Nutrition for Boxing with Lucozade Sport

Nutrition for Boxing with Lucozade Sport

Raise your fists, grit your teeth, but before you box a shot, get your sports nutrition right.

A healthy, well-balanced diet is the optimal choice for maximising your performance. Feed your body the energy it needs to meet the demands of a grueling schedule and you will perform at your best, get the most out of training, and recover fast.

Unsafe weight making is fast making way for healthier, long-term nutrition strategies in boxing clubs around the country. The Lucozade Sport SciencQe Team (LSST) has been out and about helping boxers and coaches implement these strategies, which are having a positive impact on performance. So, if you’re focused on boxing to your full potential, then listen in!

The key to safe weight making is not only boxing at a suitable weight, but remaining close to your competition weight (no more than 4-5%). Controlled weight loss reduces the need for drastic measures such as severe dehydration in the 24-48 hours before a bout. Extreme measures such as dehydration will affect your performance, so it simply isn’t worth it. 

Mark Ellison, Performance Nutritionist from the English Institute of Sport (EIS) who works full-time with the GB Boxing squad, strongly advocates healthy weight making strategies; 'When competing at the highest level, those who take shortcuts in their diet or lose too much weight in a short period of time risk their health and performance.  

'That’s why we enforce strict weight targets of no more than 5% of boxers’ weight categories all year round, with boxers bringing their weight down through only small changes in diet and training from 5% down to competition weight over a period of 5 – 6 weeks.  This ensures we have well fuelled, fit and healthy athletes achieving peak condition when it counts.'

Understanding the types and amounts of each nutrient (carbohydrate, protein and fat) your body requires is essential. Look to balance your food choices across the day, this will help you manage your weight across the long-term. Here are some tips to get you started:

  • Reduce high fat and fast foods which often contain unhealthy ‘saturated’ fats.
  • Include protein such as lean meat, low fat milk and yogurt, nuts and seeds.
  • Include a variety of carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, fruit and vegetables.
  • In the evenings, reduce the amount of ‘heavier’ carbohydrate foods such as pasta, rice and potatoes and increase ‘lighter’ carbohydrates such as fresh steamed or boiled vegetables.
  • Finally, don’t skip meals! Focus on three regular meals and two healthy snacks across the day.See the table below for ideas on what to eat and when.

 

Meal Guide & Food Examples

Meal

Nutrient Focus

Food Example

Breakfast

Carbohydrate

Protein & ‘healthy’ fats

Cereal, fruit, toast

Poached eggs, low fat milk and yoghurt

Lunch

Carbohydrate

Protein & ‘healthy’ fats

Pasta, rice, bread, salad

Lean meat, tuna

Dinner

Carbohydrates

Protein

Vegetables, fruit, cous cous

Fish, chicken

 

Snacks

 

Before training

Carbohydrate

Fruit, jam sandwich, bagel, jaffa cakes, Lucozade Sport Body Fuel Bar

After training

Carbohydrate

Protein

Fruit, dried fruit, cereal

Lucozade Sport Recovery Bar, nuts, seeds, low fat milkshake

At St John’s, the coaching team understand the impact nutrition can have on performance and as part of their education strategy, Emma Gardner (Lucozade Sport Scientist) has been giving sports nutrition advice to members of the club which has included guidance on healthy eating choices and strategies to make weight.

Remember, nutrition doesn’t have to be complicated, small and simple changes can have a huge impact. Reading food labels is a great way to become familiar with what goes on your plate. Look at the ‘per 100g’ column when comparing foods as serving sizes can vary between products. Also look out for low fat options containing less than 3g of fat per 100g and eat natural sources of carbohydrate such as grains, fruits and vegetables, rice and pasta. Products labeled ‘unsweetened’ or ‘no added sugar’ also make good choices.

Chris McManus (Lucozade Sport Scientist) has been educating boxers on healthy eating choices and portion sizes. A practical workshop looked at how much protein and carbohydrate was contained within various foods such as couscous, cereal and chicken. This task highlighted individual nutrient needs and how portion sizes often differ between athletes. Try running a practical food session within your club, you might be surprised by what you discover!

Hydration is also important. Next time your t-shirt is soaked in sweat, stop and ask yourself; am I hydrated? Replacing essential fluids and electrolytes to stay hydrated is a key factor in performance. Boxing in a dehydrated state can reduce both your mental and physical performance. Ideally, start training well-hydrated and sip fluids during your rest periods, such as Lucozade Sport Lite and water. An easy way to monitor your hydration status is by checking your urine colour; aim for pale, straw-coloured pee. Tom Barnden (Lucozade Sport Scientist) has been highlighting the importance of drinking by testing individual hydration status before and after training. These practical sessions have assisted boxers in understanding their individual hydration needs.

Look to introduce some of these simple tips into your own training plan to improve your health and optimise your boxing performance.

TOP TIPS

  • Focus on healthy eating - include natural carbohydrates (rice, pasta, fruits & vegetables), protein (lean meat, fish and legumes) and small servings of ‘healthy’ fats (low fat dairy products, olive oil, avocado).

  • Always stay hydrated!

  • Aim to maintain weight across the long-term (stay within 4-5% of competition weight).

  • Don’t attempt to lose weight rapidly – it is dangerous and will affect both your health and performance.