You must have heard the term “It’s better to eat five or six meals than to eat three bigger meals”. And it is not wrong. Gains are necessary for an MMA fighter. Regular meals will increase your appetite and it will also increase your metabolism. As a result, you won’t feel lethargic and you will be able to train more actively. For each MMA muscle building diet program to work, you need to have high-protein foods as they are necessary for gaining muscle. In addition, carbohydrates and fats are also important sources of energy. If your goal is to become an MMA fighter, you need to gain lean muscle by exercising regularly and eating more calories each day from muscle-building foods.
Here are the top-muscle building foods to include in your diet:
Egg-whites
MMA fighters know that if they are building muscle, they need to stack up on egg whites. They have a protein to fat ratio of 60:1 and are considered to be one of the finest forms of protein. Apart from their biological value, they provide an excellent amount of protein and allow the body to synthesize it. Egg whites also contain vitamins and carbohydrates along with few traces of minerals. Egg White provides 50 calories with 84{317a7769e272dec17b69bda26c6a5a4c5e6799efcd8a85f72cb552b76862c2b9} protein, 8{317a7769e272dec17b69bda26c6a5a4c5e6799efcd8a85f72cb552b76862c2b9} carbs, and 0{317a7769e272dec17b69bda26c6a5a4c5e6799efcd8a85f72cb552b76862c2b9} fat.
Chicken
When it comes to muscle building, chicken provides an excellent resource of protein and they also don’t contain large amounts of trans-fats and saturated fats. Chicken has generous amounts of the B vitamins niacin and B6 that help your body function properly during the physical activity. Chicken has 172 calories, provides 48{317a7769e272dec17b69bda26c6a5a4c5e6799efcd8a85f72cb552b76862c2b9} protein and 48{317a7769e272dec17b69bda26c6a5a4c5e6799efcd8a85f72cb552b76862c2b9} fats.
Fish
Fish is the one exception to the ‘low fat’ rule. It provides all the necessary fats that your body needs to support the muscle building methodology adopted by your fighter body. It is enrich with fatty acids and omega-III. Try grilling salmon, tuna or trout or just add them to your lunch salad and enjoy the energy and muscle strengthening. Salmon has 116 calories while trout had 148. You can get 885 protein from Tuna and 695 from Salmon. Fats in salmon are just 27{317a7769e272dec17b69bda26c6a5a4c5e6799efcd8a85f72cb552b76862c2b9} but Tuna gives a mere 6{317a7769e272dec17b69bda26c6a5a4c5e6799efcd8a85f72cb552b76862c2b9} fats added to your diet.
Beans and Legumes
MMA fighters need to build endurance while building muscle and that requires you to attain a necessary amount of beans and legumes which are an amazing source of protein and fiber. It makes it easier for your stomach to digest the proteins and minerals while helping in giving a quick insulin response. MMA coaches advise MMA fighters to include bean salads in their diets because they are not only delicious but are an excellent source of protein and fiber that helps in the growth of muscles. Half a cup (86 grams) of cooked soybeans contains 14 grams of protein, healthy unsaturated fats, and several vitamins and minerals.
Red Meat
Become the best at your muscle building game by absorbing fine cuts of red meat. According to research, consuming lean red meat can increase the amount of lean mass gained with weight training. They are abundant in protein, iron, zinc and Vitamin B. They can be consumed per grams and since they also contain saturated fats, you should avoid having it daily.
Slow-burning Carbs
The thing with slow-burning carbs is that is the perfect fuel for training for those heavy training. When your glycogen levels decrease, your body turns to get fuel from your muscles, and if you are training to gain for a heavier weight class, you better have enough in store so your muscles don’t degenerate. Foods like oatmeal, sweet potatoes and nuts are slow-burning carbs and are ideal quick snacks. Your muscle building machinery will run better and faster.
Water
Stay hydrated, our young warriors. Since 70{317a7769e272dec17b69bda26c6a5a4c5e6799efcd8a85f72cb552b76862c2b9} of your body is made of water, cells, tissues, and even your blood is made of water. So why not consume it in the best of ways and you will be able to maintain your physique while staying hydrated. Water is the medium that helps the cells to move nutrients needed in your body. Water will help you utilize all of the nutrients mentioned above efficiently.
Whatever you eat can make or break your gain achieving goals so you need to align your fighting skills, diet, and workouts. You can’t only depend on your workouts to become the best, you’ll need to make sure that your diet is in check and the nutrients you consume help you gain muscle. Find and maintain the balance between both.
For excellent muscle building, try out healthy shakes in the morning and train to become a built, strong and agile MMA fighter. Want more tips and diet plans? Head over to our weight loss and tips section for more.
