When carbohydrates are eaten with protein and fats, the absorption rate slows down. The carbs in a sandwich are released more slowly than the same bread eaten alone.

Complex carbohydrates also promote better digestion with fiber, and complex carbohydrates support better hydration. How much and how often? Carbohydrates need to be in direct balance with the energy you are using in a day. The more you are exercising, the more carbs you will need.

The less you exercise, the more likely that you will have extra carbs that turn into body fat. Eating carbs 4 times a day is better than eating the same daily amount in fewer meals: The body stores glycogen better when supplied in smaller amounts more often.

How you tolerate food may be different than your training partners so learn when, how much and what to eat. Carbs high in fiber beans, high fiber cereals are usually not as tolerated pre game or pre workout. Processed grains like noodles are often tolerated better.

Pay attention to your body 3, 2, and one hour before exertion. Which combination works best for you? Eat a balanced meal after a hard workout. Two hours is the longest you should wait to eat after training or competition.

Bottom Line on Carbs: Athletes need to pay attention to their daily carb intake like gas in a car. Include unprocessed foods as much as possible. Avoid processed food that contains sugars such as high fructose corn syrup. Use faster release sugars in sports drinks during training or events lasting over one hour, and not at other times.

Learn which carbohydrate meals you can eat before exercise, and how long before. Mayo Clinic Recommendations: To get the most from your workout: Eat a healthy breakfast.

Wake up early enough to eat breakfast. Most of the energy you got from dinner last night is used up by morning. Your blood sugar may be low. If you plan to exercise within an hour after breakfast, eat a smaller breakfast or drink something to raise your blood sugar, such as a sports drink.

Time your meals based on their size. Eat large meals at least three to four hours before exercising. You can eat small meals two to three hours before exercising. Most people can eat snacks right before and during exercise. Do what works best for you. Skipping meals may cause low blood sugar, which can make you feel weak and lightheaded.

But keep in mind, all candy is high in sugar and low on nutrients, so a snack of yogurt and a banana would be a better choice. Know that for some people, eating something less than an hour before exercise can cause low blood sugar.

Find out what works for you. Eat after your workout. To help your muscles recover and to replace their glycogen stores, eat a meal that contains both protein and carbohydrates within two hours of your exercise session if possible. Women, in particular, may need protein after resistance training.

Protein is essential for muscle repair and growth. When you engage in combat sports, your muscles undergo significant stress and damage, so adequate protein intake is critical.

Aim to consume Good options include chicken, fish, eggs, dairy, and plant-based sources such as tofu and legumes. Carbohydrates provide energy for intense training sessions, so it's important to choose the right type of carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates such as sugar and processed foods can provide a quick boost of energy, but they can also lead to a crash later on.

Instead, focus on complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. These provide a steady supply of energy and are also rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Healthy fats, such as those found in nuts, seeds, avocado, and olive oil, can provide long-lasting energy and support hormone function.

Don't be afraid to include fats in your diet, but aim for healthier options and avoid trans fats and excessive saturated fats. While macronutrients get most of the attention, micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals are also important for athletic performance.

These nutrients play a role in energy production, immune function, and recovery. Vitamins are essential for a wide range of functions in the body, including energy production, immune function, and muscle repair.

Combat athletes have a higher demand for vitamins due to the physical stress and damage they experience during training and competition. To ensure you're getting enough vitamins, focus on a varied diet that includes a range of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

If you have a restrictive diet, you may need to consider a multivitamin or supplement. Minerals are also important for athletic performance, with some playing a role in energy production, muscle function, and bone health. Combat athletes may be at risk of deficiencies in minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and iron, especially if they are cutting weight or have a restricted diet.

To ensure you're getting enough minerals, focus on a diet that includes a variety of whole foods. Staying hydrated is crucial for optimal performance in combat sports.

Dehydration can lead to decreased strength, endurance, and mental function, and can also increase the risk of injury. Aim to drink at least half of your body weight in ounces of water each day, and even more on days when you train intensely.

Electrolyte replacement drinks can also be helpful, especially if you sweat a lot during training.

If you have a restrictive diet, you may need to consider a multivitamin or supplement. Minerals are also important for athletic performance, with some playing a role in energy production, muscle function, and bone health.

Combat athletes may be at risk of deficiencies in minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and iron, especially if they are cutting weight or have a restricted diet. To ensure you're getting enough minerals, focus on a diet that includes a variety of whole foods. Staying hydrated is crucial for optimal performance in combat sports.

Dehydration can lead to decreased strength, endurance, and mental function, and can also increase the risk of injury. Aim to drink at least half of your body weight in ounces of water each day, and even more on days when you train intensely.

Electrolyte replacement drinks can also be helpful, especially if you sweat a lot during training. The timing of your meals and snacks can also impact your performance.

