The Weight Game by Lacey Schuckman

The Weight Game
In MMA primarily everyone cuts weight. Whether it is 3 pounds or 30 pounds it is a part of the game. For some cutting is the worst thing on the planet, for others it's no sweat but what about after you make the weight? Well you typically go fill up on quality food after weigh ins and the day of your fight but what about after the fight? For me I know that after the fight is over I can eat whatever I want and I definitely do! But this is where I ask the question," How do you get back on track?"
For me it is a constant battle with food, I am a major food connoisseur. I love to try out new and exciting foods but then reality hits. I step on the scale and I gained back not only all the weight I cut plus some. Then it becomes a battle back and forth over what I care more about training and having a great physique or indulging in every food item I see. I tell myself everytime you get a week without dieting and then back on track and before I know it 3 weeks have blown by. It takes me a bit before I want to get strict on my diet but eventually you have to. I would have to say of all the cons to professional mixed martial arts cutting would be probably my numero uno.
I would love to just eat the way I want and still gain all the results I love. Unfortunately that can't happen so I have to put down the fork and put things in perspective.I think that in a lot of competition sports that have to do with a healthy physique this becomes the battle but at the same time the breakthrough. For me eating well and exercising was never a priority but once I ventured into MMA I quickly realized how much dedication it took. Not only the physically exerting exercises but the calorie counting and high protein diets. After about my 2nd MMA fight I realized that not only did I need to cut weight I need to loose a dramatic amount of weight in order to compete properly. Then after about my 5th MMA fight something clicked in me. I began to dedicate whole heartedly to sticking to my diet, training more then ever, and trying to progress overall. Now after my 20th fight I am facing this new battle of gaining weight back after a cut. I am just waiting for that click again to help me steamroll the temptations to cheat. I am seeing that it is such a waste to put all the work into your body to just trash it in half the time it took to reach your goal.
I was never an athlete and now I am a professional athlete and learning all the dilemmas as they come, it is quite a battle. Overall I think that this problem will become a solution and it will help me to push even harder toward my life long goal of being as healthy and fit as possible. I love the sport of MMA and everyday it is teaching me something new not only in the cage but in the parallels of life.