Professional Chess Helps you Lose Weight - What?!

"The Grandmaster Diet" 

According to some articles online, it claims that the average grandmaster can burn 6000 calories each day in a tournament spanning over multiple days. 

I remembered a story from a chess teacher that when chess didn't have clocks, there was no time control so it was like infinite time for each player. (My memory might be off)  This was the case until there was a case with a chess player who lost an incredible 22 pounds by playing in a tournament because they were thinking so long. Then they added a specific amount of time for each player because of the dramatic health effects. 

I have no idea if the story was true, or it was just my teacher wanted me to become a grandmaster to be able to lose weight, but I know that chess can burn some calories. 

According to a Stanford Professor, Robert Sapolsky, you could lose 10 pounds or 6000 calories just from sitting and playing a chess game. 

I think this is very true in a professional chess setting, but in a regular National Tournament, I have no idea if this could change anything. 

So, to all the professional Grandmasters and chess players out there, just a heads up about this. 

And, to my other friends, I hope this made you learn how powerful chess is. 

Anyways, stay safe. 

- Larry 

Also if you want the site where I got it from: 

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/09/22/chess-grandmasters-lose-weight-burn-calories-during-games.html 

https://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/27593253/why-grandmasters-magnus-carlsen-fabiano-caruana-lose-weight-playing-chess 

caruana be jogging, doing tennis, and grinding salads all day long

Larrypost

I also remember seeing a video of Dubov doing pull-ups, if that's in sort of way related. 

most russians do that to feel positive and well healthy, dubov always does gymnastics i think

lol, no, you can't burn 6000 calories in a day by thinking.

GMs may burn 6000 calories over the course of a long tournament, sure. It's not random chance that the top 10 players are young and in shape.

Oh, I see.

Sure, a stressful competition would make you burn more... that's not because of your brain though. Elevated heart rate and breathing = elevated metabolism = burning calories.

Interesting, so technically I can lose all my weight in an exam : D (jk)

But in all seriousness that is a valid theory, since there is no shortage of intensity and stress in a chess tournament. 

Yes, you could lose weight during a long stressful exam... easily.

Although... I assume most kids don't have any exams longer than 1 hour.

Some licensing or other professional exams can last many hours (and even days).

I always eat while playing chess. Is the weight here is decreasing or increasing lol

depends on what you're eating and how much you concentrate on chess. The brain requires the most energy compared to any muscle group, so stressing it very harshly is a great way to lose weight quickly, and it's great because you don't need the skill to do it, just think as best as you physically can. 

well i weigh 130 lbs and I'm like 5 foot ten

I'm in drastic danger of dropping out of the normal weight spectrum

well, to be fair, those games last like seven hours.

i have lost 10 pounds playing hyperbullet. 

your brain is about 3 pounds, and the heaviest brain ever weighed almost 4.5 pounds. How did u lose 10 pounds playing hyperbullet

I almost always lose weight after a weekend of chess. Part of it is due to not eating heavier meals during the day to limit discomfort during games. Part of it is likely due to increased metabolic processes during games. My heart rate generally remains elevated during games, and after a couple of hours per game or more, additional calories are going to be burned than would be at rest or other casual activities.

lololololol