The Best Diet for BJJ: Understanding the Different Diets and What Works Best

The Best Diet for BJJ: Understanding the Different Diets and What Works Best.

BJJ is a demending sport, and as such many athletes and practitioners start to look into what might be the best nutrition/diet plan for themselves to lose fat, build muscle, and perform better on the mats. In this post I’ll take a brief look into the different types of BJJ diet strategies and if they are worth looking into.

FYI, this topic alone could span 1000s of pages. This is a VERY brief look at some of them. If you have any questions at all on a type of diet/nutrition plan for BJJ, just ask me HERE

BJJ is a physically demanding sport that requires a lot of energy and endurance. As a result, nutrition is a crucial factor in the performance of a BJJ athlete. There are several diets that have been searched on Google in 2022, each claiming to be the best for BJJ. However, it is important to understand that these diets are simply methods of dieting and may not be optimally suited to the BJJ athlete. Remember that these diets are just methods. For any diet to be successful it must still obey the same nutritional principles (such as calorie balance).

The first diet that comes to mind is the Keto Diet. The Keto Diet is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet that has been popular in recent years. While it may work for some, it may not be the best choice for BJJ athletes. The reason is that BJJ requires a lot of energy, and the Keto Diet may not provide enough carbohydrates to meet the athlete's energy needs. Additionally, the Keto Diet can lead to decreased performance and muscle loss, which is not ideal to say the least. The diet also doesn’t provide any further results in fat loss than a normal diet that has a calorie deficit. In short if you hate carbs, this can be an option, but it isn’t superior in any way (and there is a lot of evidence showing it is worse for athletes).

Another popular diet is the Vegan Diet. The Vegan Diet is based on plant-based foods and avoids all animal products. While this diet may be healthful, it may not provide all the necessary nutrients that a BJJ athlete needs. For example, BJJ athletes require a lot of protein to build and repair muscle, and a vegan diet may not provide enough protein to meet these needs. HOWEVER, this can be solved by simply tracking your protein and ensuring you get enough total protein each day (2g per KG, or 1g per pound is a good number to start with).

The next diet is the Paleolithic Diet. This diet is based on the idea that humans evolved to eat a certain way, and it aims to mimic the diet of our ancestors. This diet is high in protein and fat, and low in carbohydrates. While this diet may provide enough energy for BJJ athletes, it like the Keto Diet, falls short on providing the relvent preferred fuel source for athletic activities (carbs). Additionally, the Paleolithic Diet can be restrictive and may not be feasible for all athletes long term (carbs are delicious, if denied them for too long you will crack and consume 4 tubs of Pringles).

Finally, the Intermittent Fasting Diet is another popular diet that has been searched on Google in 2022. This diet involves periods of fasting and eating, with the aim of improving weight loss. While this diet may be effective for some, it may not be the best choice for BJJ athletes. BJJ athletes require a lot of energy, and fasting may not provide enough energy to meet their needs (especially with early morning or twice a day training). It is always worth noting that this method still has to upload basic nutritional principles for it to work, and gives no advantage (over lifestyle choice), for weight or fat loss. Additionally, this diet may cause decreased performance and muscle loss, which is not ideal for a BJJ athlete.

In conclusion, using a diet plan that is backed by research, designed by a dedicated BJJ nutritionist, and individualised to their personal goal and circumstances, will always be the best. It is important to understand that the diets mentioned above are simply methods of dieting, and may not be optimally suited to the BJJ athlete. A BJJ nutritionist can design a meal plan that takes into account the athlete's energy needs, personal preferences, and lifestyle. This way, the athlete can optimize their performance, achieve their goals, and stay healthy.