Nutrition Questions and Answers for BJJ, MMA and other Combat Sports

Hey Guys,

Welcome to another instalment of your questions on nutrition being answered!

We got some really good ones sent in this month and it was really tough to choose just a couple of people to help! Every month I see more and more people getting confused by nutrition and how to structure it specifically for grappling. Either all the advice out there seems to be aimed at body builders or everything seems to contradict everything else!

As always, if you are looking to get a better understanding of nutrition, then I highly recommend speaking to your coach or a professional about having one set up for your individual needs. Also consulting your doctor before undertaking any kind of new nutrition plan is also heavily advised.

Many people have a terrible experience when it comes to nutrition as they simply don’t know what they are doing. And it’s not their fault. There are that many schools of thought out there that often contradicts each other, who isn’t going to get confused! Where do you start? Do you fast? Do you carb cycle? Do you have cheats? Do you only eat fruit that has been picked by a female Unicorn under the light of a full moon?

The list of confusing topics is endless.

Not only does it seem that setting up a nutrition plan is causing people problems, but then adjusting that plan or tailoring it to your own individual needs keeps tripping people up!

So I’m here to help.

Here are a few that really caught my eye this month.

I’ve heard lots to say about the benefits of eating fish as my main source of protein, because it’s leaner than meat. I’ve also heard you have to be careful not to eat too much fish in case of mercury poisoning. My question to you is what meat / fish do you eat on a weekly basis? For example, do you eat one serving of red meat per week then all chicken etc. 

Firstly I will say that one protein source is no better than another (providing they are complete proteins).

For me personally I don’t eat much fish as I’m not a fan of cooking it. When I go to restaurants (especially abroad) I do eat quite a lot as it can taste amazing. I eat a wide variety but mostly beef, lamb, pork (shoulder and loin), chicken, eggs and turkey.

As far as mercury poisoning goes, I have never seen a case personally as you would have to eat such a massive quantity of fish containing it. As with most things, it’s the dose that makes the poison. Try to eat a variety of proteins to keep things interesting for yourself.

Hi Mike,

I am a bit of an insomniac, and am always looking to make sure I am doing everything I can to get a decent night sleep. Are there any foods, or times of day I should be eating, that will help promote a good night sleep? I assume I don’t want to load up on too much sugar etc?

A lot of people feel that a meal of fat and some protein gives them a great night sleep. I would also look at a supplement called ZMA that helps promote good sleep (although can give you some crazy dreams).

Make sure you that you have a good relaxing routine before bed, go to bed at the same time each night and try not to watch TV or play computer games right before bed as these can all hinder sleep.

Supplements – do I really need them? I am 25 and train pretty much every day, but I’ve never thought about adding any sort of supplements into my diet. I feel fine most of the time (tired after hard sessions but guessing that’s normal) but maybe I could be doing even better with some supplementation.

The short answer is no you don’t need them.

As long as your diet gives you all the macro and micro nutrients you need you do not need supplements. I will say that a lot of people use them to help with making things easier ie protein shakes are very portable and can be taken in a couple of mins.

Now at the very top of sports, athletes are looking for the smallest of an edge to help them win. This is where using certain supplements will help you gain a minor edge. This edge isn’t worth much till you get to world championship level though.

I’m a student and want to eat healthy, but I am definitely struggling to eat healthy on my tiny budget. I am a big fan of tinned or frozen food (loll) so my challenge is to plan out the healthiest tinned or frozen food diet possible for a day haha!

Using frozen meat and veggies is absolutely fine. Just make sure you stick to whole, nutrious foods and not crispy pancakes!!

Hi Mike,

What are the (if any) benefits of these fasting and fruit juice detox diets you see celebs jumping on all about? Fasting in particular doesn’t make much sense to me, as I am worried I’ll lose weight / strength and don’t really understand the benefits – can you explain?

There isn’t any.

As far as a ‘cleansing’ your body, that is what your liver and kidneys are for. Any diet or protocol that advocate it are simply not backed by and form of science and are simply just to sell you a product.

Now fasting is a slightly different thing and has quite a bit of research backing it. However it is just another method that can be used within a nutrition plan, it is not the only way to do things. I do use it with a few clients at certain times (or long term) but the person and their preferred eating patterns always mostly govern that. If it doesn’t fit in your life very well or your performance suffers, I would not advise doing it.

What foods / supplements would you suggest to aid probiotic / gut health? I have read a little bit about good bacteria in your gut being very important to keep you healthy, so wondered if there were any particular foods I should look out for. 

I generally get most clients to have a pro biotic of some description as I do firmly believe they help over all health. I don’t want to start talking about specific brands in this series, but a quick Google Search will reveal the better ones. If you want to drop me a message I’m more than happy to recommend a couple.

These are all great questions that highlight the vast difference that people can have in their lives that effect their nutritional approach. Remember that there is no perfect diet. The best plan is the one that fits your lifestyle, and that you can do consistently and that gives you results.

Stay healthy,

Mike