Conor McGregor’s diet: 6 meals a day in the weeks before a bout
On a diet like Conor McGregor? It’s not easy, but to become a UFC mixed martial arts champion, the care of physique and nutrition has equal value beyond, of course, technique. The Irishman’s diet is rigid, but there is also little room for some “vice” (clearly far from the periods of preparation of the meetings). In recent months “The Notorious”, McGregor’s nickname that derives from his ability to get in trouble all the time and therefore be “famous” and the passion for the American rapper The Notorious Big, was followed by nutritionist Tristin Kennedy who, in an interview with ESPN, told the secrets of his diet.
The work done with McGregor, Kennedy explains, was aimed at bringing him to the best condition at the January 24 bout in Abu Dhabi against Dustin “the diamond” Poirier (lost in two rounds to The Notorious). “It was a daily journey of 7 days a week. Of course, Conor also had free time, but that kind of goal involves daily nutrition plans, supplements, obsessive attention to cooking, all perfectly calibrated to workouts and other activities.” In short, not only a food plan, but an all-round path. “His diet – continues Kennedy – consisted of sources of lean proteins such as chicken, fish, salmon, beef, eggs, but also complex carbohydrates and microelements such as aromatic herbs, basil, oregano. All balanced as part of a more articulated food plan that takes nutritional elements from different sources. I think the key is variety.”
“It is important – adds the nutritionist – to correctly balance the caloric intake when trying to break down the weight. If you lower the assimilated calories too much, you risk feeling too much fatigue and losing muscle tone, which is a hypothesis to avoid”. An attempt is therefore made to modulate the diet in a scientific way, gradually reduce the quantities and distribute them throughout the day according to the quantity and quality of the workouts. “When I received the training program, I drew the daily diet based on the foods he likes the most and the foods most functional to the path we were doing. With an even more careful approach in the week of the meeting in which to also measure the water, sodium and all the supplements necessary to bring it to the ideal level”.
The basis on which Kennedy and McGregor worked, however, was more or less the same and was based on six daily meals. At breakfast oats with eggs and sautéed vegetables. In the middle of the morning fruit and herbs salad with organic honey. For lunch chicken breast with rice and asparagus and, in the afternoon a smoothie of vanilla whey protein with nut butter. At dinner an Irish lamb stew with potatoes and, after dinner, one last snack with homemade whey protein balls and organic tea.
