Weight Loss and Performance Part 2/2

As we mentioned in the previous article (part 1) about weight loss, it's primarily about achieving a caloric deficit to get the results. In this article, we highlight additional factors, such as the pitfalls of relative energy deficiency that can arise from decreased activity and increased cravings—things that make it extremely challenging to practically navigate your path forward. The truth is, there are so many variations to create a caloric deficit that there's not just ONE perfect model that suits everyone. However, there are foundational elements you can rely on as you navigate your daily life and make various decisions.

This article breaks down how we think you should work on creating your deficit in the simplest way, and most importantly, how to maintain your new weight. At the end, we also discuss the small factors you should consider. Factors that have an impact but should only be focused on when the major elements are under control.

A thorough review on the topic was released in 2015: “weight management for athletes and active individuals: a brief review”, and we will be referencing it multiple times in this article. Early on, it identifies two scenarios where athletes wish or need to lose weight:

1. Those who are genuinely overweight. In lower divisions of team sports and also in endurance sports, many individuals would benefit from weight loss. Benefits range from reduced injury risk to a decreased risk of cardiovascular diseases.
2. Those who are already fit but wish to shed a few extra kilos (most of you readers likely fall into this category). This also includes sports with weight classes like wrestling, judo, MMA, etc., and sports where low body weight offers some advantage: running, ski jumping, cycling, and more.

The study explores several important questions that should be considered when pursuing weight loss. These questions are valuable as they can quickly indicate if the weight loss approach is unhealthy. One such issue is the prolonged absence of menstruation in women.

• Does the goal weight reduce health issues that could increase injury risk [10, 16], promote good health and eating habits, and support optimal sport training and performance?
• Does the goal weight consider genetic makeup and family history of body weight and shape?
• Is the goal weight suitable for one's age and level of physical development, including normal reproductive function?
• Can the goal weight be maintained without constant dieting or food restriction, which might lead to disordered eating or an eating disorder [7, 9]?

It's very tempting to "just go for it" and jump on a temporary diet with drastically reduced calorie intake. This is a dangerous method with many pitfalls, especially for athletes like you. It primarily leads to:

• Decreased performance due to low energy stores, reduced concentration, poorer coordination, and increased irritation.
• Increased risk of injury due to exhaustion, such as altered running form.
• Loss of muscle mass and increased risk of nutrient deficiencies.
• Increased risk of eating disorders.
• Increased risk of dehydration.

Instead, aim to lose about 0.7% of your current body weight per week (source). We also recommend that you don't check the scale daily. Weight loss is not linear. Instead, weigh yourself for three consecutive days at the end of the month to ensure you're still on track. This has proven to be a good level. Try using this calculator. It's based on the concept that weight loss isn't a linear relationship but flattens out over time. It's beneficial to adopt a dynamic approach and reduce the deficit as you lose weight — make a new calculation at each month's end.

An example: I currently weigh 74 kg and stand 182 cm tall. Losing 0.7% of my body weight per week would mean a weight loss of 0.518 kg per week. We can easily convert this into calories since 1 kg of fat contains approximately 7700 kcal. Therefore, my calorie deficit should be 3,989 kcal per week. Divided over the days, the deficit comes to about 570 kcal per day. This isn't significantly noticeable in practice with the tips below, but should definitely not be minimized. An overweight person can lose weight much faster initially, but then the weight loss should slow down for it to be successful and stable.

An example of unhealthy weight loss was my Sverigetramp. The point is that while it's possible to accelerate weight loss, you can forget about maintaining performance during that period. I was fortunate to avoid getting sick or injured.

The race began on June 5 with snow-covered mountains in the background. It was about 4 degrees "warm" — which on the same day turned into light snowfall.

Starting weight 92 kg morning weight.

Final weight 77.5 kg

The indispensable team

It's not common to casually burn exactly 400 kcal or know the precise content of a home-cooked meal. Most of you probably have a family, which means dinner is often a shared meal. Monitoring calories in combined meals makes it challenging to achieve the slight deficit we recommend.

Cornerstone number two: focus on protein and quality ingredients.

In a brief study lasting only 1 week, 20 active males were split into two groups: one consumed 2.3 g/kg body weight of protein, while the other consumed 1 g/kg body weight per day. This was while maintaining a significant calorie deficit of 60E% against energy balance (meaning 40% less energy than needed to maintain weight each day). The result showed that those with higher protein intake lost only 0.3 kg of muscle mass, while the control group with 1 g/protein/kg body weight lost 1.6 kg of muscle mass.

More protein in the diet increases satiety levels, often leading to a reduced total energy intake. In another 12-week study, participants increased protein intake (30E% of total energy intake) while eating to satisfaction. The outcome was an average consumption of 441 kcal less per day compared to a diet with only 15E% protein (source). Achieving 30E% protein isn't particularly difficult. Most of us probably reach this level, especially at dinner. However, it's important to distribute protein intake evenly across meals, including lunch and dinner, particularly if you don't eat breakfast — more on that below.

”The wheel is round”

Thomas Lövkvist shared this when we spoke to him about his training philosophy for a podcast episode in 2016.

