Fuel, Cut, and Recover: What Women in BJJ/MMA Really Need (Women Who Fight Podcast #89)

If you train BJJ or MMA and want real results without crash diets, this is for you. In my chat with the Women Who Fight podcast, we kept it simple: eat to perform, cut weight safely, and stay healthy across a busy week. No fads. No extremes. Just steps that work.

Why crash cuts fail

“Eat less, move more” sounds neat. In combat sports, it backfires. Severe cuts drain your power, slow recovery, and raise injury risk. A smart cut is small and steady. Keep protein high. Place carbs around the hardest work. Use salt and electrolytes when sweating hard or during fight week. You’ll feel better on the mats and hold more strength.

Match food to training

Plan your day around the key session. A light carb + protein meal 60–90 minutes before hard rolls suits most. Think yoghurt and fruit, whey and a banana, or rice with chicken. After training, hit protein and carbs to refill and repair. Keep “known” foods on fight week—no late experiments that upset your gut.

Female-specific points

Many women see clear shifts in appetite, weight, and energy across the month. Track training, sleep, weight, and cycle phase. That lets us tune food to you, not guesses. Iron matters too. Red meat, eggs, leafy greens help. If bloods show you’re low, we top up with food first, then supplements if needed.

What to do next

Listen to the Podcast here - https://womenwhofight.podbean.com/e/mike-leng/

Want a plan built for your hours, comps, and life? I’ll design a BJJ/MMA diet plan that fits your schedule and taste. We keep meals you like and make them work for your goals.

Start your plan: https://www.unorthodoxnutrition.co.uk/sports-nutritionist-bjj-mma
See client results: https://www.unorthodoxnutrition.co.uk/bjj-mma-nutritionist-client-results