While serious mixed martial artists spend hours each day in the gym working on everything from Jiu-Jitsu to boxing to strength training, exercise is not the only important factor in becoming a great athlete. The better you treat your body, the stronger and more mentally focused you will become.
It is important to avoid skipping meals, as this leaves you hungry and when you are hungry, you make poor food choices. Begin each day with a good breakfast that includes a mix of lean protein and complex carbohydrates. This could be a quick plate of scrambled eggs with hot sauce and a bowl of oatmeal or another healthy cereal. If you are rushed in the morning, consider mixing up a giant smoothie that includes protein powder, peanut butter and fresh fruit.
Because MMA fighters expend so much energy, it is imperative that they fill their diet with plenty of healthy carbohydrates. These are known as complex carbohydrates and these foods are converted into glycogen by the body. This glycogen can help your if you need a quick burst of energy, and the leftover glycogen is stored in your muscles for later energy output. Poor carbohydrates, also known as simple carbs, provide a quick sugar spike but not energy is stored for later usage.
There are many options for adding healthy, complex carbs to your diet. Whole grains such as oats, wild rice, brown rice and buckwheat are high in complex carbs. If you love pasta, opt for the whole grain or whole wheat pastas and you will be making better carb choices. Apricots, plums, pears and oranges are among several fruits with complex carbohydrates. When it comes to vegetables, most of them are full of complex carbs so feel free to eat a wide variety of vegetables.
Vegetables are other solid sources of complex carbohydrates, and in general, you can pretty much eat all the vegetables you want. Most are low in calories and low in sugar, but high in vitamins and minerals. Fruits lean more toward simple carbs, but these are much healthier than processed simple carbs. Eating oranges, plums, grapefruit and other more complex fruits is always a good idea.
Figuring out your daily calorie needs includes many factors, including your height and current weight, your weight goals and how many hours you work out. Your needs change coming up to a fight and then shift after the fight. Working with a trained dietician can help you make the best possible food choices.
While you can certainly enjoy a little bit of junk food from time to time, keep in mind that heavily processed foods have little to no nutritional value. So every time you put junk in your body, its ability to perform and heal is diminished.
It is important to avoid skipping meals, as this leaves you hungry and when you are hungry, you make poor food choices. Begin each day with a good breakfast that includes a mix of lean protein and complex carbohydrates. This could be a quick plate of scrambled eggs with hot sauce and a bowl of oatmeal or another healthy cereal. If you are rushed in the morning, consider mixing up a giant smoothie that includes protein powder, peanut butter and fresh fruit.
Because MMA fighters expend so much energy, it is imperative that they fill their diet with plenty of healthy carbohydrates. These are known as complex carbohydrates and these foods are converted into glycogen by the body. This glycogen can help your if you need a quick burst of energy, and the leftover glycogen is stored in your muscles for later energy output. Poor carbohydrates, also known as simple carbs, provide a quick sugar spike but not energy is stored for later usage.
There are many options for adding healthy, complex carbs to your diet. Whole grains such as oats, wild rice, brown rice and buckwheat are high in complex carbs. If you love pasta, opt for the whole grain or whole wheat pastas and you will be making better carb choices. Apricots, plums, pears and oranges are among several fruits with complex carbohydrates. When it comes to vegetables, most of them are full of complex carbs so feel free to eat a wide variety of vegetables.
Vegetables are other solid sources of complex carbohydrates, and in general, you can pretty much eat all the vegetables you want. Most are low in calories and low in sugar, but high in vitamins and minerals. Fruits lean more toward simple carbs, but these are much healthier than processed simple carbs. Eating oranges, plums, grapefruit and other more complex fruits is always a good idea.
Figuring out your daily calorie needs includes many factors, including your height and current weight, your weight goals and how many hours you work out. Your needs change coming up to a fight and then shift after the fight. Working with a trained dietician can help you make the best possible food choices.
While you can certainly enjoy a little bit of junk food from time to time, keep in mind that heavily processed foods have little to no nutritional value. So every time you put junk in your body, its ability to perform and heal is diminished.
About the Author:
Nolan Barias loves writing about mixed martial arts benefits. For additional details about jiu jitsu lessons in San Diego or to find a San Diego mixed martial arts gym, check out The Arena MMA, site today.
No comments:
Post a Comment