Make Weight Easily, Lift Stronger, Extend Your Athletic Career

The goal for weigh-ins is simple: eat as much as possible while safely making weight and lifting your best.

I am intensely passionate about helping athletes make weight without compromising their performance, mental health, or long-term health. I’ve seen firsthand the damage that extreme weight cuts can cause—athletes burning out, careers ending early, and long-term health suffering due to years of unsustainable dieting. That’s why my approach is different. It’s not just about reaching a certain number on the scale—it’s about making weight safely while still being able to lift at your best and continue competing for years to come.

Here’s a closer look at my approach to weigh-ins, which prioritizes long-term health and performance over short-term, drastic measures.

The goal is not just to make weight,

the goal is to make weight and lift your best.

Planning ahead is essential, not optional.

One of the first questions I ask athletes is, “Do you absolutely need to cut weight for this meet?” Weight cuts should always be safe, strategic, and as minimal as possible to protect performance and overall health.

Do You Need to Cut Weight?

If you're unsure whether a weight cut is the right choice, read through this to gain clarity on the risks, benefits, and key factors to consider. By understanding the full picture, you'll be able to make an informed, confident decision that supports both your performance and overall well-being.

My goal is always to make the smallest necessary nutritional adjustments so that athletes can eat as much and as normally as possible leading into competition. That means keeping carbohydrates high for as long as possible, adjusting hydration status only when absolutely necessary, and relying on responsible, well-planned strategies—not last-minute, extreme measures.

I typically prefer working with athletes anywhere from 2-3 months before their scheduled meet. This allows ample time to ensure they are getting the nutrient essentials needed to support a safe weight cut, that they’re eating enough overall, and that they have the nutrition fundamentals and knowledge to execute the cut effectively. It also gives us the opportunity to assess how their body responds to sodium, carbohydrate, and fiber manipulations, and fine-tune their approach to weight management long before the competition day.

No two weight cuts are the same.

The truth is, no two weight cuts are ever the same, even for the same athlete. Life stress, travel, lifting schedules, past weight-cut experiences, nutrition, and lifestyle habits—all of these factors play a significant role in how an athlete weighs in.

But the overarching principle remains the same: the more we plan ahead, the less you have to suffer, and the better you can lift. Olympic weightlifting is a highly technical sport that demands focus and precision. When you're competing under the pressure of a high-stakes environment, there’s no room for distractions. Every lift requires your full attention—your body and mind need to be in sync to execute under stress.

The stress surrounding making weight shouldn’t be another hurdle you have to jump over on competition day. If we’ve planned and prepared accordingly, you’ll have fewer distractions, allowing you to focus on what really matters—lifting your best and performing under pressure. This isn’t just about making weight; it’s about executing each movement perfectly and showcasing your hard work when it counts.

Extreme cuts should not be the default.

I am incredibly grateful to be at a point in my career where I work with athletes who understand that extreme weight cuts do not lead to continued podium wins. These athletes recognize that relying on last-ditch, dangerous measures to make weight is not only irresponsible but also undermines their commitment to their sport.

Weight cuts should be guided by real data—individual biofeedback like waking or float weight and scientific literature. When we put in the work beforehand, there’s no need to gamble with harmful strategies (you saw on Reddit) that only destroy performance.

Long term health and performance matter more. Period.

Poorly executed weight cuts don’t just affect competition day. They shorten careers. They lead to chronic injuries. They destroy metabolism, cause hormonal imbalances, and create disordered eating patterns that athletes carry long after their competitive days are over. This isn’t just about one meet—it’s about long-term athletic success and overall quality of life.

Let’s remember the goal; to lift your best.

When weight cuts are done right, athletes don’t need to stress about the scale. They can shift their focus where it truly belongs—on competing, executing under pressure, and performing highly technical strength movements with confidence. The goal is always to make weight and hit the numbers you and your coach have worked for, not just worry about the scale.

At the end of the day, what matters isn’t stepping on the scale at the right number. It’s stepping onto the platform strong, prepared, and ready to compete at your highest level—this meet, and for many years to come.

The less you stress about weigh-ins, the more you can focus on lifting and competing at your best.

The goal should always be to eliminate that stress so you can perform with clarity, confidence, and focus.

Interested in working together?

If you're serious about lifting better and for longer, let’s chat. If your schedule allows, please schedule a face to face Zoom call so we can see if we are a right fit in working together. Clear communication around weigh-ins is essential for making precise adjustments based on how the individual athlete feels throughout the cut.

Let’s take the time to see if we align on your goals, so we can ensure you're making weight, lifting your best, and training for a long, sustainable career in your sport.

If you're not ready for 1:1 coaching, I highly recommend checking out the following resource. This is a budget-friendly option for athletes who feel confident navigating their own cut or simply want more information on executing a low-risk, high-performance cut.

Making Weight: Acute Weight Manipulation for Olympic Weightlifters

What’s Included:

✔ 7-Day Weight Cut Protocol: A step-by-step guide to help you safely and effectively reduce up to 5% of your body weight.

✔ Carbohydrate, Sodium, Fiber and Hydration Adjustments: Guidelines for optimizing glycogen stores without sacrificing energy.

✔ Evidence-Based Strategies: Practical insights designed to minimize risk and maximize performance during competition.

✔ Katie’s Proven Approach: Learn the exact techniques she uses with her 1:1 athletes for effective, stress-free weight cuts.

This guide is perfect for lifters who want to make weight confidently and stay focused on lifting!

Hi, I’m Katie!

I work with competitive, high performance Olympic Weightlifters. Over the years, I’ve helped hundreds of athletes make weight with ease while performing at the elite level.

I know that each weigh-in is unique and generic advice simply does not cut it.

If you want to make weight easily, lift your best, and compete for the long run, let’s talk. Hit the button below to schedule a call. This is not a sales pitch, it’s simply an opportunity to see if you and I would be a good fit in working together.