Eating a meal with protein and carbohydrates before training can help provide energy and support recovery, while consuming protein and carbohydrates after training can help with recovery and muscle repair. Aim to eat a meal or snack within 30 minutes to an hour after training to take advantage of the anabolic window.

Combat athletes should limit processed foods, added sugars, and unhealthy fats, as they can interfere with performance and recovery. These foods can lead to inflammation, insulin resistance, and other health problems that can hinder athletic performance.

It's important to focus on whole, nutrient-dense foods, and to limit or avoid highly processed and fast foods. This can be challenging, especially when traveling or training in unfamiliar places.

However, with some planning and preparation, it is possible to maintain a healthy diet even in the face of these challenges. It's important to note that individual needs may vary, and it's best to consult with a nutritionist or dietician to determine the best approach for your individual needs and goals.

A qualified professional can help you create a meal plan that is specific to your needs and can help optimize your performance. In conclusion, a BJJ, MMA, or other combat sports-specific diet should focus on adequate protein, complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, hydration, and proper timing.

By consuming a balanced and nutritious diet, combat athletes can support their training and achieve optimal performance. It's important to pay close attention.

Home Shop Expand submenu Collapse submenu. Collapse submenu. First things first: food gives you energy. Without energy, you can't perform. As in any sport, food powers your workouts and helps you recover afterward.

Without proper nourishment, you will fail to improve any aspect of your training regimen. For combat athletes, nutrition is probably the most crucial aspect of their daily routine. Because combat athletes are not only required to compete at the highest levels, but they must do so while making weight—and the biggest factor in a successful weight cut regardless of the fighting discipline is nutrition.

However, as any sports nutrition coach will tell you, nutrition needs to be incorporated into a combat athlete's daily routine year-round. Here's why. This part of a fighter's training season is probably the most overlooked and the most important.

Too many times combat athletes take this time to enjoy the foods they've avoided for weeks or months. While there is nothing wrong with a little self-indulgence, and uncontrolled diet can add substantial weight in no time at all. This practice of constant weight-cycling increases the time fighters spend trying to drop pounds before competition instead of focusing on performance.

In worst-case scenarios, it also can lead to eating disorders and increase the risk of injury. Periods between fight camps are the best time to allow your body to recover and put yourself back in an energy balance—meaning you are adequately replacing calories lost during exercise.

This includes a healthy balance of protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats. Promoting recovery and maintaining energy balance can be easily achieved with these simple guidelines:.

Eating a mix of simple and complex carbs before training is going to give your muscles the fuel they need to perform for long durations and high intensities. Ideally, g of protein should be consumed.

The best method for this is to weigh yourself before and after training, and also check the color of your urine! Tip: You want your urine to be a light, lemonade color.

Make half your plate carbohydrates such as rice, beans, or sweet potato. Carbohydrates provide the most efficient fuel for high-intensity exercise bouts and will also aid in muscle recovery.

This is especially important for multiple training sessions in a day. Make ¼ of the plate fruits and vegetables to promote intake of essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to decrease inflammation.

Make ¼ of the plate protein g for optimal muscle recovery. Since less energy is expended on these days, less energy in the form of carbohydrates is needed to fuel daily activities.

Fill half the plate with fruits and non-starchy vegetables to promote intake of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Additionally, increasing fiber intake will promote satiety and help with weight maintenance. Make a ¼ of the plate whole grains or healthy fats avocado, olive oil, peanut butter, hummus.

Make ¼ of the plate a lean protein to promote muscle recovery and increase satiety. To reiterate, in-between camps is the best time to restore your energy levels, allow your body to recover, and focus on building up strength and power.

The nutrition focus during this time should be a balance—always making sure you're providing your body with plenty of energy to train and recover. As mentioned previously, combat sports are very demanding in terms of energy requirements.

However, without proper nourishment, the body will fail to perform at a high level. Even during fight camp, the 6—8-week period where an individual is training for an upcoming event, a healthy balance of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats is still needed.

However, nutrient timing will be key since carbohydrates and fats will be limited in some capacity to initiate weight loss. To perform at a high intensity and still achieve a healthy rate of weight loss, follow these guidelines:.

Fight day nutrition will be very similarly structured to a hard training day. What is required during a hard training day to achieve peak performance? A large emphasis on carbohydrates is needed to top off glycogen levels in your muscles to have enough energy available for a good fight.

Protein is important to rebuild and restore muscle tissues, carbohydrates are needed to fully saturate glycogen stores, and fats will help slow the digestion of the other foods and keep you full for a longer period.

Minimal fat is desired at this time because the fat will delay the absorption of carbohydrates into the muscles.

Ideally, the goal is to maximize carbohydrate absorption.