BJ “The Prodigy” Penn will not be calling up Mike Dolce for nutrition advice anytime soon. And even if he did, according to Penn, Dolce probably wouldn‘t answer his call. In a recent interview with BJPenn.com, The Prodigy opened up, detailing his issues with the creator of The Dolce Diet. “I figured that paying this […]
BJ “The Prodigy” Penn will not be calling up Mike Dolce for nutrition advice anytime soon. And even if he did, according to Penn, Dolce probably wouldn‘t answer his call. In a recent interview with BJPenn.com, The Prodigy opened up, detailing his issues with the creator of The Dolce Diet. “I figured that paying this […]
UFC flyweight John Lineker could become the latest fighter to call on the services of nutritionist Mike Dolce after he missed weight for the third time competing for the UFC. However, despite coming in at 128 pounds for his 125-pound match against Phil Harris at UFC Fight Night 30, his first-round TKO win still has […]
UFC flyweight John Lineker could become the latest fighter to call on the services of nutritionist Mike Dolce after he missed weight for the third time competing for the UFC. However, despite coming in at 128 pounds for his 125-pound match against Phil Harris at UFC Fight Night 30, his first-round TKO win still has […]
Just in case a light heavyweight title fight between Jon “Bones” Jones and Alexander Gustafsson doesn’t work out, the champion has a backup plan in mind: heavyweight contender Daniel Cormier. Jones went for the jugular when he called out “DC” on Twitter Friday morning: Someone ask DC when his diet starts #Wolftickets — Jon Bones […]
Just in case a light heavyweight title fight between Jon “Bones” Jones and Alexander Gustafsson doesn’t work out, the champion has a backup plan in mind: heavyweight contender Daniel Cormier. Jones went for the jugular when he called out “DC” on Twitter Friday morning: Someone ask DC when his diet starts #Wolftickets — Jon Bones […]
MMA is widely regarded as the toughest professional sport on the planet, testing fighters to their physical and mental limits. Of course, you need to train hard and practice your skills to be the best, but like any finely-tuned machine, the fuel which you put inside yourself makes a huge difference. Here are some useful tips to ensure you get a taste of victory.
SUPER FOODS
Whenever you hear healthy eating or dieting discussed, supposedly “super” foods are often suggested to help to get you in tip-top shape. In fact, these foods can have a significantly positive affect on you, and they all have a specific healthy benefit. Our favorites are:
Green tea — rich in powerful antioxidants and has been proven to kill cancer cells. It also boosts your levels of good cholesterol and decreases the bad ones in the process. This one’s great for fighters, as it helps to keep the heart in good shape.
Apples — also loaded with antioxidants, but these ones help to repair damaged muscles and cells, making them perfect for fighters, especially when they’ve picked up an injury.
MMA is widely regarded as the toughest professional sport on the planet, testing fighters to their physical and mental limits. Of course, you need to train hard and practice your skills to be the best, but like any finely-tuned machine, the fuel which you put inside yourself makes a huge difference. Here are some useful tips to ensure you get a taste of victory.
SUPER FOODS
Whenever you hear healthy eating or dieting discussed, supposedly “super” foods are often suggested to help to get you in tip-top shape. In fact, these foods can have a significantly positive affect on you, and they all have a specific healthy benefit. Our favorites are:
Green tea — rich in powerful antioxidants and has been proven to kill cancer cells. It also boosts your levels of good cholesterol and decreases the bad ones in the process. This one’s great for fighters, as it helps to keep the heart in good shape.
Apples — also loaded with antioxidants, but these ones help to repair damaged muscles and cells, making them perfect for fighters, especially when they’ve picked up an injury.
Blueberries – these are awesome, and not just in pancakes or muffins. Filled with Vitamin C and D, iron and zinc, these little beauties are great at giving your immune system a boost and prevent infection. The last thing you want to do is get sick before a bout.
Fish – our water-dwelling friends cut the risk of cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s and diabetes to name a few. Fish that are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, like mackerel, tuna and trout, reduce blood clotting and inflammation. Perfect for stripping fat from the body.
