Issue 090

July 2012

Bellator lightweight champion Michael Chandler loves eating clean, doesn’t love cheat meals.

What are the five must-haves you have in your refrigerator?

“It has to be eggs, chicken breast, bell peppers, 100% orange juice and a gallon of water. Those are five things that definitely need to be in my fridge.”

What do you have on your cheat days?

“I actually don’t have cheat days. Sometimes I’ll have a bad meal, but very rarely. I really enjoy eating healthy, so if I have chicken and vegetables for my whole training camp, I won’t get tired of them because they taste good. I’ll definitely have some ice-cream though (laughs).”

Do you have anything else in your freezer besides frozen peas?

“I keep frozen fish, maybe some frozen chicken. I like to keep frozen vegetables in there too, because I can steam them and you get a really nice taste from that. Again, this shows that I love healthy food.”

What’s your favorite bottled sauce?

“I’d have to say ketchup. You can have ketchup with anything.”

What is your signature dish?

“I make a really good protein scramble. I’ll take three or four eggs, slice up some chicken breast, cut up some red onions and throw in some spinach. It’s got a ton of protein, plus your vegetables. I’ll have that a lot, especially when I’m in my last few weeks of camp and I’m cleaning up my diet. I call it the ‘Chandler Scramble.’”

What’s your favorite meal during fight camp?

“Obviously, the ‘Chandler Scramble,’ but chicken and vegetables is pretty much all I eat during fight camp.”

What meal do you eat after the weigh-in?

“Chicken and rice. You get your carbs and your protein. I’ll have some fruit too. I try to hit all the best food groups in the first 24 hours so I’ve got all the best fuel inside of me.”

What food do you look forward to most after a fight?

“Just a lot more ice-cream (laughs) and some chipotle. Chipotle and ice-cream is like the perfect meal.”

What is your least favorite type of food?

“I don’t really like Mexican food that much. I like American-style Mexican food.”

What are your three favorite meals?

“A chipotle burrito bowl would be my number one. I’d then have pizza, then chicken and rice.”

Loves

Chipotle

Hates

Cheat meals

Which?

Pepsi or Coke? Pepsi

Milk or beer? Beer

Coffee or tea? Coffee

Margarine or butter? Butter

Salt or pepper? Pepper

Chocolate or cheese? Chocolate

Brown or white bread? Brown

Brown or white rice? Brown

Sweet or savory? Sweet

Your mom’s cooking or your wife’s cooking? I don’t have a girlfriend, so my mom’s.