What Every Combat Athlete Needs to Know About Nutrition and Performance

What Every Combat Athlete Needs to Know About Nutrition and Performance

You love your training. You give it your best every time. Heading home wired but tired, get in the door, what do you eat? Depends. Some will eat what’s been prepared for them, some will just have a protein shake or won’t even eat at all cause you know, you might put on weight by eating this late at night …..yeah I know you. And then there’s the fridge raiders who are so hungry, it’s a race to get down as much food as you can.

Time and time again I see athletes who can train at such an admirable level. You put your training first, it’s scheduled in, you won’t let the coach down or the team, but you don’t treat your nutrition with the same importance. And yet, nutrition is the absolute key to maximising your performance, recovery, overall health, and longevity.

How many times have you not been able to sleep at night, or it’s an ongoing issue? Do you realise that by not eating post training, you are reducing your ability to recover? Carbohydrates post training have more advantage than not. To keep it simple, just think of carbohydrates as your best way to help you refuel from the exercise you have just completed. Did you know that in certain situations (i.e. shift workers), high energy carbohydrates like oats, potato, and rice are used as a strategy to help you sleep better? And guess what? No, they didn’t magically put on 5kg by doing so.

If you want to enhance your performance and be the best you can, then look at your diet. Keep it simple. Lean meats, fruit and vegetables, good fats, wholegrains, plenty of water and good sleep. This is your base. Everything thereafter should be done with purpose. It’s so easy to head straight for supplements. You know every fat burner and magic that’s available and think that’s going to make your performance better and decrease your fat, all without addressing your nutritional foundations.

Are there benefits to specific supplements and what are they? Absolutely. But it’s about perspective and why. That’s another story!

Michelle Reeves is an Accredited Sports Nutritionist who has worked with athletes in Triathletes, AFL, Cross Country, Motocross, swimming and MMA. Her vast experience working with combat athletes spans from amateur fighters all the way to UFC fighters including Jimmy Crute, Jake Matthews, Ben Sosoli and Montana DeLaRosa. Coming from a Personal Training background and running a private studio for 5 years, Michelle has undertaken continuous nutritional education to provide her clients with the most balanced and up-to-date support and information.

We are excited to have Michelle Reeves join our Expert Advisory Board at CMBT and continue to provide our community with professional health and nutritional information specifically for combat athletes.