Vinesh Phogat disqualified from Paris Olympics: How do athletes lose weight so quickly?
After Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat was disqualified at the Paris Olympics, IndiaToday.in spoke to experts to better understand how athletes manage to lose weight so quickly in such a short span of time.
Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat was disqualified just before the final round in the 50kg wrestling category at the Paris Olympics.
The reason was that he was 150 grams over the weight limit on the morning of the competition, where his goal was to win his first gold medal.
Vinesh weighed a little over the 50 kg limit and had spent the previous night skipping, jogging and cycling. It was also reported that she skipped meals and drank less water to meet the 50 kg weight limit.
Keeping this in mind, IndiaToday.in spoke to experts to better understand how sportspersons manage to lose so much weight in such a short span of time.
Registered dietitian and health consultant Nilanjana Singh said that one can consume diuretic foods like coffee, tea, watermelon, cucumber and even lemon to shed a few extra grams from their weight.
“This method is not recommended for the long term, but it can be effective for losing a few grams of weight in the short term as it helps eliminate excess water from the body,” the expert said.
However, nutritionists warn against overdosing on it as it can impact performance.
Another way to lose weight is to ensure you don’t consume any sugary beverages. “Green tea can help. Replacing any snack with cucumber, sucking on ginger and doing some high interval training can also work,” says Nilanjana Singh.
Diksha Dayal, Head of Department and Senior Dietician, Shalby Saner International Hospitals, Gurugram, said that although it is quite easy to lose a few grams of weight in a short period of time, sleep plays an important role in it.
“You have to change your diet and eat more protein and fibre-rich food. You have to get enough sleep. If you sleep well, you can lose up to one kilogram,” said Diksha Dayal.
Vinesh Phogat had to lose 1.85 kg the night before to make weight for the final. The next day she fainted due to dehydration and was hospitalised. Experts said that many athletes also reduce their water and salt intake to lose weight.
The wrestler participated in the last two Olympics, in 2016 and 2020, in the 53kg category, which is his usual category.
According to the rules, wrestlers must have their weight measured twice: once on the morning of the preliminary round and again on the morning of the final round.
