Dieting for MMA

[MitchMMA]

I'd like to get on a new diet program once I can get back into the gym everyday, this wisdom teeth surgery really fucked me up, talk about a bad time because I just started training and I was forced to miss 2 weeks worth of it. I need to get my ass back in gear, I can return to training on thursday so I'd like to start up this new diet ASAP. Before my surgery, I was eating healthy but I knew I wasn't dieting correctly for my weight and what I was trying to accomplish. Basically I have been losing weight lately because I have been eating shitty and not exercising, which means I have been losing muscle mass because muscle weighs more than fat. My weight right now is at 150 and it's supposed to be at 156-157, I'd like to go all the way up to 160 because I want to eventually fight at 155 and I figure 160-165 is a good weight for that division, it wouldn't be too hard to cut down to 155 from there.

I'm looking for advice on what I should be eating, how many calories I should be having daily, protein, etc. Also what about supplements? I don't like using them but they do help, I have heard good things about Light Force High Energy Greens, should I buy some?

I'm going to post this on multiple websites so I can get multiple ideas from people lol.


Also here is a sample of what my old diet (pre-surgery) was like:

Meal 1:

4 eggs scrambled, cup of green tea, bowl of oatmeal, and/or a piece of fruit (mostly a bannana or an apple)

Meal 2:

Tuna sandwich on whole wheat bread (or sometimes an everything bagel if I felt like cheating lol), Green tea, Apple, bowl of walnuts

Meal 3:
Grilled chicken with spinach, water, piece of fruit

Meal 4:
Oatmeal, Peanut butter sandwich on Whole wheat bread, water

Meal 5:
Piece of fruit, water, walnuts

Meal 6:
Whatever the hell my mom would make for dinner lol, sometimes it wouldn't be so healthy lol.


Yeah I know, weird friggin diet haha. I'm not exactly a nurtion expert, I know certain things but not enough.

[TaNK]

I never really dieted cuz I always wanted to fight in the heavy or super heavy division but I do need to get som extra lbs down.

[Cory]

Usually, eat around 1500 calories, and workout to burn 385-ish.

I'm cutting like mad now before I re-start, and eat around 1000 calories and burn usually 250-400 depending.

[Big Gay Honker]

During this diet of yours you want to gain weight.  Steak, Chicken are your friends for this.  DON"T FORGET CARBS!!!  Carbs are very much needed for this.  more energy for you, more workout you can do.  You should get into pasta's.  Avoid Dairy when it's 4 hours before workout time, and do the same with beef.  These can make you sluggish and slower.  Beef is a good weight gain, Chicken is a good weight maintain, and fish is a good weight loss while keeping lean weight on.  Many small meals are good, but you don't need a meal of just nuts and fruit.  Add a sandwich to this, and don't be afraid of chips with it.  Don't worry about Green Tea either.  It contains Hoodia, which is known for weight loss.  Drink Diet Gatorade instead.  You'll retain more water to sweat out during workouts.  You may not be totally ripped looking, but you'll look ripped enough. 

Cory, you seriously need to take in more cals than you are man.  What is your height, weight, and weight you wanna fight at? 

[MitchMMA]

Thanks for the tips Honker, I'll definetely look to get more carbs into my diet.

Also what about soups? I always thought that anything from a can is bad, is that really true?

[Cory]

Cory, you seriously need to take in more cals than you are man.  What is your height, weight, and weight you wanna fight at? 

5'10
194lbs

and I wanna fight at 170.

The thing is, I'm usually loaded with Soccer. 5-6 times a week, but recently, I got hurt at the start of the summer, so I've gained a few pounds, so Im trying to cut before the school season starts (7 weeks-ish) and too, help with potential MMA and High School Wrestling weight classes.

See, when I played Soccer, I was I'd say 175lbs lightest, 180 max. Now, It balances between 192-197 when I weight myself. I'm currently on green tea extract pills, which is a cheap appitite supressor, as I LOVE JUNK FOOD, so it helps quite a lot. I run 1.5 k every other day too.

