keeping weight down without being stupid.

Question
Hi, I am a Jr. B rower with my school in Canada. I am 6'1 and 143 pounds. My personal best erg time at the moment is a 7:04.6 and that was 3 months ago. I want to keep my weight down till June to compete in the flyweight division of the singles, but i don't want to affect my health in a very negative way. What is the best way to watch my weight and but not to hurt myself in the process. I know i can't keep my weight down next year because I am still growing but is there a way to do it safely and to compete in 5 weeks?

Answer
Hi Shane: If I recall from racing at the Canadian Henley 30 years ago, Flyweight is 145 pounds or under.  I was your weight at 5'-11" back then.  So you must be pretty lean.  But your erg score is better-than average for a lightweight (which goes up to 165 pounds) your age; so you must be in great shape.

I never like to give advice on dieting because of the health issues.  But gaining and losing weight is simply balancing calories you take in through food with calories burned through exercise.  If you are training for single sculls competition in June, then I'm sure you have the calories burned side of the equation under control.  You just have to control what you take in.  But you can't just starve yourself.  The great swimmer Michael Phelps took in as much as 12,000 calories a day when training for the Olympics.  It's all about eating the right things (Lean Meat, eggs, dairy, whole-grain food) and avoiding the wrong things (Sweets, cake, fast food).  I found this link on the INTERNET.  I think if you follow it, you can make your short-term weight goal:  

https://www.lehighsports.com/assets/sportsmed/Rowing.pdf

Finally, don't do anything dumb like not drinking fluids after a workout or trying to vomit or taking something that will make you pee or taking a laxative just to make a weigh-in.  If you have to resort to that, you'll be too fatigued to row a good race best case or take a trip to the hospital worst case.