Exercise Scientist Critiques Paddy The Baddy’s EXTREME Weight Loss Techniques

Israetel breaks down Paddy Pimblett’s final week: at 174.9 lbs two days out, he begins eliminating most water and food. By cutting carbs, the body flushes glycogen-bound water, and a series of hot baths (sometimes repeated) induces sweating. He notes that Paddy talks about 'couple of baths' and feeling drained but determined. Israetel emphasizes that the scale can be demoralizing because you sweat profusely yet the weight drops slower than expected, creating a mental battle. The entire process is miserable but effective when done meticulously. He insists that having a person in the bathroom (not in the tub) is non-negotiable for safety, as people have passed out and drowned. The post-cut rehydration should start immediately after official weigh-in to maximize recovery for the fight.

Israetel contrasts this method with the extreme water cuts of professional fighters, noting that for the average person, rapid water loss is pointless because the weight returns almost immediately when you rehydrate and eat. He advocates a longer, slower approach using modest calorie deficits that can be sustained without overwhelming hunger or stress. By spacing diets (e.g., two per year) and maintaining weight in between, individuals can lose 30-50 lbs without the health dangers of severe cutting. He positions this as the healthiest, most effective path for the general population.

Israetel makes a direct plea: weight cutting in youth sports is 'really stupid' and should be eliminated. He explains that the adolescent brain and body need a steady surplus of energy and nutrients; chronic under-eating during critical growth windows can permanently reduce cognitive development and adult height. He acknowledges that many federations encourage cutting by holding weigh-ins a day before competition, but insists that for anyone under 18, even that structure is harmful. He suggests that until professional levels like the UFC, there is no justification for 24-hour weigh-ins, and that mat-side weigh-ins would eliminate dangerous cutting practices. His stance is an ethical call to protect young athletes from a practice that offers only short-term competitive edge at a high long-term cost.

Israetel explains that while water cuts under about 7% and with supervision are typically safe, once you surpass that mark, you enter 'unlikely but realistic possibility of health complications.' He details fainting in saunas, electrolyte disruptions affecting heartbeat, and references historical deaths in combat sport weight cutting. He stresses that even for elite athletes, getting as low as possible before the water cut reduces the magnitude of the risky final drop. He notes that Paddy’s cut from 170 to 155 (about 12% of his body weight at that point) is 'awful, but realistic' under the right supervision. The underlying message is that while professionals may accept this risk, amateurs and youth should never flirt with such extremes.

Israetel walks through the physiology: carbohydrates stored as muscle glycogen bind with water at a ratio of roughly 1 gram glycogen to 3 grams water. By eliminating carbs for a day or two before weigh-in, the body depletes its glycogen stores and excretes the associated water via urine. This can account for several pounds of weight loss without tissue loss. He notes that Paddy’s protocol of cutting carbs while on protein and fats, combined with 8 liters of water loading earlier in the week, is a 'very good weight cut' precisely because it leverages this mechanism. He also contrasts it with the misleading early weight loss on keto diets, where people think they are losing fat but are shedding water.

Israetel argues that during childhood and adolescence, the body and brain are still developing and require adequate nutrition. Constantly restricting food to make weight means the athlete chronically undereats, which directly compromises brain development and limits growth in height. He says it is 'really stupid' for pre-high school kids to water cut, and even throughout high school, staying in a specific weight class on purpose is 'arguably not the greatest thing.' His stance is that no one should be cutting weight for sports before age 18, and even after that, it should be done with professional oversight. He ties this to a broader wish that federations eliminate the 24-hour weigh-in that incentivizes extreme cutting, advocating for same-day or mat-side weigh-ins to remove the incentive.