Finding a balance between school, wrestling, and keeping track of your consumption can take a toll on athletes. 

“I would say that out of everything that people think about cutting weight, that’s probably the one that they miss the most is the mental health aspect of it. I think it’s probably harder mentally than it is physically,”head coach Kelly Heincker said.

Mental health is a topic that often gets brought up with cutting weight.

“Cutting weight does affect your mental health, you don’t have as much motivation to do things, and you definitely get more tired,” junior Caitlin Van Praag said.

Not getting all the nutrients your body needs can affect your mental health tremendously.

“When you’re only focusing on losing weight, your grades are gonna suffer. When you’re only focusing on losing weight, you’re gonna get in a little argument because you’re gonna be moody,” Heincker said. 

KSHSAA’s 8% Weight Loss Provisions for Boys and Girls rule. It states that a wrestler may certify at a weight class that requires a weight loss no greater than 8% of their alpha weigh-in weight.

“That’s been around, that’s one of the kind of original pieces. That’s just making sure that you’re not losing too much weight throughout the year. It just gives kind of a baseline for how much you can lose,” Heincker said.

However, the rule is hit or miss for some wrestlers.

“I think the 8% is kind of inaccurate because everyone’s body is different,” Van Praag said.

There are many ways to cut weight, like excessive exercise or keeping track of what you eat. 

“I usually drink a lot of water, and I run a lot to get that water weight off. Typically, I cut my food portions by half, and I eat really protein-packed foods with carbs to give me the energy I need,” Van Praag said.

Unfortunately, there are also unhealthy ways to cut.

“I’ve seen people cut weight by spitting, running, just not eating or drinking, throwing up … and laxatives,” sophomore Chloe Spears said.