In boxing, success hinges on strength, speed, stamina, and power. Achieving a favorable power-to-weight ratio is crucial for boxers, who are renowned for their lightning speed and punching power. Boxers often aim to fight at a lighter weight than their normal daily weight to maximize their power-to-weight ratio, adding a layer of complexity to their preparation for a fight. This article delves into the intricacies of a boxer's diet plan to cut weight effectively and safely, ensuring optimal performance in the ring.
The Importance of Diet in Boxing
Far removed from the story of David and Goliath, a boxer is required to be within a defined weight classification to make the fight fair and competitive. At the same time a boxer will aim to fight at a lighter weight than their normal daily weight and take that extra strength and maximise their power to weight ration. Research and boxers alike testify that an adequate diet is essential to support the achievement of training goals. Dehydration can cause muscle cramping and fatigue, leading to poor performance and an increased risk for heatstroke. An improper diet lacking nutrient-dense or muscle-rebuilding foods can lead to muscle fatigue and extreme weakness during a workout. A lack of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory foods can result in increased inflammation and oxidative stress in the body, delaying the recovery process after exercise.
Strategies for Weight Cutting
Typically, a boxer attempts to make weight through a combination of energy restriction and dehydration. However, the impact of these methods on performance must be carefully considered. A more sensible approach involves a phased strategy, starting 21 days before the fight. This period is divided into a gradual phase (21-8 days) and a rapid phase (7-1 days) of weight loss.
Gradual Phase (21-8 Days)
The gradual phase should adopt a more active approach, where exercise becomes the main basis for weight loss, coupled with an appropriate calorie-restricted diet. Boxers typically increase their cardiovascular training by an extra 90-120 minutes per week, completing whole-body exercises like running to maximize calorie expenditure. Replacing some carbohydrate and fat calories with additional protein in a restricted diet will help protect against atrophy (muscle wastage) or catabolism (muscle breakdown through energy restriction). Some boxers aim to consume between 1.8 - 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body mass per day. Nutritional supplements can provide supplementary protein along with other beneficial ingredients.
Rapid Phase (7-1 Days)
During the rapid phase, the focus shifts to a more passive strategy. This period involves a natural tapering of exercise, accompanied by further restriction of calories (500-700 kcal per day) and fluid intake. However, it's crucial to remember that entering the ring dehydrated can significantly impact performance.
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Macronutrient Balance
Research supports the use of the 3-2-1 macronutrient diet, shown to result in effective body mass loss in weight-making athletes. This involves consuming 3 g/kg of carbohydrates per body mass, 2 g/kg of protein, and 1 g/kg of fat per training day.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates aren't the enemy; you need them for energy. The trick is timing. Eat carbs earlier in the day and around training. Cutting carbs too much kills endurance. Carbohydrate levels can be altered to suit the boxer’s needs, whereas the protein and fat levels should remain fairly constant, irrespective of training load.
Protein
Protein is your best friend when you want energy that sustains and adds fewer calories. Protein keeps you full for longer, which simply means you won’t be hungry soon. It is not as high in calories as high-fat foods, and it builds muscles. It also keeps muscles from breaking down while you cut weight. More muscle = more power. Eat protein with every meal.
Fats
Fats fuel long training sessions. They also help your body absorb key vitamins. A little fat goes a long way. You will want to make sure to eat a small amount of fat. You can take a fish oil or a DHA supplement throughout this period. Fat will be the one thing that you really want to measure out on this program.
