MMA DIet: The Importance of Meals

Supplemental bars and shakes have their place in the fighter’s diet. Grabbing a bar in between a training session can help replenish sugars, electrolytes and vitamins while providing the protein necessary to help repair the body from the grueling demands of training. However, while bars and supplements are great for providing what we think of as the staples of nutrition (protein, fat and carbohydrate) they aren’t food in their natural states and this often means many of the smaller chemicals (one example: the healthy bacteria that help maintain everything from a healthy intestinal tract to a strong immune system) are either severely lacking or not present in nearly the same quantity as they would be if the foods that made up the bar were eaten in their natural, unprocessed state.

Of course, the cooking process can cause foods to become denatured as well, but usually not nearly to the same extent as a heavily manufactured product like juice. Also, because the preparation process puts the fighter in control of the food, they are more cognizant of the entire process and can learn what they like, what their body responds best to and how to prepare the meal quicker. Think of a young, aspiring fighter entering a boxing club for the first time. He may accidentally unravel his boxing hand wraps and watch as they roll across the floor. Then he gathers them up, puts his thumb through the hook and begins wrapping only to find out that the Velcro closure is on the wrong side and that he has to redo it. As weeks pass, he becomes more efficient. As years pass he doesn’t even have to think about it. With practice, meal preparation, like fighting, will reap the benefits of repetition and become more efficient.

 

Meals are also not in such high supply of fillers – these are the substances added to bars and shakes to get them to be the correct shape, color, smell, feel and to add shelf-longevity. Many times, these fillers either have no nutritional value or are still being studied for their long-term effects on humans. Here are steps that can be easily and immediately put to use:

 

1. Skip the Juice.

Even if it’s USDA organic, juice sitting on the shelf is basically fruits and vegetables broken down into little more than the water and sugar contained within them. Fruits and vegetables are great sources of food because of their whole, not because of their parts – the seeds, skin, meat, etc. The process of heating the juices to high temperatures in an attempt pasteurize them and of exposing them to air and light and the shipping process eliminates many of the great nutritional benefits and often leaves the juice in a state more similar to sugar water than of their original source. Be wary of the juices with labels that read, “Contains  _____  servings of fruit and vegetables. It may have been made with  ______  servings, but as it currently sits in the bottle and on the shelf, it certainly is not anywhere close to containing the quantity or quality of chemical properties contained inside a single apple.

 

2. Pre-make meals and store them in the refrigerator.

Rather than grilling a single chicken breast and boiling a handful of broccoli, grill six or seven breasts and boil a bag or two of broccoli. Because research suggests that eating six or seven smaller meals spread throughout the day is healthier than eating two or three larger meals, the pre-made meals will go quickly but will be just as handy and possibly less time-consuming than running into the gas station after the gym for a quick-fix protein drink. Also, pre-making meals can help save time because it allows the fighter to get into a rhythm. Many fighters like to make the same breakfast shake each morning to start their days. This is fine so long as it varies from time to time and the other meals of the day vary from day-to-day as well. Having routine allows us to be functionally fixed and this saves time. For example, we often use the exact same pattern (and always the same hand) when brushing our teeth each morning. If we had to think about this act (or use our non-dominant hand) it would take longer to perform the act.

 

3. Mix it up.

Wind down from a hard day of training by spending some time playing around in the kitchen. Try new foods. Boil some bulgur or quinoa, mix it with cumin and thyme and balsamic vinegar and throw it on top of ground turkey. Have a side of canned pumpkin and add to it cinnamon, flax seed meal, almonds, blackberries and cultured coconut milk to make a sweet but healthy dessert. It’s important that the fighter learn about food and how best to prepare it. The fighter who knows why they are eating what they are eating will be more apt to eat healthier in the long run than the fighter who, like some machine, simply eats what he’s told.

 

4. Keep a journal.

Keep a journal, or if the fighter already has a journal regarding training and work schedules, add to it meal times. A structured and written-down daily schedule can show the fighter how much more time they actually have. When the panic kicks in about what to eat – sometimes panic coming more from a lack of knowledge than a lack of time – the fighter who is:

 

(A) confident about what he needs nutritionally and (B) what his schedule is, will be better prepared to choose foods and prepare meals. Often, the fighter will think he is in a hurry and will grab a quick shake on the way to the gym, but will not realize that while they spent an hour watching ESPN the night before they could have been listening to it on the radio while prepping the following day’s meal. Martial artists are renowned for their discipline and focus on efficiency, and when made aware of the various ways they can make their days more efficient, most will jump on the opportunity.

 

5. Make meal making social.

Ask if family members, friends or training partners can pitch in to help prepare dinner or try a new recipe. The social aspect of cooking and eating has been helping families develop better relationships for years, the competitive fighter can use this science to their advantage as well. It can improve fight team dynamics and a cooking partner can serve almost like a training partner in that it can provide the individual with additional motivation to stick with healthy eating.

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