Between the intense workouts on the mats and off your diet needs to be one that can provide you with the nutrition your body needs to help you perform at your best. While no one diet is best for MMA training, choosing a diet that meets your needs during training and away from the gym is key. Whether you prefer to consume a high protein, low carb diet or are avoiding processed foods, nutrition is one of the most important parts of your MMA training plan. Let’s learn more below. If you’re bored with taekwondo classes in Raleigh NC, why not switch it up? Call Gracie Raleigh today to learn more about all of our awesome martial arts classes, including BJJ and muay thai.
The MMA Diet
Performance Nutrition Coach Chris Algieri is the nutritionist for many of the MMA’s best and brightest stars. Dennis Bermudez, Ryan LaFlare, and Gian Villante all rely on his expertise to help them get the right nutrition from training day to fight night. Algieri relies on carbs to get his fighters moving for their training sessions. Breakfast is made up of oatmeal or toast, two to four eggs, and fruit about four hours before they hit the gym. Getting the right food before training not only helps them power through the workout but also keeps them feeling energized and focused.
About 90 minutes before training Algieri recommends a nitrate-rich juice like a smoothie made of pomegranate and beetroot. These foods are natural vasodilators, so they replace the need for a pre-workout supplement. Food for recovery begins within 30 minutes of coming off the mats. Tart cherry juice for its anti-inflammatory properties meets a wey protein shake for a recovery blend that helps fighters heal up.
Muscle recovery continues at dinner with Algieri’s menu. Going heavy on the protein with a side of rice and a dark leafy green vegetable is essential. The nutrition coach recommends varying the protein every night, switching from chicken to salmon to sushi to shrimp for variety. He also recommends red meat once or twice a week.
According to this elite athlete nutritionist, his athletes consume a diet that is composed of around fifty to sixty percent carbs, twenty to thirty percent fat and twenty percent protein. With more fat in their diet, fighters sleep better. Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats help keep you feeling full longer. Extra-virgin olive oil, grass-fed butter, avocado, and salmon are excellent sources of fat. These fats are essential for muscle recovery and joint health.
Regardless of which diet you choose for yourself, the key is that you choose a diet you can stick to. Be sure to talk with your physician about any health concerns that you have that may require you to avoid certain foods. Talking with a sports nutritionist can help you better understand the unique needs of your body while training for MMA and help you take any chronic conditions into account. For more MMA nutrition tips, check out our next post by clicking here.
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If you are looking around for Taekwondo classes in Raleigh, why not try something different? Gracie Raleigh offers the best mixed martial arts classes in the area. At our MMA gym, we’ll teach you how to become a full-contact fighter, defend yourself, or just help you get in shape and lose weight.
Gracie’s MMA classes are very efficient workouts, plus you’ll reap many health benefits along the way. Call Gracie Raleigh today and schedule your free class. There is no obligation to join the gym and you’ll be able to see if we are a good fit for your fitness goals.