The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a hypocaloric liquid diet, with varied protein/carbohydrate ratios, on two groups of male weightlifters. A maintenance diet was consumed by all subjects for one week prior to the experimental phase, and all subjects participated in a resistance weight training program. The experimental groups consumed either a moderate protein/high carbohydrate diet (MP/HC) with 0.8 g/kg body wt/d protein or high protein/moderate carbohydrate diet (HP /MC) with 1.6 g/kg body wt/d protein diet for the experimental week. Twenty-four hour urine samples were collected daily and two exercising sweat samples were taken for each subject. Fecal nitrogen losses were estimated and added to urine and sweat values for daily nitrogen excretion. There was a significant difference in nitrogen balance between the groups over time. Nitrogen balance was positive for the HP/MC group (4.13 g/d) and negative for the MP/HC group ( -3.19 g/d) . The results of this study suggest the possibility that weightlifters consuming a hypocaloric diet should consume more than the US RDA for protein to maximize retention of body protein. / M.S.