If you are into martial arts and watch UFC, you know who Connor McGregor is. For those of you that don’t, Connor Anthony McGregor is the UFC Featherweight and Lightweight Champion.
Apart from his excellent fighting ability, he has been given the nickname of “The Notorious One” because of his trash talking against his opponents pre-match. He is known all around the world as arguably the best MMA fighter in the world.
Now being an MMA fighter, McGregor has to follow a strict diet regime to keep in shape without compromising on energy and strength. We all know that working out is only 20% of the struggle; the other 80% is all about what you eat.
Now considering that Connor trains MMA every single day, an MMA training session burns between 1800-2000 calories during their 2-hour long training session.
So before big fights against opponents the likes of Nate Diaz and Floyd Mayweather, Connor was burning over 3000 calories every day, on average. This means that he would need enough food in his system to keep him going without exhausting his body.
It takes a lot of discipline to keep a healthy diet, and the first step to this is staying away from anything even slightly unhealthy. The Notorious One had just one thing to say with regards to this, “I don’t eat takeaways. I don’t eat none of that sh*t”.
Well said, Connor, and he is right when he says that eating takeaway is just not the way you become an MMA fighter.
A Quick Look Into Connor McGregor’s Diet
McGregor’s diet consists of the following:
- Baked or grilled fish & meat
- Complex carbs
- Lots of fresh vegetables
- Fruits and nuts
But the champ has his moments where he slips, and that is Connor's weakness. Champ, how about you tell the readers yourself. “I have a sweet tooth — that would be where I’d put on some weight out of fighting if somebody brings in a pack of cakes and coffee.” We’ll allow it, champ, I mean he’s only human after all.
Connor McGregor has a simple philosophy about eating healthy, “If it had a face or it grew, then it’s pretty much okay, and stay away from processed food.” It doesn’t get simpler than that. Being the most valuable MMA fighter in the world, grossing to about $85 million, the champ eats in style.
Here’s a look into some of the dishes McGregor has daily.
Cue Mr. George Lockhart
The soldier is just as crucial for winning the war as the man that invented the rifle. George Lockhart is Connor McGregor’s diet coach, and he was brought in by John Kavanagh (Connor’s head coach) before Connor’s first fight against Jose Aldo (UFC 194).
Lockhart believes that it is essential to have complex carbs, quality meat, and fresh vegetables, although he is not afraid of using simple carbohydrates, he thinks they should be reserved for post-workout. Lockhart’s general approach towards carbohydrates is that not a lot of people need it, but for a fighter that trains three times a day needs carbohydrates to have a sufficient store of glycogen to perform explosive training movements.
The ideal way is by avoiding carbs pre-workout, saving them for post-workout refuel. As a result, Lockhart emphasizes using fruits and nuts for pre-workout. The rest is pretty much a basic diet that consists of proteins, carbs, and healthy fats, which will be sufficient enough to counter the calories burnt during training.
It isn’t easy being an MMA fighter, especially someone on the caliber of “The Notorious One,” apart from the grueling training routines, it requires immense discipline and an entire lifestyle change.
If you want to see some healthy meals you can make at home, check them out here.
