One-week meal plan for combat athletes

If you’re like most of us, you know how to train...hard, and you’ve got your weekly training schedule sorted. But when you throw in work, relationship, family, and all of life's other stresses, the diet is the one thing that always falls to the wayside…

We wanted to help!

Knowing that for most of us, understanding what a nutritionally balanced meal plan looks like for optimal performance and recovery is the hardest part - we reached out to our in-house dietitian Luca to create a one-week meal plan designed specifically for combat athletes.

As combat athletes, we know first hand that we have demanding nutritional requirements. Our diets need to give us enough energy to fuel us through our high-intensity training, plus give us the right nutrients to recover so we can do it all over again. This is a tricky balance to master, especially when you add the sea of contradicting information about diets into the mix!

The good news is - it doesn’t have to be difficult. Below you'll find six delicious and easy recipes that you can alternate throughout the week so you can eat to optimise your training. Plus, Luca has also created a five-day meal schedule guiding you on what to eat for pre-training, AM training, breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea / pre-training snack, PM training, dinner and dessert!

Meal prep guide

Are you incorporating supplements into your diet? Click here to browse our range and find out how each product will help optimise your performance and recovery.

Recipes

Choc PB Protein Pancakes

Protein pancakes have a reputation for being rubbery and dry, but this recipe yields delicious pancakes that are crispy on the outside and soft and fudgy on the inside. Delivering 50g protein and 48g carbs per serve, these protein pancakes are the perfect post-training meal to help repair damaged muscles and refuel glycogen levels.

Double the recipe and store batter in the fridge for up to 2 days. Just add a dash of milk to thin it out prior to cooking.

Ingredients (serves 1) (DF option)

• 50g rolled oats
• 1 small banana
• 2 egg whites
• 1 scoop Chocolate CMBT Reload
• 2 tsp. peanut butter
• 1/3 cup your choice of milk/mylk
• ½ tsp. coconut oil

To serve: Your favourite toppings (we used fresh fruit, coconut yoghurt, maple syrup).

We formulated CMBT RELOAD with a unique 4 stage recovery system using clinically researched ingredients to support your recovery. Click here to learn more.

Method

1. Blitz all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Add a dash more milk if needed to achieve pourable batter consistency.
2. Heat coconut oil on frypan over medium heat. Cook pancakes for approx. 1 minute per side or until your pancake starts to bubble around the edges. Flip and cook for a further 1 minute or until nicely golden.
3. Transfer to plate and serve with your choice of toppings.

Smoky Baked Beans

This smoky baked bean recipe is packed full of fibre from the beans and vitamin C from the tomatoes. Beans and wholegrain toast are a great source of complex carbohydrates, which help to replenish muscle glycogen stores and provide slow-releasing energy to keep you fuelled throughout the day. This dish is also a great plant-based brekky option (if you skip the eggs), with the beans and toast providing all essential amino acids needed for muscle growth and repair.

The ingredient list of this recipe may seem long, but don’t let this put you off trying it. The great thing about this dish is you probably have many of these ingredients in your pantry already and the recipe is very flexible, so you can easily swap ingredients for something you already have on hand. This recipe can be doubled, tripled, quadrupled even, and the leftovers stored in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to three months.

Ingredients (serves 4) (GF option, DF, VG option)

• 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon something salty - soy sauce/tamari (GF)/Worcester
• 1 tablespoon something tangy - apple cider vinegar/white vinegar/lime juice
• 2 tablespoons something sweet - maple syrup/brown sugar
• 1 x 400g tin crushed tomatoes
• 1 x 400g tin cannellini beans
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

To serve - wholegrain bread, eggs (optional)

Method

1. Sautee onion and garlic in olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat for 5
2. Add cumin, paprika and cook for a further 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Add all other ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce the temperature and leave to simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.
4. Serve on crusty wholegrain toast with eggs (optional) for added protein.

Zesty Quinoa and Bean Salad

This dish is bursting with fresh flavours and contains a host of beneficial nutrients. Quinoa and beans are great sources of plant-based iron and the absorption of this is enhanced by vitamin C found in capsicum and tomatoes. Quinoa and beans are also great sources of plant-based protein and fibre, which work to keep you feeling full and satisfied throughout the day. The addition of extra virgin olive oil provides a serve of healthy monounsaturated fats and also contains modest amounts of vitamin E and K.

Ingredients (serves 4) (GF, DF, VG)

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 limes, juiced
• 2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 punnet cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 small capsicum, chopped
• 1 x 400g can black beans or cannellini beans
• 5 spring onions, finely chopped
• 1 bunch coriander, chopped (optional)

Method

1. Rinse quinoa well under cold water. Add to saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until quinoa is tender and water has been absorbed (approx. 10-15 minutes). Set aside to cool.
2. Whisk olive oil, lime juice and cumin in a bowl.
3. Combine quinoa, tomatoes, capsicum, black beans, and spring onions together in a bowl. Pour dressing over quinoa mixture; toss to coat. Stir in coriander; season with cracked pepper.

