Boxing is a sweet science of strategies and asks for a lot more than just punching techniques and defense. This article will go over all the different things you need to know about a perfect pre-boxing meal plan.
So, What Do Boxers Eat Before a Fight?
- Eggs
- Vegetables
- Whole Grain breads
- Fresh fruits
- Beans
- Potatoes
- Chicken
- Cheese
- Red meat
In this article, I’ll explain exactly why pro boxers prefer these food items and list out some healthy food combinations you can include in your meal:
There are many factors involved in creating a perfectly optimized meal. And you can go to that deeper level without having to be a veteran diet planner.
Here’s how:
What to Eat Before a Boxing Match?
In a sport like boxing, nutrition and healthy food intake play an important role in the overall energy levels of fighters throughout the match. A balanced diet allows boxers to channel their strength and fight at the optimal level of their skills.
Usually, boxers have different opinions about their meals but here are some of the food items recommended by lots of nutritionists and are proven to be effective for boxers’ body health.
1. Eggs, Beans and Cheese
Food items that contain protein must be included in the boxer’s pre-fight meal as it plays a very crucial role in their muscle-building blocks. Food items like eggs, beans, cheese, and red meat are protein-rich foods that help boxers to maintain energy during the fight.
Boxers use different attacking techniques which leads to the breaking down of their muscle tissues. In such situations, protein strengthens the rebuilds these tissues by providing necessary amino acids and helps the boxers to recover from their intense physical activity.
The boxers who do not feel well by eating such heavy food before their match can also prefer something like protein shakes that will fulfill the protein requirements of the body.
2. Vegetables, Fruits and Whole Grains
Intense physical activity takes a lot of energy which leads to the depletion of glycogen (store sugar) in the body. It makes boxers tired which negatively impacts their body strength and the overall performance during their match.
Food items like vegetables, fruits, and whole grains contain complex carbohydrates which help to replenish this glycogen store and allow boxers to maintain their stamina.
Carbohydrates also balance sugar levels in the blood and restore the depleted nutrients in the body. That’s why it’s important to include a source of carbohydrates in your meal.
Top 4 Effective Food Combinations for Boxers
The right amount of nutrients at right time is important to keep the body reactive and strong. And that’s why it’s always beneficial to balance all the nutrients and vitamins in the whole food diet.
To boost athletic performance and to achieve higher energy levels in the ring, the pre-boxing meal should contain:
- 10% – 30% of Lean Protein
- 50% – 60% of Complex Carbohydrates
- 20% – 30% of Healthy Fats
Here’re some great meal combinations to eat before a boxing match:
- Fruits and Nuts with Greek yogurt: Fruits and nuts add extra required energy throughout the match whereas Greek yogurt is a high-quality protein-rich food that supports and carries boxers’ bodies.
- Apple and Banana with Peanut Butter: Banana and apple slices are rich sources of carbohydrates and potassium that help boxers to maintain smooth muscles and nerve functions. This tasty combination with a little spoon of peanut butter can charge and fuel up the whole body.
- Cottage cheese with Fruits: Fruits like pineapple and blackberries with cottage cheese provide quick energy and can help boxers to improve their overall performance in the match.
- Whole grain Bread with Chicken/Turkey: Whole grain bread with lean slices of turkey or chicken is one of the tasty meals. Chicken is an excellent package of proteins whereas whole-grain bread contains carbohydrates that help boxers to boost the spirit. Pita bread with hummus is also a very effective combination.
Most professional boxers prefer to take whole grain bread, sweet potatoes, beans, fresh fruits for complex carbohydrates, chicken, eggs, and fish for their protein needs, and nuts, seeds, and olive oil for healthy fats.
What to Not Eat Before Boxing Fight?
Boxers should be very precise and careful while deciding the pre-boxing meals because eating or drinking the wrong substance before their match can significantly affect their performance in the match.
1. Milk and Dairy Products
One should not drink milk before any physical activity. Even if milk is a nutrient-rich substance but still not good for health when taken before a heavy workout.
Most dairy products contain fats that take time for digestion and thus reduce the reaction time of boxers and can make them feel nauseous, sluggish, and gassy.
