Diet Plan for mma fighters can be quite complex; it requires these professionals to combine two very distinct diets into one, yet allow them to do so without the taste of one undermining the other. Diet is a crucial aspect for many of us who take health & fitness seriously. If you’re looking for the best Conor Mcgregor diet plan, then look no further.
You’ve probably heard of some of the benefits of healthy diet by now. Maybe you’re starting to feel sick of hearing how great your life could be if you make better food choices, but here’s the deal: it really works! Maybe you don’t believe me right now, but I’m here to tell you that it’s true.
Diet Plan For MMA Fighters
If you want to get in shape then training like a professional MMA fighter is a good way to achieve exactly that. But there’s a lot more to being a professional athlete than just training regularly. In truth, it’s an entire lifestyle commitment.
Your diet is arguably the most important aspect of that lifestyle commitment. Without adequate fuel, you just won’t have the energy to train at 100%. And even when you do train, your body won’t feel the full benefits if you have an unhealthy diet.
In this post, we go over what the typical diet for an MMA fighter might look like.
Note: When “cutting weight,” (when a fighter aims to temporarily shed the pounds in order to make fight weight) a fighter’s diet changes significantly. Below is an example of when a fighter is not cutting weight.
Breakfast
Get your body ready for the day ahead with a nutritious breakfast
While it’s claim to be the “most important meal of the day,” has been under attack in recent years, there’s no doubt that breakfasts are key to a healthy diet. A nutritious breakfast sets the tone for the day and helps with weight and hunger control.
For MMA fighters, eating breakfast is about more than just preventing hunger, it’s about fuelling your body for the tough day of training ahead. An MMA fighter will aim to consume 500-700 calories at breakfast.
Carbohydrates should be the main aim at breakfast time; so wholegrain toast, low-sugar cereals, and porridge are all good choices. Pair with a piece of fruit and a glass of milk for a proper athlete’s breakfast.
Morning Snack
Mixed nuts make for a healthy snack
As most MMA fighters rise around 6am for breakfast and morning training, a mid-morning snack is a good idea to keep your energy levels up.
Here, the focus is on protein and carbohydrates so nuts, low-fat yogurts, and protein bars are all viable.
Lunch
Don’t be tempted by unhealthy lunches
Most professional fighters will try and get in some short lunch time training, normally focusing on either cardio or strength.
If you’re having lunch before training, make sure to keep the portions small and low in fat otherwise it will impair performance, and also to refuel afterwards with plenty fruit and water.
Lunch should be low in fat and salt, so this means nothing from the baker’s or fast-food restaurants. Instead, it’s better to make your lunch at home the night before. Sandwiches, soups, and salads are good choices.
Afternoon Snack
Boiled eggs are a good source of protein
Some MMA fighters train in the early evening before they have had tea. In these cases, a good afternoon snack is a necessity.
As with the morning snack, the focus is on protein and carbohydrates but aim to make the portion sizes slightly larger in the afternoon to prepare you for training in the evening.
Again, nuts, yogurt, and protein bars should be considered as well as eggs, vegetables, or rice.
Tea
Focus on protein for your evening meal
This is the meal that many athletes will “load up” on, aiming to pack their body full of protein with large portion sizes. Dinner is a good time to do this, but be careful not to eat just before training (it will impair performance) or too late at night (you might not be able to get to sleep).
Here it’s all about protein, typically an MMA fighter will try to consume at least 40g of protein at dinner time. The best way to achieve this is with lean meats- meat with low fat content. Chicken, turkey, and red meat are all good options.
Pair your meat choice with vegetables and carbohydrates (rice, pasta, soup) for the perfect dinner.
Skip dessert.
Drinks
Nothing beats water
While there a vast array of drinks claiming to have all sorts of health benefits, it really is best to just keep it simple when it comes to what you’re drinking.
Nothing is better for your body than water. No matter how many different vitamins a sports drink claims to have, it’s not better than water. An MMA fighter will drink at least 2 litres of water daily, often more depending on how often they are training.
While a cup of coffee in the morning can help you get the day started, avoid consuming too much, especially after lunchtime.
What Not To Eat
Fast food is a non-starter
Professional MMA fighter’s follow the same rules as the rest of us when it comes to what they should avoid putting in their body.
Foods high in fat, salt, or sugar must be kept to a rare treat alongside highly processed foods.