Greek-Style Lamb Wraps

These Greek-style lamb wraps are great for those who like to prep lunches on a Sunday for the week ahead. To keep your wraps fresh, store ingredients separately in the fridge and assemble the day you plan to eat it. This recipe also lends itself well to chicken, or falafels for a vege option.

Lamb is rich in protein, iron, vitamin B12 and zinc. Paired with fibre from the salad veg and complex carbohydrates from the wholemeal flatbreads, this lunch meal is sure to keep you satisfied well into the afternoon.

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 1kg boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 2cm pieces
• 1 tbsp. dried oregano
• 1-2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 6 x wholemeal Lebanese flat breads
• Your choice of dip – hummus, tahini, tzatziki
• 1 punnet cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1 Lebanese cucumber, sliced
• 3 spring onions, sliced
• 4-leaf salad mix

Method

1. Chop lamb shoulder into 2cm cubes and toss in dried oregano. Cook lamb in olive oil in a large frypan over medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes, tossing occasionally.
2. Assemble wraps by spreading dip over flatbread and topping with lamb pieces, tomato, cucumber, spring onion and lettuce. Fold like a burrito and serve.

Barramundi with Sweet Potato Wedges and Greens

This high protein, carbohydrate-rich dish is a great way to refuel after an evening training session. The sweet potato and green beans also provide folate, vitamin C and beta-carotene while the barramundi provides a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 essential fatty acids reduce exercise-induced inflammation and promote healthy joints which are both essential for a combat athlete.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 2-4 large sweet potatoes, washed (leave skin on), cut into thick 2inch-long wedges
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 2 whole oranges
• Small handful chopped coriander
• 400g green beans
• 4 barramundi fillets, ~170g each, skin on (or salmon or other white fish)
• Cracked black pepper

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius.
2. Toss sweet potato wedges with a dash of olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Bake in oven for approximately 30-40 minutes, turning halfway, or until crispy.
3. Meanwhile, make your vinaigrette by whisking 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive with juice of 1 orange in a small bowl. Add a handful of chopped coriander and pepper to taste. Set aside. Chop your remaining 1 orange into segments and set aside.
4. Score barramundi skin with a knife. Heat a little extra virgin olive oil in a frypan over medium-high heat and add barramundi skin side down, for 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook for further 1-2 minutes or until just cooked through. Set aside.
5. In the same pan, add green beans and a little extra oil (if needed) and turn heat down to medium. Sautee green beans for 3-4 minutes or until bright green and tender. Add orange segments.
6. Serve fish with sweet potato wedges & green beans and drizzle with vinaigrette.

Maple-Mustard Chicken Tray Bake

This maple-mustard chicken tray bake is super simple to put together and uses minimal equipment, making clean up a breeze. It also keeps well in the fridge for up to 4 days so it’s a great meal-prep dish. Chicken provides a great source of lean protein, along with B vitamins (B1, B6 and B12), zinc, magnesium and selenium. If you use sweet potato and carrots like we did, you’ll also be getting a good dose of beta-carotene, potassium and vitamin C.

Ingredients (serves 4) (GF, DF)

• 1/3 cup maple syrup (or sugar-free maple syrup)
• 1 tbsp. wholegrain mustard
• 500g mixed roasting vegetables (we recommend sweet potato, carrot, zucchini, red onion)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tbsp. dried rosemary or 3-4 fresh rosemary sprigs
• 1kg chicken breasts

Method

1. Preheat oven to 210 degrees Celsius.
2. Chop your roasting vegetables into similar sized chunks around 3 cm x 3 cm and add to a lined deep baking tray along with your minced garlic and rosemary.
3. Combine maple syrup and wholegrain mustard in a small bowl. Pour half the mixture onto your vegetables and toss to coat and put in oven.
4. Start preparing your chicken right away by heating a little olive oil in a large fry pan over high heat and cutting three deep slits into your chicken breasts.
5. Panfry chicken for 2 ½ minutes per side or until golden brown.
6. Place chicken over vegetables on the tray and drizzle with remaining mustard-maple mixture.
7. Place tray back in oven and roast for a further 20 minutes until or until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.

Click below to download a copy of the meal prep guide now, plus a detailed supplement guide explaining key ingredients that serve different goals, how to choose a high-quality supplement, and the ingredients in each of our CMBT supplements.

Disclaimer:

The sample menu plan provided above is an example of a nutritionally balanced, high protein and moderate carbohydrate diet suited to active individuals. This is provided for general education purposes only and does not take into consideration your personal needs. We recommend you consult with a sports dietitian/nutritionist if you are looking for an individualised meal plan developed to meet your health and performance goals.