TIPS FOR A FIGHTER'S DIET: When talking about the perfect nutrition for a MMA athlete can mean a million different things, it all depends on the situation the athlete is going through and how close they are to their next fight.
The eating style is not the same for the athlete who is in a pre-season, in specific preparation for his fight or in the last instances when he has to lose weight.
For wrestling athletes, diet plays a vital role because of the high caloric expenditure due to the long and strenuous training sessions, food must be consumed based on a delicate selection, determined by the stage of the athlete to meet their needs.
the most important tips when dieting:
1.- Eating constantly
With a time of 2 or 3 hours between meals, depending on the fighter's genetics and goals. Considering also the genetics of the sameFor example, an ectomorph (with a tendency to be thin) should eat approximately every 2 hours, while a mesomorph (broad-boned and with a tendency to obesity) should allow a longer period of time, since his metabolism is slower.
It should be noted that the more aerobic exercise the less time between meals. If you are looking to gain some fat or reduce it, the frequency between meals will also vary.
2.- Drinking plenty of fluids
This advice is as simple as it is vital, something basic when you do any training. Dehydration causes low performance and loss of strength, with the fatal consequences for the exercise to be performed.
Natural water, fruit shakes, vegetable shakes and drinks with mineral salts are indispensable for every fighter. Depending on the time of the year and the temperature, it is necessary to drink between 2 and 4 liters per day.
Processed juices, soft drinks and energy drinks should be avoided at all costs; they contain a large amount of preservatives and sugars that are not helpful.
3.- Consume complex carbohydrates
What are pasta, rice, potatoes, fruits and vegetables. These are a great source of energy needed for workouts. So, a good meal before running an intense workout would be a plate of pasta 2 hours before.
These carbohydrates are consumed more slowly and, therefore, provide us with energy for a longer period of time. Consume them only at the beginning and middle of the day, because when the night comes it is advisable to avoid pasta, rice and potatoes; because our activity is lower and our energy consumption is also lower, so unused carbohydrates will be stored in the form of fats.
4.- Scheduling protein intake
The following would be indicated between 2.5 and 3.5 grams of protein per kilogram weight. In other wordsIf you weigh 80 kilos, you should consume about 240 grams of protein (80 kg x 3 grams prot. = 240) distributed equally among all meals for better assimilation.
If you eat 6 meals, for example, that's 40 grams of protein in each meal. When intense exercises are performed, muscle fibers and tissues are broken, so proteins are essential for their repair. That is why they are especially important during and after training.
5.- Eating unsaturated fats
Not hamburger, pizza or French fries. Saturated fats refer to those that come from nuts, unboiled olive oil, peanut butter and other very good fats that are omega 3 fatty acids, which can be found in some fish such as tuna, salmon or mackerel.
They also help to reduce inflammation of joints and muscles. An ideal dinner would be a fillet of 200 grams of salmon with steamed vegetables, since they provide a lot of protein, fatty acids and few carbohydrates.