Choosing raw ingredients over pre-produced foods aligns with the idea of “the wheel is round.” Vegetables, root vegetables, and high-protein sources like chicken, fish, and beef are far superior to pre-packaged foods like sausage, rice pudding, and more. Numerous studies show that this is important not only for weight loss but also for overall well-being and gut health, particularly the gut microbiome.

While nuts are healthy and rich in minerals, we recommend consuming them in moderation due to their high energy density, which makes it easy to ingest a lot of calories in just a small amount.

Overall, opting for foods with lower energy density is a better strategy than meticulously weighing and counting every calorie. Replace refined pasta with potatoes, fill most of your plate with vegetables, and choose low-fat options where appropriate. Writing “choose low-fat” might seem provocative, especially with the ongoing popularity of low-carb diets (LCHF). We're not delving into LCHF in this article, but it suffices to say that LCHF can be effective—often based on personal preferences and typically over shorter periods. There's no evidence to indicate that LCHF is superior for weight loss. Instead, take useful elements from all diets: low-carb diets often result in cutting out junk foods like soda, candy, and chips. Our tip: skip junk food but keep enjoying potatoes—boiled potatoes have a high satiety index and help you manage your energy intake. Completely omitting a macronutrient (carbohydrates, fat, or protein) is seldom a good idea.

Meal frequency has been a hot topic in recent years. Personally, I embrace IF — intermittent fasting — which basically means I skip breakfast, have my first meal at lunch, and the last meal in the evening. On rest days, I often end up in a deficit without actively planning for it. Exceptions have become more frequent as I often train in the morning and then eat breakfast afterward for optimal recovery.

It's worth considering eating at regular times as much as possible. Our hunger is largely time-driven through the hunger hormone ghrelin. Regularity means having meals at set times, which can make it easier to stick to the plan.

Whether fasting is for you or not, it isn't harmful, but it should be considered as fasting can mean you have low energy stores before certain workouts — and then the quality of training suffers. Eating after a workout is also important, regardless of weight loss goals. After exercise, the body has an increased ability to store energy and repair damaged tissue. So it's a good time to consume a larger portion of the day's energy.

Ironically, we place cardio training as the last 20% you should focus on for weight loss. If we were talking about health, the numbers would be reversed — training is a cornerstone of health. But using exercise as the main tool to create a deficit is often a recipe for failure when you're aiming for performance. We humans are bad at estimating how much we consume and how much we take in. However, the body and mind tend to make better dietary choices when you train, which in turn can create a positive spiral. Cardio training is positive — but chasing calories on the treadmill often leads to a vicious cycle.

There are many more great tips to facilitate your weight loss. In brief: sleep well (source), have someone to report successes and setbacks to — a community can be incredibly powerful.

Get help! There are many quacks, but don't lump everyone together. There are many truly skilled individuals in the field, including Marek Behrendt whom I would say is one of Sweden's most competent in the area.

You'll fall off the wagon, multiple times

It takes time to lose weight, and it should be allowed to take time. If it happens quickly, it's often not fat you're losing but glycogen, water, and muscles. You'll find balance on days you deliberately miss the deficit — and that's okay.

Set yourself up for success

More than once, I've recommended people not to rely on sheer willpower. Having sweets and ice cream at home and thinking you'll say no every day with willpower alone is unnecessarily tough — few of us manage it in the long run.

Set small goals

If you have more than 3–4 kg to lose, break it down into small goals and take a break when you achieve them. It's a great feeling to have lost 2–3 kg and then see the effects in your training — it can make things feel quicker or at least easier.

Note the days you succeeded, don't focus on the scale

Weight loss isn't linear. Forget about the scale and weigh yourself three times, on three consecutive days at the end of each month. Weighing yourself daily isn't inherently wrong, but the scale will fluctuate significantly — over time, though, it will move downwards. Use an app to log what you've eaten; be pleased if you've reported a calorie deficit of about 0.7% of your body weight. Regardless of whether the scale shows it immediately or not — you've succeeded that day!

Losing weight is straightforward but incredibly challenging, particularly when it comes to maintaining it in the long run. I would argue that most of you probably don't need to track calories diligently, but instead, focus on the tips mentioned in the article above to "settle" at a weight your body is comfortable with. Some do well with a very low body fat percentage, while others find a higher level of body fat more suitable.

However, you should keep an eye on:

1. Protein in your diet – 1.5–2.0 g/kg body weight.
2. Quality in your diet – simply good, cooked food.
3. Eat foods with low energy density – for example, boiled potatoes, root vegetables, and greens.
4. Regularity in your meal pattern where you consume sufficient amounts of protein 2–3 times a day, at least 20–30 g per meal.

And avoid maintaining too large of a deficit and prioritize sleep. These are our best tips for effectively losing a bit of weight and maintaining your new weight. We hope this article has helped you make better decisions in your weight loss journey. And remember: small steps, consistency, and a little patience take you further than quick shortcuts — even if the shortcut sometimes tempts like a chocolate cake after an interval session.