Peter Handscomb lost 4.5 kg weight in two hours. Here's why sportspersons lose weight differently

Sportsmen and athletes have a different diet and daily routine.

Could you have ever imagined that you could lose almost 4.5 kg weight in two hours? Sounds impossible right? However, this miracle happened yesterday. Australian cricketer, Peter Handscomb lost 4.5 kg weight in two hours. This 26-year-old Australian batsman lost the weight while batting against Bangladesh in the second Test match at Chittagong. However, you need to note here that when it comes to weight loss athletes/ sportsmen and people with a highly active life lose weight very differently and sometimes very quickly as compared to the others. Makes sense! It is because they are very active in their daily life. However, even though this phenomenon is termed as weight loss; it is more of the water loss than actual fat.

This is mainly because sportsmen and athletes have a different diet and daily routine. A study[1] that proves that sports persons and athletes lose weight differently than the rest. The study says,"Weight management for athletes and active individuals is unique because of their high daily energy expenditure; thus, the emphasis is usually placed on changing the diet side of the energy balance equation". Another study[2] says that dehydration is assumed to be a major adverse effect associated with such rapid weight loss. Therefore, the take away would be that this rapid weight loss that the Australian batsman had was mainly water loss and it could be dangerous as it could lead to severe dehydration. (Read: Find out what happens if you lose too much weight too quickly )

[1] Manore, M. M. (2015). Weight Management for Athletes and Active Individuals: A Brief Review. Sports Medicine (Auckland, N.z.), 45(Suppl 1), 83 92. http://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-015-0401-0

[2] Reljic, D., H ssler, E., Jost, J., & Friedmann-Bette, B. (2013). Rapid Weight Loss and the Body Fluid Balance and Hemoglobin Mass of Elite Amateur Boxers. Journal of Athletic Training, 48(1), 109 117. http://doi.org/10.4085/1062-6050-48.1.05

Image: facebook/peter.handscomb.71