If there’s one sport where diet can actually determine an athlete’s success, it’s indeed MMA. The thing is that when you fight, your body requires plenty of energy, strength, and endurance. All of these factors are directly influenced by your nutrition.
In this article, we’ll help you understand how to eat in a way to receive the right type of fuel for your body and stay in shape for upcoming UFC fights.
1. Recover your muscles with lean protein
If you frequently watch UFC fights where athletes put all of their effort and energy into a single session, you probably realize how important it is for them to recover their muscles quickly. Sometimes martial artists damage their muscle tissues during fights and in these cases, it’s especially vital for them to focus on the right nutrition.
Lean protein is an ideal source of all the healthy nutrients your body needs after heavy training or intense fighting. That’s because your body loses specific amino acids during fights and there’s no way to repair your muscles without lean protein, which is low in saturated fat. Ideally, you should consume about 20-30 grams of lean protein foods, such as Greek yogurt, hummus, or protein shakes, right after training.
2. Make fiber a priority
Most fighters who try to gain muscle mass focus too much on protein but neglect the importance of other essential nutrients, such as fiber, which is not usually a part of protein-rich foods.
Without enough fiber, you can’t maintain a healthy digestive system. And this, in turn, might lead to gut-related problems, which can negatively affect your performance. That’s why you should try to increase your fiber intake and consume foods, such as oats, legumes, cereals, vegetables, and whole grains in general.
3. Fuel yourself with complex carbs before training
There’s a common opinion that you should eliminate carbs from your diet altogether if you want to stay in your best shape. However, it’s a big misperception. Instead, there’s nothing wrong with consuming moderate amounts of carbs and more — for athletes like MMA fighters, it’s even essential to eat complex carbs. The thing is, when you fight, you need to fill your energy reserves quickly and properly. And slow-digesting carbohydrates, such as oats, sweet potatoes, and whole grains, can easily do that. In fact, snacks that contain complex carbs like these can boost your energy for hours, unlike sugary snacks that would crash quickly and lead to cravings.
4. Avoid processed and sugary foods
While complex carbohydrates can actually improve your MMA performance, don’t think that this applies to all types of carbs, including sugary foods. As a matter of fact, processed snacks that are high in sugar will probably lead to the opposite result and disrupt your energy in the middle of the fight.
To avoid this, it’s better to exclude processed and sugary foods from your diet at all during important periods for you as an athlete. That way, you won’t have to deal with blood sugar spikes and can instead maintain consistent energy levels.
5. Balance your macros
The final thing you shouldn’t forget as an MMA fighter while trying to maintain a healthy diet is the right balance of macros. This means getting the right proportion of protein, fats, and carbohydrates. Basically, that’s the best way to always stay in shape and maintain optimal performance throughout your training and fights. For this, aim for around 40% protein, 30% healthy fats, and 30% complex carbohydrates in your daily intake.
This balance, together with other healthy diet tips that we’ve discussed above, will improve your energy levels and promote quick muscle repair and endurance during UFC fights.
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