Wrestling with weight loss
By Tim Gallaghertgallagher@siouxcityjournal.com | Posted: Thursday, December 04, 2008
North High wrestlers Eric Ryan and Nolan Grieves are learning to eat better to increase their strength. (Staff photo by Jim Lee)
SIOUX CITY -- Junk food is just that to North High wrestler Eric Ryan.
The senior team captain eats three meals per day.
For breakfast: 1 egg, 3 egg whites, 1/2 cup oatmeal.
For lunch: Lean meat, 1/2 cup rice, 1/2 cup vegetable greens.
For supper: 8-10 oz. lean meat, either steak or chicken; 3/4 cup green vegetables, salad with light dressing.
He doesn't watch calories. To him, they don't matter.
"Whatever calories I'm having are good calories," said Ryan, a past state meet qualifier. "I can tell what I'm eating is good because I have more energy in practice."
Ryan, a senior co-captain for the Stars, wrestled at 103 pounds his freshman and sophomore years. He moved up to 112 pounds last winter. He'll be at 130 pounds tonight when the Stars open the season at Sioux Falls O'Gorman.
"I began the season at 144 pounds," said Ryan. "I'm used to making weight in wrestling. But I've made it easier on myself by not cheating on what I eat, or by eating junk food."
A year ago, he would join the team at a buffet after wrestling in competition. He would put on eight pounds and have to lose it all by the next meet. This roller-coaster practice kept him from his potential and left him sitting at home, short of a berth in the state meet.
This season, he said, he's learning moderation, mantra of the modern-day wrestler.
"We try to get through to the kids that they should eat half of a six-inch sub sandwich, for example, and not load it with dressing," said John Torno, the Stars' coach. "If you put everything on it (oils, mayo, etc.) you might need to work out after your match that night, especially if your match doesn't last that long."
This line of thinking shows in North's motto: "Fat cats don't hunt. Hungry cats will go after the mouse."
So Torno asks his charges to always leave a little room in their stomachs.
State rule applies
Three years ago the governing body that oversees Iowa's high school wrestling program instituted rules for weight loss among athletes. Certified athletic trainers now conduct body composition testing in October to determine how much weight a wrestler can lose that season.
"It's done by measuring the body fat percentage in three areas," said Torno, illustrating the test by pulling at a fatty area behind the shoulders, behind the arms and above the hips. No wrestler is allowed to drop below 7 percent body fat as it's deemed too dangerous from a health standpoint.
Ryan's body fat percentage at 125 pounds would be 7 percent. So, that's the lowest weight at which he can compete. He won't however, as he's content to wrestle at 130.
Senior co-captain Nolan Grieves weighed 162 pounds when his body composition test was conducted this fall. His body fat percentage, according to the test, would sink to 7 percent at 150 pounds. The lowest he could wrestle at? The 152-pound slot. And that's where he'll start the season tonight.
Was it tough for this senior co-captain to lose 10 pounds?
Yes and no.
"You do grow to appreciate certain foods," he said.
Grieves, also a former state qualifier aiming to qualify again, eats Total or Cheerios cereal for breakfast. His lunch consists of a lean meat sandwich with lettuce and cheese. He'll down side dishes of fruit and vegetables and a cheese stick.
For supper? "I'll have chicken or shrimp, maybe pasta and a salad with a one-calorie spritz of dressing."
He drinks Crystal Light, a low-calorie additive stirred into water.
These Stars don't drink soda, not during the season.
"I've cut 10 pounds and I'm doing daily workouts," Grieves said. "I have noticed that every other commercial on TV is about food."
Torno said these wrestlers are the rule, not the exception at North. As an athlete in college, Torno forced himself to lose far too much weight. It took from him the energy he needed to compete.
"We'd rather build kids up and have them ready to go than have them being cut down and weakened," said Torno. "I went through it and it's no fun at all."
The new rules, he added, took some getting used to. Ultimately, they've been good for the sport as they have helped to ensure the safety of the young people competing.
What they miss...
Here are the foods North High wrestlers Eric Ryan and Nolan Grieves miss the most during wrestling season, a time when both lose 10-14 pounds to maintain competitive weights of 130 and 152 pounds, respectively.
