Safe Weight Loss and Maintenance Practices in Sport and Exercise

Caloric intake should be based on the body weight goal• Just as athletes know they must acclimatize to environmental conditionsduring training, we must encourage athletes to “get in shape”nutritionally. Persuade athletes and clients to adjust their weight andbody composition during the “pre-season”. “Get in shape to do the sportnot use the sport to get in shape” (Laquale, 1985).• Combining weight management and body composition goals with physicalconditioning periodization goals will assist athletes and clients in reachingweight goals.• There are metabolic estimation equations (to determine how manycalories per day the athlete should consume) which take into considerationbody size, fat mass and FFM (muscle), age and the expenditure of energyfor activity.• (Table 4 in the position statement refers to two formulas (Harris-Benedictand the Mifflin-St.Jeor) which calculate total caloric need.)