Andy’s Blog

A lot of people ask me the same question, “What happened to Gabe?” While I was friends and occasional training partners with Gabe Ruediger before the show, I was also quite shocked as many of you were when I saw his weight steadily climbing up during the season. I don’t want to rehash what happened on the show, but suffice to say that it is painful and embarrasing when someone does not make weight and it hurts you and your reputation if it does happen.

Let’s be clear on one thing: MAKING WEIGHT SUCKS! When you are training twice a day for a couple of months on a calorie restricted diet, believe me, it’s not the most enjoyable time of your life. Especially if you live in a big city, where there are fast food restaurants on every corner and giant electric billboards flashing pictures of juicy cheeseburgers 24 hours a day…and you happen to be like me, the #1 fan of In-N-Out burgers, it is tough!

But on the other hand, dieting and making weight is part discipline and majority science. It simply comes down to how many calories you are consuming and how many calories you are burning throughout the day. Easier said than done in most cases, as we all enjoy eating and there is nothing better than having a big meal after a tough day of training. But part of being a competitor or athlete is doing the things that other people aren’t willing to do, and watching your weight consistently is one of them.

I’m not a nutrionist, but following is a basic outline of what I do to get my weight down for competition and remember that everybody has different genetics, etc. so what works for one person may not work for another so it is important to find out what works for you and your particular body. As always, you should consult a nutrionist or doctor before undergoing any drastic changes in diet or exercise plans…I’m lucky, my older brother is a nutrionist so I get the good advice for free!

- Breakfast is the most important meal of the day as it gets your metabolism going and gives you some energy for the day. The biggest mistake is skipping this meal; it does not have to be a big one, a small bowl of oatmeal and some fruit will do. Get that metabolism burning!

- I try to combine for every meal lean protein such as chicken breast, tuna, salmon, a fruit or vegetable and a clean carbohydrate such as brown rice or whole wheat bread. That’s right, CARBS! One of the worst things I ever did was try the no/low-carb diet a few years back and even though my brother warned me, it was all the rage and I did not listen…the result was one of my worst performances ever against Hiroshi Tsuryu in Shooto. Be sensible, but having a serving of carbs each meal will give you the energy you need to perform on the job and on the mats.

- Try to have 4-6 small meals throughout the day. Instead of two or three big meals, go for small meals that will be easier to digest and more importantly, keep your metabolism burning throughout the day instead of once in a while.

- Spinach is one of my favorites as it is a good source of fiber and fills you up without having to eat a bunch of starch. Try spinach salad mixed with chicken, red onions, tofu and some vinegar dressing and you get a good meal and feel terrific afterwards.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 8th, 2007 at 11:32 am and is filed under no category. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.