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Eat Like A Boxer - A Solid Diet Plan For Boxing & Training

Eat Like A Boxer - A Solid Diet Plan For Boxing & Training

Feeding The Fighting Machine!

For a professional boxer understanding what to eat and when to eat it is just as important as the actual training. In order to create a boxing machine you need to feed it with the right building blocks to create it.

To get healthy and fit it’s not all about eating less; it’s more about understanding what you’re eating. Think of it like this, a professional boxer consumes on average 5,500 calories a day which is almost double your daily allowance, but there not fat. Why? Because they are eating right. 

Eat Like a Boxer Diet Plan - Mike Tyson

An astonishing example comes from Michael Phelps, a 16 time Olympic medalist in swimming. Michael revealed when he was training he would consume 12,000 calories a day. That’s right, a massive 12,000, now that truly is feeding the machine.

Eat Like a Boxer Diet Plan - Michael Phelps

So below is a simple insight into what is needed to take your training to the next level.

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Carbohydrates (Carbs)

The world’s most misunderstood nutritional source. Misleading quotes such as “no carb before Marbs” make impressionable people believe that carbs are bad for them and make them fat, well they don’t, although it has to be said that excessive consumption can promote weight gain. 

Think of carbs as more like the petrol in a car. If you don’t replace the petrol in the car, you won’t get very far and the same can be said for carbs before the training. Obviously there is a limit to the amount of carbs you should have before the training, as is there a limit to the size of a petrol tank. So if you want to train harder for longer, you will need to have a good level of carbohydrate consumption well before training. 

So in short; carbs give you your energy!

Understanding What is a Good Carbohydrate:

Often described as “simple” and “complex” carbs, however it is probably better described as “whole” and “refined” carbs. The difference between the two is huge, but all you need to know is “whole carbs” are better.

Whole (good) carbs are unprocessed nutrition such as whole grains, potatoes, fruits and vegetables.

Eat Like a Boxer Diet Plan - Whole Carbs

Refined (bad) carbs are processed which lose a lot of their natural greatness. Such as white rice, white bread, fruit juices and pastries.

Eat Like a Boxer Diet Plan - Refined Carbs

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Protein

Protein is again regularly misunderstood. Generally people associate protein with body builders, hence why some people can be wary of consuming good proteins. While it is true that body builders do consume immense levels of protein to sustain and grow their muscles, it is also necessary for all athletes to absorb a healthy amount of protein, especially after training. 

After a long training session you have exhausted your energy supplies and challenged your muscles. During your training you will have ripped small muscle fibers within your muscle. The general job of protein in relation to post exercise workouts is to come along and repair the muscle fibers and build stronger ones for next time.

In order to build a better quality of muscle you need to provide your body with a quality source of protein, that your body can easily use to transform and define your muscle.

Good Sources of Natural Protein

White meats such a chicken, turkey and fish are fantastic sources of protein, they are easy for your body to digest. A general rule of thumb is that white meat tends to come from animals that can move fast or fly.

Eat Like a Boxer Diet Plan - White Meats

However, on the other hand there are red meats (beef, steak, pork), which tend to come from animals that are slower. They are harder for your body to digest and take a lot longer.

Eat Like a Boxer Diet Plan - Red Meats

Other positive proteins can be found in egg whites, milk and peanut butter.

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Water

The human body can survive 7x longer without food than it can without water, water makes up just over 60% of our body. So in short, water is massively important to us.

If your training hard (which I hope you are) your also sweating it out and it is vitally important to replace the fluids lost. If possible athletes should look to regularly sip water throughout the day. Increasing the regularity during training. Try to avoid gulping down pint after pint as this can lead to bloating.

Boxers do dehydrate their systems before a fight to cut weight (allow them to fight at a lighter weight). This can be extremely dangerous if your not professionally supported by the right people. Once the weigh in is done, you can see boxers immediately start to sip at their water and rehydrate. Cutting weight by this method is extremely challenging and some athletes fail.

Eat Like a Boxer Diet Plan - Glasses Of Water

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Do’s

  • Eat natural sources of nutrition.
  • Eat regularly; do not over indulge in one sitting.
  • Try to eat within the golden hour after training.
  • Always wake your digestive system up, don’t skip BREAKFAST!
  • Consume a balanced diet.
  • Take multi vitamins.
  • Drink an absolute minimum of 3 pints of water a day on a rest day, increase consumption on a training day.
  • Eat your evening meal at least 4 hours before going to bed.

Don’ts

  • Eat lots of carbs just before bed.
  • Substitute a meal for a pill or lab created substance.
  • Drink sugary drinks.
  • Train on an empty stomach.
  • Consume too many man made supplements; there is no substitute for natural nutrition.
  • Put to much pressure on eating right all the time.

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comment 5 comments

J
Joe Monzon calendar_today

Great post! A very informative article. This info is really helpful for those who are looking for it. I really appreciate your efforts. I also read their blogs related to training https://yokkao.com/blogs/news/tagged/training

B
Bob calendar_today

If I weigh 112 lbs and want to get to my ideal weight of 75 lbs—what am I? hahahaha

A
ANTBox calendar_today

105 is an excellent weight. Sometimes going down further does more harm than good. Of course it’s possible to cute weigh via shaving calories but I wouldn’t go to much further. A little layer of fat is healthy as it’s the body’s natural protective covering and bodily fuel source.

A
Azan calendar_today

If I want to lose loads of weight. I’m 105 and want to drop to 80kg at least. Is it still necessary to cut calories.

T
Tathagata Roy calendar_today

Good

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