Long Island MMA Blog – What Diet Works Best For You?
By Irene F

You’re training for your next fight. Quarantine 2020 has definitely added a few pounds. Now it’s time to shed that extra weight and training as much as you do won’t cut it. Like MMA middleweight fighter Rich Franklin said “Training for a fight is about 90% physical and 10% mental, yet when you enter the octagon it becomes about 90% mental and 10% physical because all the physical preparation is done”

With physical preparation comes the diet. If you have to cut weight you need to be in a caloric deficit. If you do it right, you will feel nourished and energized. Sometimes that is not the case. Trial and error come to play when it comes to finding the best diet for you and your athletic lifestyle.  

Mac Danzig is an American mixed martial artist, who competed as a lightweight in the UFC. What makes Danzig stand out from most MMA fighters is his vegan lifestyle. When he first started his vegan journey he was criticized. It is now a lot more common to hear of great athletes across the world being vegan and thriving. The plant-based diet has worked for Mac, but is it for everyone? The short answer is no. 

Sean O’ Malley, the undefeated MMA fighter who competes in the Bantamweight division in the UFC, was once vegan. According to the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, Sean tried the vegan diet for 6 months. What made Sean give veganism a try was the hit documentary on Netflix called “What the Health”. That documentary film critiques the health impact of meat and dairy product consumption. At the end of his vegan journey he found himself not eating enough and his energy levels were low. Today, he is back to eating meat and feels better than ever. O’Malley mentioned during the interview that since he is eating quality meat again he felt his energy increase, was more aggressive, and felt “manly”. 

Everyone eats, trains, and performs differently. Experiment with different diets safely and with the help of coaches and nutritionists. You only get one body in this lifetime, take good care of it.