The Reality of Racing Weight

Kylee and Zoë wade into the murky waters of “racing weight” — a concept that’s haunted endurance athletes from the bathhouses of ancient Greece to today’s gels-and-gum-fueled pre-race rituals. From wrestlers sweating it out centuries ago to modern runners spitting into bottles to shave grams, the obsession with weight and performance has a long, bizarre history.

In this episode of Your Diet Sucks, we unpack where the idea of “racing weight” came from, the pseudoscience that props it up, and why lighter doesn’t always mean faster. Along the way, we explore how fixation on the scale can derail not just your performance, but your overall health.

Expect spicy history lessons (figs, bloodletting, and yes, Horny Goat Weed), alongside evidence-based insight into why chasing a number on the scale is more harmful than helpful. Spoiler alert: you are so much more than your power-to-weight ratio.