I've had a few requests for water cutting tips so heres a few:
This is from a top ranked lifter that cuts a lot of weight:
Monday - drink at least two gallons of water and take in a ton of salt/sodium. Do this through high sodium foods, adding salt to everything, taking salt tabs.
Tuesday - same water and sodium intake
Wednesday - tapper the water back to 1 1/2 gallon still taking in alot of salt/sodium with everything, tapering salt very little
Thursday - only 1 gallon of water here, most in the morning tapering back into the afternoon and night, tapper salt as well
Friday morning - eat small meal before 9:00 a.m., only enough water to wash it down, no sodium added/only what's in the food but keep the meal light and rich in nutrients. Eat/drink nothing after 9:00 a.m. assuming you will weigh in on Saturday right at 9:00 a.m. Check your weight later in the afternoon and see where you are. Do this with shorts and t-shirt on.
If you can get your hands on either lasix or bumex that will help out a ton. Bumex is used to lower the amount of excess salt and water in your body by increasing the output of urine. Weigh yourself at 7:00 p.m. Friday night. If you are close to where you need to be then don't bother with dosing anything. If you are 8 lbs away take 2 tablets, .5mg/pill (light green), between 7-8 p.m. and set your alarm for 3:00 a.m. Get up and weigh yourself. If you are close, within two lbs then go right back to bed. If you are still a 4lbs away then take 1 more tablet and go back to bed. Get up by 7:00 a.m. and weigh again. You should be right close to where you need to be. If for some odd chance you are still too high with close off then take a hot shower for 15-20 min. Dry off and repeat if needed. I had no problem dropping 22lbs with doing this and I didn't have to sweat one bit. I came in at 240 actually since I kept my shirt and shorts on each time I weighed myself, except for weigh-in.
After weigh-in start taking back in fluids and eat a meal. Gatorade, salt, water, carbs high with moderate protein intake. You need to drink alot but you need to also take in a shit load of sodium as well throughout the process of putting the weight back on. Each whatever you can just don't let it be too shitty and keep salt and Gatorade on you all day and night. If you are pissing all your water out then you don't have enough sodium in your system so take more.
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This is another option:
Here's the weight loss program that I use to make weight. I start cutting weight on the week of the meet (Monday). Foods eaten during this week...Tuesday and on should be small in bulk, but dense in nutrients...take flax oil and eat peanut butter to stay full with these smaller meals...cook meats in extra virgin olive oil...check weight each morning and throughout the day if you can
Monday:
1-2 gallons of distilled water
smaller food portions...sub protein bars or shakes for a meal or two
slightly less carbs depending on how much over the limit you are
Tues
at least 2 gallons of distilled water
drop carbs some more...nearly all carbs in AM
protein supplements instead of larger meals
Wednesdays
3 gallons of distilled water or more if you can
lower carbs...protein powders or bars
smaller meat portions...protein shake mixed with flax oil and fiber and 8pm, nothing after that
Thursday
nothing to drink...
you can take Magnesium citrate as a laxative to help drop a 1-3lbs more...monitor your weight closely here...you'll want to be no lighter than 183.5-184 when you go to bed...maybe slightly heavier or lighter depending on how much lighter you usually are in the morning than when you go to bed
--once you get to the above weight, take a lot of immodium until the diarrhea stops...it may take 2-3x the recommended max daily dose
Friday
nothing to eat or drink until after weigh-in
--check bwt once you wake up
--sweet tarts can be used to suck and spit to help drop a little weight if you're over
--sauna and sauna suit can also be used if you're still over the weight limit...10-15mins in the sauna...1-2 mins out, 10-15mins in, 1-2 mins out, etc
Rehydration
--start sipping on mixture of 1 gallon jug with the following contents: 1 liter of pedialyte, 6-8 scoops of powdered gatorade, a container of either ultra fuel (carb drink made by twinlab found in most grocery stores) or cytomax, and filled the rest of the way up with "Smart Water." You should have at least 2 of these...one for post weigh-in, the other for meet day...you may want to have a 3rd gallon with you just in case you finish 2 the day of the weigh-in
--foods high in salt and carbs...pizza, pasta of any type, salt and vinegar chips to snack on
--sweet potatoes, bananas
*once you have a lot of carbs and your weight in getting back to normal, start eating foods high in protein also
--STAY AWAY FROM VEGETABLES and only drink the mixture...no plain water or sodas even if you have a craving for them
--bring snickers marathon bars with you to the meet
--put tons of salt on everything you eat following weigh-in
--you may end up staying up till around 12-1am getting back to your training weight depending on what it was....you may also end up being a good bit over your training weight as I always am
--Also, don't be in a big rush to eat following the weigh-in, eating too quickly may cause you to vomit...sip on the mixture for the first 30mins-1 hour, or until you feel like eating...don't eat too much too fast
This is from AF's own Shakes:
Here is a summary with some guidelines for a water manipulation program for the purpose of making weight for a strength sport event with a 24 hour weigh-in. Below I will post a more detailed and comprehensive breakdown with some examples.