Fast-food, fried food, cakes, sweets, and chocolate have no place in the day-to-day diet of an MMA fighter.
That gives you a good idea of what a typical professional MMA fighter’s diet might look like. Every athlete is different, but the focus is on consuming enough carbohydrates and protein to fuel your training and build muscle mass while maintaining low fat levels and avoiding sugar and salt.
While all that might sound like a lot of work, you’ll be surprised at the benefits. Even if you’re an MMA fighter, having enough energy to get through the day is always a good thing.
Conor Mcgregor Diet Plan
If you’re a boxing and MMA fan, you know exactly who Conor ‘The Notorious’ McGregor is.
And with the biggest most extravagant fight between him and Floyd Mayweather on the way, everyone, and we mean EVERYONE who ever had anything to do with sports knows him.
He is UFC’s featherweight champion who is young and a dream to every young fighter in the world.
Conor McGregor is planning to take on Boxing world’s undefeated legend, Mayweather, who stands on a record of 49-0.
And he has been training really hard, and as you know, training is incomplete without a proper diet plan, McGregor is training his hardest to consume all he can that will energize him during a fight, and to make sure he is in the best shape possible.
Look at him.
Wouldn’t you want to look and feel as good as he does?
Of course, you do.
So what does Conor McGregor eats?
First off, he told Ask Men that he doesn’t like eating carbs. if he does, he prefers sweet potatoes.
He eats good meats like chicken, salmon or any steak with greens and fruits.
After that, he eats eggs with coffee.
He said that enough protein intake is important when he trains, it also helps him build muscle and recover, so he adds protein shakes in his diet when he not drinking water or coconut water.
And he also agrees that staying hydrated is very essential.
The point here is that you need to balance your workout routine with your diet so you can attain maximum level of energy before and during the fight.
Diet plans change according to the body requirements. Alterations can take place every week as well.
Here are the pointers in the Notorious Diet. Plus, we have his daily meal plan to share with you as well. Read on:
Your protein needs
The first pointer here is the need of protein in the lives of mixed martial arts fighters and athletes. They need to build muscle, recover from muscle tears during training and gain energy that lasts.
This helps them maintain a lean body mass which is energized by protein to stay sharp.
If you don’t consume the needed amount of protein, you may lose muscle as well.
Boxers rely on strength and if you have no muscle, you’re more likely to lose energy in the early rounds.
5-Meal Plan
For a daily meal plan for lean diet, 5 meals a day is the best way to go.
You will be getting a constant supply of minerals, Proteins, Vitamins, and fiber. And you’ll be able to use the antioxidants in them to recover from injuries and muscle tear. They improve muscle mass and ensure a long career.
Collecting Carbs
According to the Notorious, a zero carb diet doesn’t fit everyone. The best way to get them is through whole-meal bread or cereals and root vegetables.
They help increase high brain function and the slow burning energy helps during a fight and training.
Like we said above, dietary needs get variations during muscle building, so the quantity of carbs vary according to the training plan chosen.
Sometimes, you would have to increase the consumption and another week, you’ll be focusing more on protein rather than carbs.
Here is your first look at ‘The Mac Life’ Episode one:
Hydrate yourself
Boxing training makes you lose a lot of water from your body because you sweat like anything. 70% of your body is water, and when that quantity gets lowered, your functionality is affected as well.
You should consume at least 2 liters of water every day. If you’re trying to do some weight cutting, here are few things you need to keep in mind.
You need to hydrate yourself at all times because sometimes it takes longer to rehydrate which affects the overall performance.
Look for the healthy fats
You need to stay away from mono-saturated fats and lean more towards healthy fat sources like walnuts, olive oil, and avocados etc.
According to Conor, they help reduce inflammation and enhance the process of recovery. When you get hits and blows to the head, good supplements like protein shakes help speed up the recovery time.
McGregor tells that a drink with carbs and supplements is a good decision before and after a training.
The Notorious Diet plan for a day
Beginning:
Water, coffee or herbal tea after waking up. Stretch, jump rope or run for at least 30 minutes.
Breakfast:
Have smoked salmon with 2 poached eggs or use 2 slices of whole grain toast complimented with mashed avocados. Add tomatoes and mushrooms as well.
Pre-lunch snack:
Add some nuts to Greek yogurt and enjoy.