Sample Diet Plan
Here's a sample one-week meal plan for a boxer in training:
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Sunday (Rest Day)
- Breakfast: Cream of wheat with fresh fruit
- Lunch: Grilled chicken and hummus in a whole grain pita
- Dinner: Whole grain pasta with meat sauce and mixed green salad
- Suggested snacks: Low-fat Greek yogurt or kefir, almonds, cottage cheese (low-fat)
Monday (AM Training)
- Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with peppers, wholegrain toast
- Lunch: Turkey and avocado sandwich on wheat bread
- Dinner: Chicken and snap pea stir-fry over rice
- Suggested snacks: Protein shake (30-60 minutes after workout), mixed nuts (low sodium), apple slices with peanut butter
Tuesday (AM Training)
- Breakfast: Wholegrain pancakes or waffles with fresh fruit, low-fat Greek yogurt
- Lunch: Black bean burrito
- Dinner: Grilled salmon and roasted vegetables over quinoa
- Suggested snacks: Protein shake (30-60 minutes after workout), banana, almonds
Wednesday (AM Training)
- Breakfast: Poached egg sandwich on whole grain bread, fresh fruit
- Lunch: Tuna salad wrap
- Dinner: Roasted chicken and summer squash with roasted sweet potatoes
- Suggested snacks: Protein shake (30-60 minutes after workout), hard boiled eggs, cottage cheese (low-fat)
Thursday (Rest Day)
- Breakfast: Avocado, banana, strawberry & kale smoothie made with low-fat yogurt or kefir
- Lunch: Turkey sandwich on whole grain bread
- Dinner: Broiled Halibut with spinach over rice or with roasted potatoes
- Suggested snacks: Celery and carrot sticks with hummus, almonds, multigrain chips with guacamole
Friday (PM Training)
- Breakfast: Oatmeal with fresh fruit
- Lunch: Grilled chicken sandwich on whole grain bun
- Dinner: Sauteed sirloin tips with mushrooms and garlic over couscous with roasted Brussel sprouts
- Suggested snacks: Protein shake (30-60 minutes after workout), banana with peanut butter, low-fat Greek yogurt or kefir
Saturday (Rest Day)
- Breakfast: Whole grain waffles with fresh fruit
- Lunch: Grilled chicken salad with olive oil dressing
- Dinner: Seared tuna with green beans over rice
- Suggested snacks: Low-fat Greek yogurt, bean salad, almonds
Food suggestions and pairings. Individual serving sizes will vary by boxer’s height and weight.
Hydration
We know that dehydration can impair performance as well as increase the risk of illness. Wittbrodt et al. (2019) reported that dehydration greater than 2% seems to be detrimental to cognitive and endurance performance. So it is vital that we minimise the time we spend dehydrated. The current guidelines recommend ingesting approximately 35 ml of fluid per day per kg of body mass. Please note that this value can consist of fluid from a variety of sources including water, sugar-free juices, fruit juices, tea, coffee, milk and even fluid in foods. But it does not consider fluid lost during exercise. Or you can weigh yourself before and after exercise and then multiply the amount of weight lost during exercise by 1.5. This is the amount of fluid you will need to consume in the 2-3 hours post-exercise to help rehydrate.
Micronutrients
Although tracking and consuming macronutrients (carbohydrates, protein and fat) is the most important aspect of a diet plan to lose weight it’s also important to pay due attention to the micronutrient content of food as these are critical for maintaining health (Aune et al. 2017), performance (Porcelli et al. 2015) and recovery (Mcleay et al. Moreover, it is believed that individuals who consume a greater intake of polyphenol antioxidants from fruit and vegetable sources can recover quicker than those who have a lower intake. This is because some studies have shown accelerated recovery from exercise in athletes consuming fruit-derived polyphenols compared to others with low polyphenol content (Howatson et al. 2010; Bell et al. 2016; Clifford et al.
Pre- and Post-Fight Foods
When starting a boxing diet plan for beginners, it is critical to consume adequate energy-producing carbohydrates such as whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables. It is especially important to consume these foods in the days leading up to a fight so that your body creates a storage of energy that will later be used to fuel your exercise.
Pre-Fight Foods
If you need a pick-me-up before your boxing workout, opt for fruits as these contain easily digestible sugars, providing quick energy for your muscles. Although carbohydrates are the primary focus to consume pre-workout, research shows that adding a source of protein along with carbohydrates before resistance exercise can better stimulate protein synthesis.
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Post-Fight Foods
During a workout, you create small tears in your muscles. Your muscle fibers undergo “trauma” which is also called muscle injury. In order to rebuild and recover, cells known as satellite cells become activated and join together to repair the damage, resulting in increased muscle mass. This is the process by which your muscles grow, called muscle protein synthesis. Amino acids, the building blocks of protein, are an integral part of this process, which is why protein intake must be adequate in a boxer diet and is especially crucial after a workout.
Although carbohydrates don’t play a direct role in muscle repair, they are also important after a workout in order to replenish the body’s glycogen stores. Historically, it was believed that the post-workout window to replenish protein and nutrients used up during a workout was only 30 minutes. Recent evidence has shown that our muscles are able to successfully rebuild and repair for hours post-exercise, some studies even suggest the window to be up to three (3) hours. Whether you have a post-workout snack or a full meal, just ensure that you consume both protein and carbohydrates, along with plenty of water and fluids to replenish electrolytes lost in sweat.