You are going to start loading water on Monday if you are trying to make weight on Friday, starting distilled water on Wednesday. Generally you want to do 1.5 gallons Monday, 2 gallons Tuesday, 2.5 gallons Wednesday, and 2-3 gallons Thursday before cutting water. If you have fat burners (any kind) then start taking them on Wednesday or Thursday. Your food on Wednesday and Thursday should be mostly shakes and lean meat - so basically just protein, try to get in 1 gram per pound of bodyweight minimum. You also need to sleep at least 8-9 hours each night since this will be tough on your body. Use ZMA or melatonin if you can't sleep. Along with the water loading you are also going to load on salt on Monday/Tuesday and then cut the salt Tuesday night. Carbohydrates need to be low the entire time and cut out all dairy.
Your afternoon and night time weight will peak on this program but you will notice yourself losing about 5 lbs overnight. Once you cut water you'll lose about 10 lbs there... So if you're going to bed at 250 lbs then this program will put you at about 235 by itself. The last couple of pounds will be tough; I'm not going to lie to you. Milk of magnesia will completely empty your stomach and some guys will do that the last day before cutting water – but this should be saved for extreme cases only.
I wouldn't do any actual cardio but if you want you can walk on the treadmill at 2.5 mph for 25 minutes - I do this and it will help you to lose a little bit and keep you active.
Thursday is the big day. You need to drink so much water that your stomach looks pregnant and load on protein shakes (good ones, not crap). You probably won't even want to eat really at all and that is fine. Thursday start the day chugging water then cut at lunch. Begin the water pills in the morning Thursday or Wednesday night if you want. Thursday afternoon start the fat burners (these might make you go to the bathroom also, which is good) take first dose at 3 and second dose at 6. Sleep as much as you can and take more water pills before traveling. This will keep you going to the bathroom. You're going to feel drained but you should be close on the weight when you arrive. Flying does throw things off but you should stabilize and might have to sweat off a pound or two. Sleep as much as you can on the travel if you are flying or someone else is driving and use as little energy as you can during the cut.
Once you make weight get pedialite immediately and just rehydrate on 2-3 quarts of that for first hour. Then try some light solid foods or gatorade cut with water. Add in something salty like chex mix and even creatine if you normally use it. Try to take a 1-2 hour nap in the afternoon then after that it's time to eat for real! Your body should be ready and this is the steak / pasta / etc.
This program will work, you'll be fine. The example program below from “Competitor B” is the most simple and easy to follow.
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Ok, here is the full “water manipulation handbook” that I have sent out to a couple of guys. Basically a compilation of information from myself and a couple of other competitors. All of whom have had some successful weight cuts for strongman competition of 10+ lbs within 24 hours. I will put it all into an article some time soon.
You should expect your night time weight to rise steadily when water loading, this is fine because it will flush quickly when you cut water as long as you are taking the right steps. What have you done so far? It is a little late to make drastic changes but today should be the day that you are drinking about 2-2.5 gallons of water. Distilled if you can do it.
As for foods – you will want to limit yourself to low carbohydrate, low sodium, calorie dense foods. This can include protein bars, natural peanut butter (or unsalted peanuts), and boiled chicken breasts. Definitely no dairy or simple carbs.
Start taking vitamin C right away if you are not already and you should pick up some taraxatone or an herbal diuretic to have on hand as well (start Thursday).
Below is some good info to read through. If you can get yourself within about 3-4 lbs by the morning of the weigh in I can help you to lose the last couple lbs. I know how to set up an effective sauna in a hotel bathroom. I’m not going to sit in there with you but can make sure that you drop the weight.
From Competitor A:
Here's how I made weight:
2 weeks before the meet I cleaned up my diet. Watched my carbs, limited fats, etc. I started drinking more water and salting my food heavily to get my body to get accustomed to flushing excess fluids.
Monday thru Friday took 5grams vitamin c to help flush water
Monday: increase water to 1.5 gallons distilled, cut all sodium, drank some mag sulfate to help rid intestinal bulk.....after the mag sulfate only ate dense and easily digestible foods for the rest of the week
Tuesday: increased to 2 gallons distilled. Lots of protein every 2hrs and less than 150g carbs all day.
Wednesday: 2 gallons distilled again, same as Tuesday but less carbs
Thursday: 2.5 gallons distilled by 4pm, only food was 3 meals of salmon and protein shakes + peanut butter. Started taking taraxatone (naturally diuretic)
cut food at 2pm and cut water at 4pm, weighed 249 after cutting water
Friday: only drank enough water to take vitamin c and taraxatone. Weighed 242lbs upon waking and lost a lb every couple hours. Weighed 239 at 5pm so i started hitting the sauna. Did 2 rounds of 10 min with a couple layers of clothes on, came back to the gym and was still 4lbs over. Came back to the sauna at 6:30 with another guy who had to make weight and we sat 2x for 15min each with piles of clothes on. Came back and was .2 lbs over but still had 20 min so i went out to my truck and turned the heat on full blast. Weighed in at exactly 231 and then Willie let me know i could have been 231.5.