Lunch:
Conor Likes Beef! use beef salad. Use as many vegetables as you can. Season it with olive oil and add dark chocolate if you like.
Pre-training:
A glass of milk would suffice.
During training:
HYDRATE!
Post-training:
Add whey or pea-protein in water or in a glass of milk. Have a fruit if you like.
Dinner:
Baked Cod with lemon, herbs, and olives. The best side would be roasted veggies and wild or whole grain rice.
Late night treat:
Rooibos, peppermint tea or just water.
Protein Sources
Protein is your building block not only for your muscle but for things like enzymes which break down molecules during digestion. This is where you are going to spend most of your budget and is generally the most expensive part of your shop.
- Chicken breast
- Pork loin
- Chicken thighs
- Beef mince
- Turkey mince
- Canned tuna
- Eggs (also falls under fats)
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are your predominant energy source. Do not follow the fads and eat a low-carb diet while training for MMA. That is a recipe for low energy, poor training, under-recovery, and injury. Carb sources are generally cheap and you can get a weeks’ worth for approximately $10-15 depending on what you buy.
Fruit is a little more expensive which may bring your carbohydrate price higher, but it is worth it for the vitamins and minerals you will get.
White rice
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- Potatoes
- Sweet potatoes
- Oats
- Pasta
- Bread
- Bananas
- Apples
- Oranges
- Milk
- Greek yogurt
Fats
Fats underpin many functions in the body including your hormone function. You will likely get some of your fat intake from eating eggs and some fattier cuts of meat. But this usually isn’t enough to meet your requirement for the day.
Adding fat sources from unsaturated fats is going to round out your MMA diet on a budget.
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Avocado
- Peanut Butter
Vegetables
Of course, you can’t forget your veggies! Vegetables can also be pricey. So, choose two or three that are on special. I’ve listed some that are generally cheaper than other vegetables.
- Lettuce
- Cucumber
- Spinach
- Green beans
- Carrots (also higher in carbohydrates)
- Peppers
Supplements
Even though you are on a budget, supplements can make your budget go even further. Whey protein is one of the most cost-effective sources of protein so it makes sense to have it on hand. Further, we only want to use the most scientifically robust supplements on the market.
There aren’t many. But these are the most effective supplements for MMA when you are on a budget that can move the needle in your training.
- Whey protein
- Creatine
- Vitamin D3
- Caffeine pills
Benefits Of Healthy Diet
1. Boosts Brain Health
Healthy eating boosts brain health and elevates your mood. Foods loaded with omega-3 fatty acids (olive oil, fatty fish, fish oil, nuts, and seeds) help maintain the cell membrane and normal brain function and facilitate synaptic plasticity. These foods are used as “diet therapy” for people suffering from dyslexia, attention deficit disorders, schizophrenia, depression, and bipolar disorder
2. Improves Digestion
Vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and probiotics are essential for maintaining good gut health and improving digestion. Dietary fiber is found in fruits and vegetables. Dietary fiber cannot be digested by humans, but the good gut bacteria ferment it, which helps them thrive and survive
Dietary fiber also adds bulk to the stool and improves bowel movement, thereby reducing constipation
Probiotics like yogurt, buttermilk, kimchi, probiotic drinks, and sauerkraut help add more good gut bacteria, which, in turn, help improve digestion
3. Strengthens Teeth And Bones
Eating healthy also helps strengthen bones and teeth. Fish, milk, tofu, soy, leafy greens (except spinach), oranges, soaked beans, and nuts are a great source of calcium. You must also get morning sun or eat egg yolks, liver, and saltwater fish for vitamin D .
4. Delays Aging
Eating healthy foods has a direct impact on how fast you age. Fresh greens, fruits, lean protein, fatty fish, whole grains, green tea, herbs, and spices are loaded with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids that help flush out the harmful free oxygen radicals from the body. This, in turn, helps maintain the DNA structure and slow down the aging process
5. Improves Skin Health
Unhealthy oily junk food leads to breakouts and acne. The key to getting healthy skin is drinking water, green tea, and coconut water and eating fruits, vegetables, fatty fish, nuts, seeds, and whole grains .
Consume foods loaded with vitamin A, C, D, and E and omega-3 fatty acids, and avoid trans fats and sugary foods. Also, maintain good hygiene, and you will start to see an improvement in your skin.