Smart tips for a low carb weight cut

Low carbohydrate diets are one of the most tried and tested ways to make weight leading up to a fight. Here we look at the foods you should be including in your diet if you’re thinking of using this particular weight cut method. 

Firstly it’s perhaps important to explain why so many fighters and nutritionists favour cutting out carbs before a weigh in. It has a lot to do with the way carbohydrates are stored in the body, since once carbohydrates are eaten they are stored in the muscles and liver as glycogen. Muscle glycogen specifically weighs about 18 grams per kg of lean body mass and one gram of glycogen is linked to about 3.5 grams of water. So to run through an example for a featherweight fighter weighing 62kg with 20kg of lean body mass muscle:

• 20 Kg (of lean body mass) x 18 grams of glycogen = 360 grams of total glycogen
• 360 grams (of glycogen) x 3.5 grams of water = 1260 grams of water

This means in theory this particular featherweight fighter has 1.62kg of weight to cut in their muscles and water alone (this is in addition to cutting weight in the digestive system and water retention from other parts of the body.)

Now we understand the way in which carbohydrates are stored within the body, the key is cutting carbohydrates out of the diet whilst including certain foods that ensure you remain energised and don’t suffer mentally or physically.

Coconut oil dressing (and salad)

Coconut oil is completely cholesterol-free and is a great source of medium chain triglycerides (MCTs) which the liver transforms directly into energy rather than fat, just like carbohydrates, which is why more MMA fighters like Dan Hardy are supplementing their diets with this special fatty acid as form of fuel.

Cashew nuts

1/4 cup of cashew nuts contains 50 mg of L-tryptophan an amino acid that’s been shown to combat the negative psychological effects of a low carb diet by helping the brain produce more serotonin (the ‘happy hormone’). This is so important since studies show that a low carbohydrate diet can alter the chemical reactions occurring in the brain often leaving fighters tired, lethargic and demotivated.

Whey Protein Isolate

Whey Protein Isolate has been Cross-Flow Micro-filtrated to separate the protein from fat, cholesterol, carbohydrates and lactose and only contains 0.17g of carbohydrates per 25g serving. This is why so many fighters use Whey Protein Isolate when cutting weight since it contains all the protein and aminos the body needs to recover but with none of the carbohydrates that could cause the body to store fat.

Salmon

Salmon is a great source of Omega 3 which is an essential fatty acid made up of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) which studies show can ‘up-regulate’ mitochondrial machinery and improve your body’s ability to use fat as a source of fuel.

Water Melon 

Whilst most fighters cut out liquids before a fight it’s important not to cut them out completely since your body loses a lot of water once muscle glycogen levels are depleted. That’s why including water melon which is 92% water in your diet is good since it’s an efficient way to ensure you’re not dangerously de-hydrated but at the same time drop sufficient water weight..