Immediately drank 1 quart pedialyte and a carbo force. Drank too fast got sick to my stomach. Drank another 3 quarts +3 more carbo forces in the next 2 hrs. Then made a box of pasta with some meat sauce and salted the hell out of it. Ate the whole box of pasta and had another half gallon of water with it. Went to bed weight 248. Woke up and had more water and a huge breakfast and showed up at the contest weighing 253lbs
Some additional info from Competitor A:
You lose 100grms of weight every hour just from breathing out water and from metabolism of calories. So water restriction for 10hrs nets 1kg or 2.2 lbs, so 24hrs of that will net you 5lbs......that’s without any sweating at all.. on the drive there you can bundle up with a couple layers of clothes and turn on the heat and get another couple pounds. For now keep up with the distilled water, you'll weigh heavy every night from all the water loading but when you do eventually cut water you'll be amazed and how quickly your weight will drop as long as you keep taking the vit c and taraxatone... Good luck and make sure you have a cooler ready with all your water and pedialyte.
This is something that I wrote for a guy who was a few pounds over about 3-4 days out from weigh in also:
Low carb, high protein, 1.5 gallons today, 2 gallons tomorrow, 2.5 gallons distilled on Thursday and cut water Thursday night at about 8 PM. Start taking taraxatone thursday afternoon and take a bunch before bed. You'll probably be waking up to pee a lot, and if you have a dream about peeing it probably means that you are wetting the bed - so during the dream try to wake up and find a toilet / sink / bathtub / bucket.
Thursday's food intake should be virtually zero carbs, only carbs allowed are those in natural peanut butter (you still need calories and this is a good source), and whatever trace amounts are in your whey protein shakes (3-4 shakes that day). The water in the shakes counts toward your total for the day.
My numbers are based on an early evening weigh-in on Friday. Check your weight Thursday before bed and don't worry if you are 15 lbs over. Check again in the morning, no cardio or sauna. Check mid-day at lunch time and if you are more than 4-5 lbs over still then that means you will need to sweat a little bit. Considering it is pretty cold out you may want to do the drive down in warm clothes with the heat on in the car. If you are over when we get there then find a sauna and you can easily drop 3-4 lbs in 1/2 hour.
The objective to be as low for as little amount of time as possible. Staying low for hours / days is what zaps your strength.
As others said - Pedialite (walmart brand is half the price), gatorade powder (dextrose), and some isopure or other tasty protein shakes immediately after weigh-in. About an hour later you should be ready for a meal. Salt your food and drink as much water as you can but don't get crazy with forcing it down. Have some more shakes and gatorade later on and maybe some fruit like bananas. You should go to bed at about the same weight that you did the night before.
Next day make sure you force yourself to poop before you go to the contest. You don't want to drop one during the deadlift or anything.
Mental toughness - just think about victory and imagine yourself as a warrior who is on a conquest right now.
From Competitor B:
5g Vit C every day
Tues - 1.5 gal distilled water, 200 carbs
Wed - 2 gal distilled water, 150 carbs
Thurs - 2 gal distilled water, 75 carbs
Fri - 2.5 gals distilled water, 50 carbs, cut water at 6pm, start Taraxatone
Sat - snack on chicken + peanut butter until weigh-ins at 5:30pm
Rehydrate with 1 carbo force, 1 pedialyte mix w/ 1 Gatorade, Electrolyte enhanced water.....then eat pasta 1 hour later....then eat dinner 1 hour after that.
Last one, here is my latest program that I did for a same day weigh in…
Here is what I did because I wanted to drop 7-8 lbs but had to compete that same day so I would not have the normal amount of time to rehydrate. It was a bit tricky because this way does have you down lower for longer so there is a good chance that you will lose some strength. It was overall a crappy day at the contest but I felt like my conditioning and strength was at least OK, especially with all things considered (3 hour drive, water depletion, pouring rain and 36 degrees).
I did very low intensity cardio starting about a week out, and cleaned up my diet a bit (nothing fried, no deserts, etc) but I eat pretty healthy anyway. Kept the carbs high up until about Tuesday or Wednesday and cut them drastically to under 100 grams / day or so. Mostly just from MRP shakes, wraps, etc. I did some water manipulation but did a shortened version where I drank about a gallon and a half on Wednesday, 2 gallons on Thursday, and then about a gallon and a half by early Friday afternoon (which is when I cut water). Also added in stimulants on the last two days (hot rox) to flush out some water, generate a good poop, and keep me mentally alert and focused while restricting and dieting. I ate close to 1 lbs of lean ground beef each night to maintain strength. Other than that mostly protein shakes, and drinking all that water you shouldn’t be very hungry anyway. Stopped creatine on Monday or Tuesday as well. Slept in warm clothes Friday night because I wanted my weight to go under where I needed to be so that I could eat some breakfast. It worked and I was able to have a protein bar and couple of powerbar gel packs on the drive – this was to prevent dehydration and give my body some fuel. Immediately after weigh in started pedialite, and had an energy drink before the event started. Kept up with the pedialite through the contest and finished about two quarts along with water and some other beverages.
If you want me to look at a specific program that you put together just let me know. These type of water / weight manipulation programs have been very successful for many top level powerlifters, one of the most notable being Matt Kroc (220 lbs class all time total record holder).
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