When athletes try to control their weight, it is important for them to track not only their weight changes, but also changes in their overall body composition. When losing weight, you need to reduce body fat while maintaining skeletal muscle mass.
If you push yourself too hard in losing weight, you risk suffering negative effects such as reduced muscle mass, reduced resistance, and susceptibility to injuries.
In class-based sports, it is considered advantageous to have a larger build during matches, so athletes often compete at a class lower than their normal weight. Such athletes sometimes use a water restriction method called “dry out” to rapidly decrease their body weight, but they should be aware that this method places an extreme burden on the body. There are also a lot of top athletes who do not try to rapidly reduce their weight, but rather start making adjustments and monitoring their body composition a month or more in advance. It is important to have an appropriate goal weight and a structured weight loss plan.
Misguided ideas about body weight and shape can lead to eating disorders.
For women, extreme dieting can also lead to irregular periods or amenorrhea. It is strongly recommend that you do not try to lose weight during your growth years.