Eating is obviously a key part of life for everyone. However, it is arguably more important when training BJJ regularly. In brief, eating can be optimized to make sure you perform better at training and recover as efficiently as possible. Not only this, but it’s good in general to be healthy. If you follow these basic rules then you should create a healthy diet and easy routine to follow which should in turn make your grappling lifestyle easier to maintain.
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Protein for BJJ recovery
The average sedentary man needs roughly 56 grams of protein a day to stay healthy. However, this number is closer to double as a BJJ practitioner. In brief, roughly 100 grams of protein is needed to stay healthy whilst doing BJJ. This means roughly three chicken breasts as they each contain 30 grams each.
Alongside drinking a glass of milk, nuts, eggs and oatmeal should make 100 grams an incredibly easy target to reach. The number of 100 grams may sound daunting, but all of the above foods have lots of protein. Not only this, but other meats and fish are packed with protein which is key for muscle recovery.
Whilst these are the healthiest options to gain protein, you can also opt for protein shakes or bars if needed. These are usually higher in sugar and are processed foods so they aren’t as natural or healthy as the above. However, if you’re training hard then it won’t hurt. Protein is arguably the most important part of a grappler’s diet as they constantly need fuel to recover muscles. If your muscles don’t recover quickly enough then your body may begin to break down and be more prone to injuries as a result. As said, 100 grams is the target which can be achieved by using protein in your main meals as well as snacks.
Remember to keep your diet varied as well as it may become too boring otherwise. For instance, it’s not realistic to eat chicken every day. Sometimes you may want to mix it up and replace fish with eggs for instance. By doing this your diet will be less repetitive and you’re more likely to stay on track. It takes roughly 1-2 months for habits to become permanent. With this said, it’s easier to stay on track with variation. Too often people start out with strict diets which don’t last as they get bored quickly.
Carbohydrates
Carbs are probably the second most important part of a BJJ diet. In short, carbs work by providing energy to do daily tasks, such as exercise. If protein recovers the body then carbs are the fuel to get you through the day. A good example of this is using oatmeal. Whilst it provides a decent amount of protein, it’s also a great breakfast as it’s healthy and is full of carbs. In short, this will set you up for the day and fill you up until lunch time.
Too often, people snack on foods due to boredom and feeling hungry. These are often dead calorie food such as chips and chocolate. However, if you eat enough oatmeal to begin the day, then you may not need to eat until lunch. Oatmeal not only keeps your body fuelled – but it also stops you from snacking on bad foods.
Other examples of carbs include rice and potatoes. If you want to be a little healthier, then brown rice is preferred. These are often eaten at lunch or dinner. You can start to combine these food groups with protein. For example, chicken breast with rice is a very healthy option for dinner. Remember, a key tip to keep things exciting is proper seasoning.
Sometimes, people eat these foods without seasoning and so they taste bland. The idea is to season your foods with stuff like pepper and paprika. These seasonings are usually low calories but also add flavor. Not only this, but as a bonus they provide health benefits and can keep your immune system strong. This is ideal for grappling as colds and illnesses are common from over training or mixing with others.
Healthy fats
People are paranoid of fats, but in reality they are a key part of our diet. For instance, good fats also act as fuel like carbs, but also help produce hormones and boost your immune system. Naturally, fats can be found in nuts – which are also a high source of protein. You probably won’t gain much weight by snacking on nuts as long as you don’t go overboard. Other natural fats can be found in oily foods such as fish and eggs. Again, you shouldn’t fear these but embrace them. As mentioned earlier, it’s good to mix food groups to get a bit of everything, rather than focusing on one food group.
However, the danger of fats is having processed foods that are bad for you. These can add weight and be bad for cholesterol and your heart. For instance, chocolate and sugary foods are naturally high in fat. Not only can these add weight but they can also contribute to diabetes and other health problems. In brief, these are not good for you and will add junk calories to your diet.
Having said this, if you want the odd treat then that is fine. For instance, if you’ve just burned 1000 calories in training BJJ then eating a 150 calorie chocolate bar as a one-off won’t hurt you. Processed fats can also be found in takeaway foods like pizza, so be careful when eating fats as some can be healthy, whilst others can be damaging.
Natural sugars
Again, sugar has a bad reputation but is good for you from natural sources. For instance, natural sugars can be found in fruits such as bananas and apples. This helps boost your immune system and fight illness as well as keeping you healthy by cleansing the toxins in your body. However, like fats – processed sugar can be really bad for you. An example of this would be chocolate or cake. Whilst these may taste nice, they aren’t good for you. Similarly to processed fats, they can put on weight and damage your insides.
If you are planning on putting on weight then there’s no need to go down this route. If wanting to gain weight then you can up your protein take and put on muscle instead of fat. For instance, if you put on weight by gaining fat then you may gain a fatty belly. However, if you do this through protein then you would gain muscles. This is why BJJ athletes such as Leandro Lo and Gordon Ryan aren’t fat, because they gained weight from excess protein rather than through processed sugar.
Vegetables
Obviously, vegetables are good for you. Vegetables help your blood pressure, adds fibre and fights off cancer. However, another benefit is that they’re low in calories and can add flavour to your diet. In brief, they can complement meals by adding something different. For instance, if you combine the above food groups then you create a balanced meal. However, by adding vegetables it may taste even nicer. An example could be by adding carrots. Carrots taste quite sweet and are good for you. However, they don’t really add calories so there are no downsides of adding them into your diet.
As well, if you do need the urge to snack then vegetables offer a good solution. Whilst vegetables may fill you and keep your energy until your next meal – they’re also low in calories. This is a good dieting technique if training for a competition. If you need to watch your weight then snacking on vegetables and some fruits is a good way to keep away hunger and avoid snacking.
Supplements
Supplements should not be used to replace meals. As the name suggests, they are merely supplements that should complement your diet. One example of supplements could be a protein shake. For instance, if you’re struggling to get the required daily protein amount then a protein shake can instantly add a high number of protein. Similarly, cod liver oil can be used as a supplement to keep your bones healthy. As we know in BJJ – bones get damaged through breaks and wear and tear. Because of this, supplements can act as hacks to prevent long-term health problems.
Whilst supplements aren’t perfect, they do help. Supplements shouldn’t really add calories (other than protein shakes) so they aren’t problematic if counting calories. However, they should act as things that keep your body ticking over
Final thoughts and summary
Ultimately, a good diet plan should be tailored to your needs. For instance, if looking to cut weight then you want to make a calorie deficit, but if you want to add weight then you need a calorie surplus. In doing this, you need to try and be as healthy as possible. Anyone can lose weight by starving themselves but this is not good.
Alternatively, anyone can gain weight if they eat bad foods which aren’t healthy either. Ideally, your meal plan should be about achieving your goals through healthy foods. With this said, it’s good to eat a mix without one group dominating more than others. With this done you should find the happy balance of eating good foods which keep your BJJ on track.
