your water will help restore some of the electrolytes that your body needs.
- You can also drink a meal replacement shake that contains electrolytes.^{[22]
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Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Health and Safety

1
Do not fast for more than 14 hours. Dehydration can be really dangerous, leading to cramping, an increased heart rate, fatigue, and high body temperature. Absolutely do not fast longer than 14 hours, and listen to your body—drink something if you need to. Being dehydrated can also affect your performance and endurance.^{[23]
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2
Avoid using heat or excessive sweating to cut water. Some people believe that the more they sweat, the more weight they'll lose. However, this puts a lot of stress on your body. In addition, these approaches can cause you to become dangerously depleted.^{[24]
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- For example, don't work out in a garbage bag or a heavy pullover in an effort to sweat more.
- Similarly, avoid using saunas, hot boxes, steam rooms, or other such methods to cause excessive sweating.^{[25]
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  PubMed Central
  Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
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3
Drink more water if your urine gets dark. When you're well-hydrated, your urine is nearly clear. As you decrease your water intake, your urine color will start to get darker. However, if it starts to get too dark—the color of apple juice, for instance—you're dangerously dehydrated, and you need to drink more water.^{[26]
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- Try taking a few small sips of water once an hour to prevent yourself from getting overly dehydrated.
4
Don't cut carbs completely.^{[27]
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Expert Source

Katie Prendergast
Certified Personal Trainer & Nutrition Coach
Expert Interview. 21 February 2022.} Your body needs some carbohydrates to function properly. Dropping all of the carbs from your diet will leave you feeling fatigued, which isn't ideal for competition.^{[28]
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- Even going low-carb can have an impact on your performance—it's up to you to decide whether that's a fair trade-off for cutting weight.^{[29]
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  Katie Prendergast
  Certified Personal Trainer & Nutrition Coach
  Expert Interview. 21 February 2022.}

Expert Q&A

Question

How much weight can you cut for powerlifting?

Katie Prendergast
Certified Personal Trainer & Nutrition Coach
Katie Prendergast is a Certified Personal Trainer, Nutrition Coach, and the Owner of KPxFitness. With over seven years of coaching experience, she has expertise in helping skiers, snowboarders, and hikers build strength and endurance to enjoy more outdoor adventures. Katie earned her Personal Training Certification and Corrective Exercise Specialist Certification from The National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) and is a Pain-Free Performance Specialist (PPSC).

Katie Prendergast

Certified Personal Trainer & Nutrition Coach

Expert Answer

A realistic timeline for cutting weight is about 0.5-1% of your total bodyweight per week. So, if you weight 20 lbs (9.07 kg) more than the weight class you intend to compete in, expect it to take 20-40 weeks if you completely nail your diet.
Question

Which is the fastest way to consistently lose weight?

Katie Prendergast
Certified Personal Trainer & Nutrition Coach
Katie Prendergast is a Certified Personal Trainer, Nutrition Coach, and the Owner of KPxFitness. With over seven years of coaching experience, she has expertise in helping skiers, snowboarders, and hikers build strength and endurance to enjoy more outdoor adventures. Katie earned her Personal Training Certification and Corrective Exercise Specialist Certification from The National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) and is a Pain-Free Performance Specialist (PPSC).

Katie Prendergast

Certified Personal Trainer & Nutrition Coach

Expert Answer

Weight loss requires being in a calorie deficit (eating fewer calories than your body requires for maintenance). But when you're training for a powerlifting meet, you also need to fuel your training sessions—that means you don't want to try an aggressive calorie deficit, or you won't have the fuel your body needs to train hard and recover from lifting.

Warnings

Dehydration can lead to cramping, heatstroke, and even seizures or shock.^{[34]
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Don't try to cut more than 5% of your body weight. This can lead you to become dangerously malnourished and/or dehydrated.^{[35]
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If you're a teenager, do not try to lose weight for a competition. It's unhealthy to drastically lose weight while your body is still growing. In addition, cutting weight may affect your athletic performance.^{[36]
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