I know its going to be hard, I have 17 inch biceps and cro-cop esc legs (I've actually had to see a doctor last year about the muscle on my legs, as they were getting 'too big' if theres such a thing.......he said they were very muscular, but could help prevent injury, so yeah)

[MitchMMA]

Dang, 17 inch biceps? Thats pretty big, mine were about 14-15 inches since the last time I measured them (which was months ago lol, not sure if they are bigger or smaller now ha)

I have skinny ass legs though, but I have good kicks and knees so it' dont matter lol.

[Cory]

Yeah, I bulked up with some muscle, and my muscle is where I need it to be to fight at 170, as I've sparred with a guy who was 175, and with my less-than-average wrestling, was able to throw him around quite a lot.

I'm going for just a step below the Thiago Alves look. Pack as much muscle on, then cut like crazy, but Alves is jacked, and I'm....well not, aside from my arms, which may be the same, but it has slowed my punching speed a bit.

I haven't done an arm workout in about two weeks now, just straight running and cutting down on junk food, with two meals a day. Usually Vector cereal or Bacon and Eggs in the morning, and a big supper. I stopped when I was starting to be able to lift 265lbs on the bench press, because I'm not going to have to do that to fight at 170.

I'm not a fan of fat burners, because they dont work. That's why there are so many of them, because they're all gimmicks. Every since they banned the only ingredient that was truly a fat burner, Ephedra, everything else is either green tea extract (Good) and lots of caffeine (VERY VERY BAD!), so thats why I got straight up Green tea extract supplements, and they work good, and they're only like $8.

[MitchMMA]

You only eat 2 meals a day? Is that enough?

And yeah I agree about the fat burners

[chunkylover]

I have no experience in MMA but seriously. just asking, Mitch, how can 6 meals a day be considered dieting?

[MitchMMA]

It boosts your metabolism, several athletes eat 6 meals a day. Not huge meals, small ones.

[Cory]

Small meals work for some, less meals for others. I usually eat lots of peanut butter during the day if I snack, as it's like 75% protein and helps build muscle.

[MitchMMA]

Yeah I love peanut butter, I also am a fan of tuna sandwiches and I always have my eggs in the morning lol.

I alos try to eat walnuts for snacks a lot.

[Big Gay Honker]

Cory, you seriously need to take in more cals than you are man.  What is your height, weight, and weight you wanna fight at? 

5'10
194lbs

and I wanna fight at 170.

The thing is, I'm usually loaded with Soccer. 5-6 times a week, but recently, I got hurt at the start of the summer, so I've gained a few pounds, so Im trying to cut before the school season starts (7 weeks-ish) and too, help with potential MMA and High School Wrestling weight classes.

See, when I played Soccer, I was I'd say 175lbs lightest, 180 max. Now, It balances between 192-197 when I weight myself. I'm currently on green tea extract pills, which is a cheap appitite supressor, as I LOVE JUNK FOOD, so it helps quite a lot. I run 1.5 k every other day too.

I know its going to be hard, I have 17 inch biceps and cro-cop esc legs (I've actually had to see a doctor last year about the muscle on my legs, as they were getting 'too big' if theres such a thing.......he said they were very muscular, but could help prevent injury, so yeah)

Well you're s growing boy, and your weight will change here and there.  For you I'd say cut down on protein and any muscle supplements you're on.  Drink at least a gallon and a half of water a day.  When you do all this, as much cardio as your soccer requires, your muscle mass should go down too.  Running actually lowers muscle mass.  Green leafy veggies would also be a good thing for you. 

I know what you mean about big legs, my thighs are too big for me to wear the correct size of boxers.  Sucks in a way, but meh.  If you're down leg workouts in the weight room, cut them out too. 

[Cory]

I've actually never done leg workouts, maybe 2-3 times in my life. All soccer. From the age 12 till 14, I played soccer, 3-5 hours a day, 6 days a week (summer time).