While some sports require players to lose excess weight and remain lean, MMA requires fighters to gain weight and build muscle. To do this, a fighter needs to be very observant of what they eat and how their diet is planned out. While not everyone will consider having a diet coach, here are a few tips that will help an MMA fighter improve on their diet.
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Plan One's Eating Schedule in Advance
Most fighters have other jobs that they go to apart from just being an MMA fighter. However, this is not an excuse not to pay attention to one's diet. The secret to striking a balance between other activities and nutrition is by planning ahead, and a meal plan can help a fighter not compromise on what they eat. However, for a meal plan to work, an MMA trainee needs to schedule time for grocery shopping.
Also, fighters need to do away with fast foods and prioritize cooking their own meals. Some fighters complain that this is a hard task, especially coupled with the fact that they also have to attend daily practice sessions. However, if keeping fit is a priority, then one's diet should not have room for unhealthy foods. If there is no time for cooking, hiring a chef may be a great solution.
Stock More Fruits and Vegetables
Snacking in between the day is okay as long as one is having healthy snacks. Instead of stocking quick junk foods in the closet, a committed fighter should prioritize healthy foods such as fruits and nuts. Within no time, the habit of eating healthy, even when thinking about a break time snack, will become the norm.
If the house was a stock of unhealthy foods, one needs to do away with it. It might be the perfect time to spread some love to a nearby children's home by donating all those sweets and crackers.
Follow a Food Log
Most diet coaches give their clients food logs. The purpose of a food log is to take away the stress that comes with thinking of what to eat and when. Once that is planned, a fighter will not struggle knowing what to buy at the grocery store.
More importantly than having the food log is actually following it. For example, if today one was to have a full meal breakfast, carbohydrates, and a protein full lunch plus a vegetable-rich dinner then they should adhere to it.
Protein Powder
Proteins are bodybuilding foods that are highly recommended for athletes, especially for those in high-contact sports such as MMA. They help repair injuries quickly and build muscles. The most significant advantage of protein powder is that it is more accessible and affordable compared to having fish and meat daily.
It is, however, recommended to keep the intake of protein powder within controllable levels. Whereas it is quite beneficial, its idea is to supplement natural proteins and not necessarily to replace them. This means one needs to balance it with real food such as eggs, fish, and healthy meat.
Try Different Diets
Not every diet plan is beneficial for every fighter. Bodies work differently, also it is likely that a fighter may be allergic to certain foods. This is why testing different diet plans could be an effective way of finding which one is the best for an individual. When one notices some unwanted body reactions, it is advisable to see a doctor before the condition worsens
Always Take Enough Water
To sum this up, every fighter should make taking water a habit. This may mean walking around with water bottles to keep track of how much one has had in a day. Given that MMA fighters sweat a lot and their metabolism is quite high, water helps to keep functioning at optimum levels as it clears waste from the body.