PROTEIN
This is the most important ingredient within a fighter’s diet, as it is necessary for growing muscle and allowing you to train intensely. Foods like chicken, tuna, anchovies, and almonds are rich in protein and should be incorporated into your daily diet plan.
Like any diet, if you stick to the same things over and over again, it can tend to get a little bland and boring. So make sure you keep it fresh and creative to ensure you enjoy your meals.
WATER
Your average MMA fighter will consume around four liters of water per day. This will keep them hydrated, which is essential for training. Muscles are controlled by the nerves in our bodies, and when an MMA fighter engages in weight training, the body is deprived of electrolytes. The most common way to get these back into your body is by drinking water, plain and simple.
The last thing you need in a fight is to be feeling dehydrated. The amount of sweat that you will be producing during training means that you need to restock your body of much-needed water.
Your diet is an essential part of your training regimen, so make sure you don’t let your standards slip, even when some chocolate cake or the occasional hamburger stuffed-crust pizza becomes really tempting. For those of you who train and compete in MMA — which foods do you swear by during your training camps?
This article was provided by Fightshop.com, the home of specialist boxing, MMA and Muay Thai equipment.
Are you a fat, nerdy MMA fan who lives with his mother and spends his time trolling the Internet? Well, obviously not, so you’ll have to play along here. But if you were overweight, and also decided that the whole “eating healthier and exercising” thing didn’t involve enough former UFC champions for your liking, then would I have a treat for you. Tim Sylvia has founded The Maine-Iac 90 Day Weight Loss Challenge, so that you can get in shape with the former UFC champion.
So what is inspiring Tim Sylvia to challenge his loyal fans? Is he trying to persuade people that fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life, son? Is he concerned about the rising obesity rates in our children? Believe it or not, it appears he’s doing this due to his own weight issues. I know, I can’t think of a single mean-spirited, sarcastic comment to make here, either, so let’s hear it from the former champion himself:
Are you a fat, nerdy MMA fan who lives with his mother and spends his time trolling the Internet? Well, obviously not, so you’ll have to play along here. But if you were overweight, and also decided that the whole “eating healthier and exercising” thing didn’t involve enough former UFC champions for your liking, then would I have a treat for you. Tim Sylvia has founded The Maine-Iac 90 Day Weight Loss Challenge, so that you can get in shape with the former UFC champion.
So what is inspiring Tim Sylvia to challenge his loyal fans? Is he trying to persuade people that fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life, son? Is he concerned about the rising obesity rates in our children? Believe it or not, it appears he’s doing this due to his own weight issues. I know, I can’t think of a single mean-spirited, sarcastic comment to make here, either, so let’s hear it from the former champion himself:
Well as most of you know, I am in my late 30?s and getting towards the end of my fighting career and I have noticed that it is getting harder and harder to maintain my weight. I received a short notice on a fight opportunity and weighed 330 lbs. at the time. To be in ultimate fighting shape – I needed to be 265 lbs! I only had 5 weeks to drop so a friend of mine turned me onto the Body by Vi Challenge. Within 3 weeks I lost 35 lbs but I had to bust by butt to get there!!! With that being said I was so surprised at how easy this diet was and how great the shakes tastes. Needless to say I am a believer and happy to share this with all my friends and fans. Join me in this journey to a better lifestyle. So please if you’re interested in a better way of life and just want to feel better – Join Me Today in the Body by Vi 90 day Challenge!
I know what you’re thinking: How can a guy with such an intense workout routine balloon up to 330 pounds? The answer, of course, is a lack of $249 Transformation Kit -proudly labeled “Tim’s Kit” – in his diet. Said kit contains some protein powder, a multivitamin, some flavor packets, and a whole lot of snake oil scientific weight loss stuff.
As Fightlinker pointed out, Sylvia’s challenge is really just an affiliate thing of the Body by Vi Challenge, meaning that Tim makes money off of everyone who buys something from his site. Eh, we’ve seen worse attempts at paying bills from former MMA fighters. Much worse. So how about picking up some protein powder from a former champion?
Filed under: UFC, NewsLAS VEGAS – A reasonably healthy diet is part and parcel to the lifestyles of most fighters. It’s something that just comes with the territory. Even Roy Nelson, as much as he jokes about cheeseburgers, likely has to concern himsel…
LAS VEGAS – A reasonably healthy diet is part and parcel to the lifestyles of most fighters. It’s something that just comes with the territory. Even Roy Nelson, as much as he jokes about cheeseburgers, likely has to concern himself with it from time to time.