Eric: Chinese food, pie, burritos.
Nolan: French fries, cheesecake and any cakes.
The senior team captain eats three meals per day.
For breakfast: 1 egg, 3 egg whites, 1/2 cup oatmeal.
For lunch: Lean meat, 1/2 cup rice, 1/2 cup vegetable greens.
For supper: 8-10 oz. lean meat, either steak or chicken; 3/4 cup green vegetables, salad with light dressing.
He doesn't watch calories. To him, they don't matter.
"Whatever calories I'm having are good calories," said Ryan, a past state meet qualifier. "I can tell what I'm eating is good because I have more energy in practice."
Ryan, a senior co-captain for the Stars, wrestled at 103 pounds his freshman and sophomore years. He moved up to 112 pounds last winter. He'll be at 130 pounds tonight when the Stars open the season at Sioux Falls O'Gorman.
"I began the season at 144 pounds," said Ryan. "I'm used to making weight in wrestling. But I've made it easier on myself by not cheating on what I eat, or by eating junk food."
A year ago, he would join the team at a buffet after wrestling in competition. He would put on eight pounds and have to lose it all by the next meet. This roller-coaster practice kept him from his potential and left him sitting at home, short of a berth in the state meet.
This season, he said, he's learning moderation, mantra of the modern-day wrestler.
"We try to get through to the kids that they should eat half of a six-inch sub sandwich, for example, and not load it with dressing," said John Torno, the Stars' coach. "If you put everything on it (oils, mayo, etc.) you might need to work out after your match that night, especially if your match doesn't last that long."
This line of thinking shows in North's motto: "Fat cats don't hunt. Hungry cats will go after the mouse."
So Torno asks his charges to always leave a little room in their stomachs.
State rule applies
Three years ago the governing body that oversees Iowa's high school wrestling program instituted rules for weight loss among athletes. Certified athletic trainers now conduct body composition testing in October to determine how much weight a wrestler can lose that season.
"It's done by measuring the body fat percentage in three areas," said Torno, illustrating the test by pulling at a fatty area behind the shoulders, behind the arms and above the hips. No wrestler is allowed to drop below 7 percent body fat as it's deemed too dangerous from a health standpoint.
Ryan's body fat percentage at 125 pounds would be 7 percent. So, that's the lowest weight at which he can compete. He won't however, as he's content to wrestle at 130.
Senior co-captain Nolan Grieves weighed 162 pounds when his body composition test was conducted this fall. His body fat percentage, according to the test, would sink to 7 percent at 150 pounds. The lowest he could wrestle at? The 152-pound slot. And that's where he'll start the season tonight.
Was it tough for this senior co-captain to lose 10 pounds?
Yes and no.
"You do grow to appreciate certain foods," he said.
Grieves, also a former state qualifier aiming to qualify again, eats Total or Cheerios cereal for breakfast. His lunch consists of a lean meat sandwich with lettuce and cheese. He'll down side dishes of fruit and vegetables and a cheese stick.
For supper? "I'll have chicken or shrimp, maybe pasta and a salad with a one-calorie spritz of dressing."
He drinks Crystal Light, a low-calorie additive stirred into water.
These Stars don't drink soda, not during the season.
"I've cut 10 pounds and I'm doing daily workouts," Grieves said. "I have noticed that every other commercial on TV is about food."
Torno said these wrestlers are the rule, not the exception at North. As an athlete in college, Torno forced himself to lose far too much weight. It took from him the energy he needed to compete.
"We'd rather build kids up and have them ready to go than have them being cut down and weakened," said Torno. "I went through it and it's no fun at all."
The new rules, he added, took some getting used to. Ultimately, they've been good for the sport as they have helped to ensure the safety of the young people competing.
What they miss...
Here are the foods North High wrestlers Eric Ryan and Nolan Grieves miss the most during wrestling season, a time when both lose 10-14 pounds to maintain competitive weights of 130 and 152 pounds, respectively.
Eric: Chinese food, pie, burritos.
Nolan: French fries, cheesecake and any cakes.
