Guest Post From: Sean Kennedy
In order to be the best, you have to beat the best. This old adage has a lot of truth to it, but the truth is: in order to be the best, you have to train better than the best. The only way to train to your full potential is by eating right. You need to have a diet that is lean, healthy, and will allow you to compete successfully. MMA fighting is a very competitive sport, so anyone who hopes to succeed will need to have a diet that gives that person a fighting edge.
A fighter’s meal planning is very important to success, so why not try the Paleo diet?
What really is the Paleo diet?
The Paleo diet, also known as the “Caveman diet“, advocates a diet that focuses on eating healthy proteins, nutrient rich vegetables and fruits, and wants to avoid eating processed foods at all costs. It stresses less carbohydrates and more protein. It follows a very basic principle: eat what the Paleolithic humans eat. This diet is quickly becoming popular. Celebrities, eco-lovers, and now athletes are now following this diet. As a fighter, proteins and healthy nutrition are vital. Most fighters can down anything because they train so hard, but if you’re going to put fuel in your body, make sure to put premium and not just unleaded.
Based on the “Paleo Diet for Athletes” by Joe Friel and Loren Cordain, a typical American athlete does not have enough nutrient-dense:
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Seafood
- Lean meats
They eat too much dairy, cereal, and refined sugars. Our bodies weren’t designed to process these types of foods—hence the proliferation of lactose and Gluten intolerance. These types of foods simply didn’t exist in cave-man times. These foods slow down a fighter’s stamina, make it harder to last longer, and simply do not build mass as effectively as natural foods do.
This diet is also friendly to the environment!
Paleo diet enthusiasts have been bombarded with comments of objections from both vegans and eco-enthusiasts. However, there is proof that meat intake is indeed more environmentally healthy than the vegan alternative:
- The ever-famous soy, which is one of the major food ingredients for vegetarians, is partially to blame for the intense deforestation in Paraguay, Argentina, and Brazil.
- As compared with pork, chicken, and other meats, dairy products such as cheese, which the Paleo diet avoids, are bad for the environment.
- Based on the research study conducted by Christopher Weber and H. Scott Matthews, cereals, fruits, and vegetables generate more greenhouse gas emissions from transport compared with chicken, red meat, or fish.
- Livestock that thrives on grass is a critical element of the sustainable agriculture. Paleo diet promotes the growth of livestock because it’s centered in eating meat.
As an athlete, you have a responsibility to take care of your health. The Paleo diet takes full responsibility for the things we eat and encourages us to eat what’s natural to our bodies. If you want to be in the best shape for your next fight, make sure that you put the right fuel into your body. The Paleo diet will do this for you.
Are you on the Paleo Diet? Would you like to be? Let us know below in the comments!
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