How to become Ltwt?

Question
Hello,
I am a high school sophomore, 5'9 and around 136 pounds. The state
championships are coming up (last weekend of April) and my coach would
like me to compete as a Lightweight (130 pounds or lower for this regatta). I
have heard that most lightweights train at around 135 pounds and then lose
the 5 pounds necessary before the regatta, so I believe this would be a
healthy weight loss. Do you have any suggestions as to how I can lose this
weight, how I can be positive I will make weight on the day that we weigh in,
and/or how I can survive these next few weeks without feeling lightheaded
and week the entire time? Also, my weight fluctuates - how can I prevent this
from happening on the day of weigh ins? Thank you very much!

Answer
Hi Alexandra: Well this question worries me a bit.  This is less of a rowing question and more of a dieting question.  I'd hate to give you some bad advice that could cause you to get sick.  Any type of diet, especially when you are competing in a strenuous sport like rowing, should be done under careful supervision of a doctor or sports nutritionist.

I do know a little about the subject.  To lose weight, you need to do two things: 1) reduce the intake of calories; and 2) burn calories through exercise.  The rowing and training for rowing will take care of burning calories.  So you need to reduce the intake of calories.  So if you get normally eat three pieces of chicken for dinner, you want to cut to 2 pieces.  You may want to substitute a breakfast or lunch with one of these new healthy cereals they are making, like Aspire by General Mills.  Add some flax seed to the cereal to add fiber content.

Finally, I don't recommend trying to lose all the weight at once.  Start losing the weight now.  I've seen people not only get sick, but see their overall rowing prowess diminished as the body is weakened by the sudden weight loss.

Hope that helps/AP