Issue 068
October 2010
Revolution is a strong word, with major connotations. To revolutionize is to ‘change radically; make different; cause a transformation’.
The question that has to be asked before revolutionizing your diet is: why are you doing it? Are you lacking in strength and power? Are you carrying too much extra cushioning? Do you need to make weight for an upcoming fight, or are you simply aspiring for continual improvement?
Your goals will determine the changes you have to make and how you’ll go about making them. Below are four tips that break from the norm and will genuinely revolutionize your diet.
1 Carbohydrate cycling
The idea of carbohydrate cycling is to have high, medium and low-carbohydrate days. The aim of the high days is to ‘re-feed’ the body, thereby replenishing fuel levels in your muscles. This also increases the circulation of metabolic hormones, which actually help you get shredded.
When dropping body fat, fighters will often go on a very low-carbohydrate diet. The theory behind this is sound: reduce calorie intake and create a better fat-burning environment by controlling the level of insulin in your body (carbohydrates, particularly sugary carbohydrates, can increase the level of insulin, which limits fat-burning). But fighters also need fuel for intense training sessions, and it can be hard to get this without carbs in the diet. This is where carb cycling can help.
A weekly carb cycling diet plan looks like this:
- Mon, Low: 75–100g carbs
- Tues, Low: 75–100g carbs
- Wed, Med: 150g carbs
- Thurs, Low : 75–100g carbs
- Fri, Low: 150g carbs
- Sat, Low: 75–100g carbs
- Sun, High: 500g carbs
The above isn’t set in stone and will vary according to your weight and goals. The benefit of having a high-carbohydrate day at the weekend means you get a mental break from the rigor of dieting.
If you want to try carb cycling, the amounts befpre can be calculated relative to your bodyweight as such:
- Low: 1–1.25g carbs per kg of bodyweight (e.g. 80kg = 80–100g)
- Med: 2g carbs per kg of bodyweight (e.g. 80kg = 160g)
- High: 7g carbs per kg of bodyweight (e.g. 80kg = 560g)
2 Nutrient timing
Instead of sticking to very low-calorie foods all the time, it’s possible to time nutrient intake to give your body the right fuels when it needs them the most. After an intense training session it’s important to ingest both carbs and protein – the body is in a very receptive state and absorbs nutrients efficiently, so capitalize on this. Simply put, eat less calories and carbs during the day and have your largest meal immediately after training. This aids muscle recovery and helps the body adapt to the stimulus of training.
3 Glycemic index
The Glycemic Index (GI) rates foods on how they affect blood sugar levels. Sugar (glucose) is the reference value and is given a score out of a hundred. Aim to consume a majority of low to medium GI carbohydrates; examples include whole wheat pasta, whole wheat rice, oats, etc. Save the sugary high-GI foods for immediately after training. This will help to regulate your blood sugar, which results in more-stable energy levels. As well as being a healthier way to eat than loading up on foods that give you a quick hit of energy (followed by a resulting crash) it allows your body to burn fat better.
When looking at GI values, be aware that there are anomalies, such as carrots (which could be perceived as ‘bad’ due to their high GI number) and ice cream (which has a low GI). As with all things, let common sense prevail when choosing your food.
4 Training on empty
Current thinking supports the idea that training first thing in the morning on an empty stomach can enhance fat burning. But fighters are looking to perform better, not just look good. Unsurprisingly, training on empty doesn’t allow you to perform as well as normal. But if you’re performing low-intensity cardiovascular work in the mornings, with the intention of losing weight, it may be beneficial to do this on an empty stomach (only two to three times per week, not every session). A little protein or branched chain amino acids (BCAA’s) prior to exercise can help to protect your muscles while you try to burn off that fat.