Sample Snacks
Here are some pre- and post-workout snacks:
Pre-Fight Snacks
- 1 banana, apple, pear, or orange*
- 1 cup diced pineapple
- Fruit + 1-2 tbsp. nut butter
- 1 medium cooked sweet potato
- ¼ cup dried fruits + ¼ cup nuts
- 1 cup milk of choice + ⅓ cup whole grain granola or cereal
- ½ cup oatmeal + ½ banana, sliced
- Granola bar
- 1-2 homemade energy balls
- 1 slice of wheat toast + ¼ cup hummus or ⅓ avocado
- 2 rice cakes + 1 tbsp. nut butter
- Small fruit smoothie
All fruits contain simple sugars, known as monosaccharides which are highly absorbable and therefore serve as a quick form of energy for the body. Most fruits will work as a pre-workout snack.
Post-Fight Snacks
- Protein shake + small banana
- Green smoothie: 1 cup coconut water + 1 scoop of protein + 1 banana + 2 cups leafy greens (spinach, kale or both)
- Berry smoothie: 1 cup milk of choice + 1 scoop of protein + ½ cup frozen berries
- 1 apple + 1-2 tbsp. peanut butter
- 1 slice of whole wheat toast + 1 tbsp. nut butter
- 1 slice of whole wheat toast + eggs or tuna
- 1 slice of whole wheat toast + ⅓ avocado + seeds
- 1 cup greek yogurt + 1 cup blueberries
- ½ cup cottage cheese + ½ cup mixed berries
- 1 cup tart cherry juice + protein bar
- 1 cup vegetables + ¼ cup hummus
Important Considerations
Monitoring and Planning
Close monitoring and careful planning are advised during the weight-making phase to lean down without any detriment to performance. How a boxer prepares in the last few weeks before a fight can really make the difference. Being as lean as possible while maintaining a positive power-to-weight ratio will help lead to victory.
Caloric Intake
At a training weight of 63 kg, light-welterweights try to consume approximately 2600 kcal per day, which aligns with scientific recommendations based on their body weight, height, and activity status.
Avoiding Extreme Measures
Weight cutting for boxing doesn’t mean starving. How will you fight when your body has no energy, no fuel to run on? Eat less to lose weight, but eat right to make up for the cut in the amount. Extreme dehydration means low performance. Less water means less blood volume. Your heart works harder. Endurance tanks. Your brain slows down, and your reflexes suffer. Worst of all? Muscles lose strength.
Training
Proper dieting is an undeniable part of losing weight, but we can’t forget about training. It burns calories, builds muscle, and tones your body.
- Your weight-cutting boxing training should help you burn fat, not muscle.
- HIIT for Fat Loss- Short bursts of high-intensity work burn fat fast. Think sprints, jump rope, and explosive drills.
- Strength Training to Maintain Muscle - Lift weights at least 3-4 times a week. Focus on compound movements like squats, deadlifts, and bench presses.
- Avoid Excessive Cardio-Too much steady-state cardio eats muscle. Skip long-distance runs.
The Final 24 Hours
The last 24 hours before weigh-ins are crucial. These are not the days to cut weight too hard because if you do, you’ll only lose strength. This is not the time you’d want to lose strength.
- Reduce Water Intake-Lower water gradually 24 hours before.
- Sweat It Out Smartly-Use a sauna, hot bath, or wear layers. You’ll sweat and lose water weight, but don’t overdo it.
- Keep Salt in Check- A small amount of sodium helps prevent cramping. Don’t cut it completely. But you need to make sure you aren’t eating too much salt before weigh-ins.
- Light Activity Only-No hard training.
Refueling and Rehydrating
Reaching your ideal weight is just step one. You definitely need your energy, your strength for the finale. So refuel and rehydrate fast. High-sodium foods - Salt helps your body hold onto water again. Once rehydrated, it’s time to eat. Making weight is only half the battle. You need to get back in fighting shape and spirit, and that needs loads of energy in your system. Chugging water right after weigh-in is a mistake, though you’d instinctively want to do it. It can cause bloating, nausea, and even mess with your electrolyte balance. You should rehydrate but only gradually. Let your system understand the changes that are going to happen. Eat small, frequent meals. Avoid heavy, greasy foods that slow digestion. It goes without saying that you need to take balanced meals with carbs, protein, and fats.
Maintaining Strength
Cutting weight shouldn’t mean cutting strength.
- Muscle loss is the enemy. The fix? Regular protein intake. Eat lean protein with every meal-chicken, fish, eggs, or shakes.
- Lack of sleep kills recovery. Stress raises cortisol, which eats away at muscle.
- Feeling drained? Weak? Back off. Overtraining and extreme cutting can lead to injury. Adjust training intensity if needed.
- The best cuts happen over weeks, not days. Crash cuts lead to weak performances. Instead, adjust diet and training gradually.