IT is of the upmost importance for any fighter to constantly maintain healthy eating habits to support their own specific nutritional goals. One way to help achieve this is by making sure your fridge and cupboards are stocked full of the right foods. Ensuring your fridge and cupboards are filled with healthy, nutritious foods will in turn provide boxers with the greatest opportunity to make the right decisions when it comes to fuelling for and recovering from a long, hard day of training and sparring or when it comes to finding a healthy snacking option.
Over the next few pages I will list the top 5 foods that every fridge or cupboard should contain to promote healthy eating habits.
Twitter: @MarcFell1
Email: j.m.fell@2014.ljmu.ac.uk
1. Meats and fish
EVERY fridge should aim to contain a range of different meats (i.e. chicken, turkey, steak) and fish (i.e. salmon, mackerel, white fish) to ensure that a fighter is consuming a rich protein source at every meal in order to promote and maintain muscle protein synthesis, which is essential for muscle repair and growth. A range of different protein sources and the benefits of each can be seen in my previous article on the subject.
Twitter: @MarcFell1
Email: j.m.fell@2014.ljmu.ac.uk
2. Rolled porridge oats
PORRIDGE provides an essential part of any breakfast when a boxer is preparing for a long, high-intensity day of training whereby multiple sessions may be undertaken. Porridge is a perfect carbohydrate source that will provide the necessary energy for fuelling high-intensity sessions. Porridge is also a low-GI carbohydrate source which means that it provides a steady release of energy in the hours after consumption; this will also have positive implications for body composition. For those who do not like porridge by itself it may be useful to add different fruits, i.e. blueberries, or nuts with half a teaspoon of honey to sweeten it.
Twitter: @MarcFell1
Email: j.m.fell@2014.ljmu.ac.uk
3. Cottage cheese and Greek yoghurt
COTTAGE cheese and Greek yoghurt are two quality snacking options that are packed full of protein. Cottage cheese should be ideally consumed in the evening just before bed as it contains a high amount of casein protein (casein protein is a slow-release protein form that provides a more steady release of protein which is ideal for when you are sleeping). Greek yoghurt is another high-protein snack that can be enjoyed as part of a smoothie or by simply having it with some blueberries or different fruits or nuts.
Twitter: @MarcFell1
Email: j.m.fell@2014.ljmu.ac.uk
4. White rice/pasta
WHITE rice and white pasta provide two excellent sources of carbohydrates that are essential for elevating muscle glycogen reserves for training – as this will provide the predominant energy during high-intensity exercise. These foods are also ideal choices in a recovery meal for replenishing muscle glycogen after training in preparation for the next session. However it may also be useful to avoid these foods before or after specific training sessions to promote training adaptation and positively affect body composition. But this should be appropriately periodised within your nutritional strategies and more info on this can be found in my previous article on the subject.
Twitter: @MarcFell1
Email: j.m.fell@2014.ljmu.ac.uk
5. Fruit and vegetables
FRUIT (i.e. blueberries, cherries) and vegetables (i.e. kale, broccoli, asparagus, cabbage) are a necessity for any fridge or freezer whether this is in frozen or fresh forms. Fruit and vegetables contain many essential vitamins and minerals that have a vast array of jobs within the body and are especially important for supporting the immune function of an individual, so preventing illness or sickness. Every meal should aim to include a large portion of vegetables or for those who do not particularly like vegetables it may be useful to blend them in a smoothie to hide the taste and texture. Fruits should be consumed around training to contribute to providing energy for such sessions whilst the like of blueberries and cherries also have specific antioxidant properties which means they may reduce feelings of soreness after training.
Twitter: @MarcFell1
Email: j.m.fell@2014.ljmu.ac.uk