According to some medical professionals, milk doesn’t cause any problem if a person intakes it an hour before the match. But I still recommend not to consider any dairy products in the pre-boxing meals.
2. Junk and High-Fat Food
Junk food can harm the digestive tract and reduce metabolic efficiency as it does not contain any real nutrients and proteins. It can make boxers’ stomachs feel uncomfortable while fighting.
Whereas high-fat food is not good for maintaining fitness it can add extra fat to the body. Such food also gets digested slowly and thus boxer’s body fails to absorb fats by breaking down food items before the match starts.
3. Juices and Fizzy Drinks
Drinking juices can cause cramps in the stomach during the fight. It contains fructose which takes time for digestion compared to other sugars.
Its intake gives a rapid energy response in starting and later in a couple of minutes, it leads to lethargy. Whereas some freshly squeezed juices have some nutrients and immunity benefits but still it’s better to avoid them.
Fizzy drinks contain soda which obviously does not have any nutrition and is loaded with sugar. Consuming such drinks before any physical activity is the poorest choice. It can cause stomach cramps, nausea, and numerous adverse metabolic side effects.
Check out the below video to know about professional boxers meal plans:
How Long Before a Boxing Match Should Boxer Eat?
To enter the ring in energized manner, the boxer should eat food 2-3 hours before the match. It gives the body enough time to start the digestion process which leads to energy release while fighting.
Half an hour beforehand of the fight, boxers can also eat light snacks like oats, protein shakes, fruits, boiled eggs which add extra power to punches. It also increases boxers’ stamina and helps their body to stay active during the match.
But having a heavy meal just before the match can cause health issues like discomfort, stomach cramps, and nausea due to an incomplete digestion process. So a person needs to be very particular about time while having a meal.
Not only for the fighting matches, but boxers should also make a perfect schedule of their diet during the whole workout session. After eating food one should wait for ample time before doing any physical activity
What Do Boxers Eat For Breakfast?
The breakfast of boxers should be full of nutrients so that their day starts in the best and most energetic way. For additional proteins and high fibers, most of the boxers eat oats in the morning by adding fruits slices, nuts and by sprinkling some chia seeds.
Wheat-based cereals or boiled eggs on wholesome toast is also a great breakfast option for boxers.
If a boxing match is at late night or in the afternoon boxers’ biggest meal should be in the morning time. After that, the next crucial food should directly be the pre-boxing meal.
Importants Tips For Boxers Regarding Meal Plan:
The most important day for boxers is obviously the fighting day where they have to show their best version possible. A perfect diet plan also plays a key role in maintaining highly effective body mechanisms and concentration.
Here’re some tips to consider while making a meal plan:
1. Don’t Experiment on Fight Day
If a boxer eats a new type of food item on the fight day just to boost energy, it can cause a problem. As it is difficult to guess how his/her body is going to respond to that substance.
Such unknown product intakes can affect the digestive system and boxers would start losing control over the body. And all the training and hard work of years can get ruined.
My only recommendation here is not to experiment with meals directly on the fight day or even two-three days before. A person should stick to their routine meal and consume only healthy food items.
2. Keep Stomach Happy
Not only the diet, but boxers also should not change their routine on their match day. It’s important to wake up according to the daily schedule and must take breakfast at the same time.
A breakfast becomes even more important when a match is in the night or evening. After gratifying meal it’s better to take 1-2 hours of a nap but just make sure to make little movement after waking up.
After that, a normal size lunch should be between 11 am – 12 pm. One should eat something which contains complex carbohydrates (e.g vibrant vegetables) and drink plenty of water throughout the day.
Drinking water without sugar and honey keeps the body optimized. You can also eat light snacks like almond butter or peanut butter with fruits in between.
And if the fight is at night time, then take a normal size mid-meal some hours before the fight. Food of asparagus or chicken with onions, mushrooms, and peppers together, are great for digestion.
Final Thoughts
Now you know, what exactly is healthy and what things you need to include in your pre-boxing fight meal. But, you should know, you’re supposed to follow your pre-fight diet plan from at least 3 to 8 weeks before the match.
Along with the pre-boxing meals, the daily diet plan of boxers during the training period also should be healthy. Proper hydration and nutrition of the body are necessary on these crucial days to maintain good body health for the fight.
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