But very few fighters fall into the vegetarian class, and even fewer heavyweights go that route. But that’s what Frank Mir did for a year before deciding it wasn’t working for him. Now on a Paleolithic, or “caveman,” diet, Mir said he’s bigger than he’s been in several fights – but more importantly, he’s leaner.
“I got on the scale on Monday at 272 – muscle weighs a lot,” said Mir, who fights fellow Las Vegan and sometimes training partner Nelson on Saturday at UFC 130. “Going off the vegan diet, I think, helped. There were some good approaches to it that I actually tried to do. … The dieting thing, I think you have to approach as intelligently as you can. First I started as a vegetarian. And for a whole year, I gave it a shot. And it kept my weight down. But honestly, my body fat wasn’t as low – I got a little bit softer. I was getting injured a lot more. I felt a lack of ‘umph.’ But I was very determined to try and be a healthier person.”
After researching the Paleo diet, which focuses on hunter-gatherer foods like lean meats and fish, fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, and cuts out the processed foods common in the Western diet, Mir decided it might be more in line with his nutritional needs as a fighter.
And then his wife, whom Mir joked at Wednesday’s press conference was the real boss, chimed in.
“My wife looked at (the Paleo diet) and said, ‘This is the Mediterranean Diet,’ Mir said prior to the press conference. “I’m like, ‘Yeah, pretty much.’ She said, ‘This is how we’ve been eating for like the last 10 years.’ Sometimes you’ve got to come full circle to appreciate where you are now.”
After Mir stopped with the vegan principle, he said the weight gain came quickly.
“I was four pounds shy of 300 pounds – I completely shot up,” the former UFC heavyweight champ told MMA Fighting. “But my strength felt incredible, and my wind actually didn’t feel that bad. The only thing I probably lost a little was footwork – ask a 300-pound guy to dance left and right … so I worked in the pocket a little for those couple months.”
But the weight gain hurt him in training, and it forced him to tighten up his core once again.
“I didn’t realize that now that I’ve thinned out my waistline again, my guard has returned to be pretty manacing again,” Mir said. “With the half-guard and guard, if you have a belly it’s hard to pull your knees up. I have very flexible legs, so I’m trying to put hooks in and work the omoplata and go off on the side, and all of a sudden I’ve got this belly that my thigh keeps hitting against. It hurt my style.
“But being a professional you realize if something’s in the way of you being a better fighter, it has to go – be it friend, family member, eating habits, sleeping regimen, if it doesn’t work to make me a better fighter then it has to go.”
Mir has combined the new diet with a new confidence in his wrestling game, as well.
“Six months ago, I couldn’t take my wife off her feet unless I threw some jewelry on the bed,” Mir joked, his wife Jennifer sitting at his side. “Other than that, my takedowns were horrible. When people are pushing me against the cage, in the past I was more susceptible to allowing it to happen because I had that jiu-jitsu mentality that I’m not going to grind back. Now I’m learning about head position and I like to grind back. If you’re going to push into me, you’re not pushing me backward. We’re going to go down right here.”
And the strength he believes he gave up when he went vegan has returned now that lean meats and other proteins are back in the mix – and now that he’s developing other skills in the gym at the same time.
“People are saying to me, ‘Oh, you’re so much stronger,’ ” Mir said. “But I think it’s that I’m finally using my strength. In the past, I would try to use as little strength as possible because strength will get you tired if you explode too many times. Well, get in shape.”
And that’s just what Mir believes he had to do. And he said if things go as planned against Nelson on Saturday night, people shouldn’t be too hard on his opponent.
“If anybody’s going to be on his case and feels that he has a bad performance on Saturday, they’ve just got to realize that he’s facing the best version of me that ever existed, that I ever thought could exist,” Mir said.
Mir fights Nelson in the co-main event of UFC 130 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday.
LAS VEGAS – A reasonably healthy diet is part and parcel to the lifestyles of most fighters. It’s something that just comes with the territory. Even 