BJJ Weight Loss Plan – Getting Shredded with Martial Arts

Key point: BJJ is a grappling style that has fast become a global sensation. It is suited to all body types and uses leverage to counteract brute force.

Kicking the treadmills’ ass

When it comes to getting shredded consistency is the key to success. No matter how good a magic formula workout or diet plan is, it won’t work if we don’t stick to it.

One of the best ways to ensure we’re ready to smash our physique goals every single day is to keep things fun. Fortunately, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is one of the most energetic and engaging workouts a person can do. Here’s just a few reasons why:

• No two classes are ever the same
• Each training partner is unique
• The sport is ever changing
• BJJ schools are filled with an exciting team ethos
• You can be creative and develop your own style
• Typical classes are split into varying intensities
• Lower risk of injury at higher paces compared to other martial arts

By checking out the above it’s so easy to see why martial arts quite literally kicks the treadmills ass. Yes, you can play around with fancy settings, but it cannot offer the same level of interaction. Not by a long shot.

Whilst you’re busy learning new BJJ skills and putting them into action you’re efficiently blasting through body fat. Before you know it 30 minutes has passed and the sweat on your forehead says you’ve worked hard.

But, you’ve hardly noticed. You were having so much fun challenging your body you never even gave the clock a second thought. Time to change partners, bump hands and go again.

Key point: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a highly effective and incredibly diverse martial art. It is always changing and that’s why it’s such a fun way to workout.

Typically, a Brazilian Jitsu class will usually take place between 60-90 minutes. That time will be packed full of different movements and techniques, physically challenging you like nothing else.

Not every second is filled with blaring intensity though. Instead, classes are broken down into distinct sections, allowing for an efficient, enjoyable and sustainable experience. Take a look at the table below for an understanding of a stereotypical session.

Section	Duration	Intensity
Warm Up	10-15 mins	Moderate / High
Technique	30-45 mins	Low
Practical Application/Sparring/Rolling	20-30 mins	Moderate / High
Cool Down / Reflection (Optional)	5-10 mins	Low

As you can see the effective change in intensity makes it possible to fight fat and cut calories for a long time. Not only that but changing things up between education and application keeps things engaging and interesting.

Class Breakdown

There’s no comparing a BJJ warm up to anything else. You simply have to feel it first hand to understand the experience. Everything is done purely with functionality in mind and at a pace that gets the heart pounding.

On the mats, fatigue makes cowards of even the biggest and strongest athletes. Therefore, BJJ coaches leave nothing to chance, often doubling up this warm up window as a conditioning opportunity too. Expect, burpees, gymnastics, partner carries, and other body weight exercises, proven to annihilate fat.

During the technique phase, athletes practice at a steady pace suited to learning. They take their time perfecting every movement to manipulate their opponent’s body. Although they are not exhausting themselves, they are still burning calories aerobically.

Ever heard of saving the best until last? Well, that’s exactly what you can expect if you were to hit the mats. Sparring, known as rolling, is the time to put all that practiced knowledge into action against a fellow martial artist.

Intensities can vary from a chilled-out flow to full on scrambles. Therefore, it’s no surprise that many beginners shed fat fast. Rolling requires jits players to use a range of skills and no two rounds are ever the same. If you’re after a complete full body workout look no further.

Training Frequency

For effective weight loss through martial arts, beginner athletes should look to train 2-3 times per week. Yet, as your body becomes tougher and adapted to the stresses of BJJ, aim to hit the academy up to 6 days per week.

This is because to effectively lose weight we must experience a calorie deficit. To summarise: we must consume fewer calories than we ultimately burn.

By ramping up energy to fuel our fight focused activities multiple times a week, we have a greater chance of achieving this said deficit. Simply put, the more we train the greater number of kcals we eliminate to energize our bodies.

When we hit the deficit threshold we transition away from relying solely on food for fuel. Our bodies intelligently recognize we need to source energy from somewhere else and start to attack the fat stores. Consequently, we begin to burn away any unwanted body fat.

Whilst results might not be recognizable after the first session, over time the transformation can be astounding. Because BJJ provides a full body workout not only do practitioners lose weight, but they also improve overall body composition too.

Fast Track BJJ Dictionary

As you start your quest to get martial arts shredded you will inevitably be met with many new words and phrases you’ve never heard before. The language of BJJ can be quite confusing for a fresh white belt, so here are some basics to bring you up to speed:

• Drill = To repeatedly practice a move to perfection
• Roll = To spar and try out skills on a resisting opponent
• Flow = To roll with minimal resistance in a relaxed flowing state
• Submission = A choke, lock, or hold, that causes the opponent to give up
• Position = Relationship between two bodies (i.e. standing, guard, side mount, back mount)
• Mats/Tatami = Spongy protective surface that BJJ takes place on
• Gi = Uniform
• Professor = Instructor
• Comp = Competition
• Cutting = Weight loss for competition

With these terms under your belt, you will be able to keep up with the fun and fast pace of any BJJ class. There are undoubtedly endless additional phrases, but you can learn those as you roll.

The Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Diet

Part of getting shredded with martial arts is adopting the clean-living lifestyle. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is no different, and its players carefully control what makes it onto their plates.

Due to the sports Amazonian origins, many of the top guys and girls consume lots of fruits and fresh vegetables. They also ensure that precious muscle mass is maintained by consuming lean proteins. These include foods such as:

• Chicken Breast
• Turkey Mince
• Lean Beef
• Tuna
• Salmon
• Whitefish
• Soy (Tofu/Tempeh)
• Beans
• Lentils
• Protein Isolate Drinks

Fitness models and bodybuilders will often cut by severely restricting their carbohydrate intake. A process that helps them tap into any unused fat reserves as well as drop bloating water weight.

This is not an option for top-flight Brazilian Jiu Jitsu prospects. A low carbohydrate option might work for a short while, but it is unsustainable for anybody wanting to perform at their best in competition or training.

It’s in the middle ground that the key to a successful BJJ weight loss plan lies. By saving saccharides to be consumed solely around training times, they can be used for both workout fuel and recovery.

For reference, here is a list of effective slow-release carb sources:

• Sweet Potato
• Wholewheat Past
• Brown Rice
• Quinoa
• Oats
• Wholemeal Bread

Additionally, these fast attacking energy boosters and recovery aids can be used intelligently around training:

• Banana
• Mango
• Apple
• Pineapple
• Blueberries
• White Rice
• White Potato

Similarly, fats play a key role in keeping an athlete full, fit and healthy. Because of this, martial artists looking to get shredded must include them in their diet. Choose from the following to ensure you make the best possible choices:

• Avocado
• Nuts (Brazil, Walnuts, Almonds, Cashew, etc.)
• Seeds (Hemp, Pumpkin, Chia, Linseeds, etc.)
• Oily Fish (Sardines, Mackerel, etc.)
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Coconut Oil

A dietary day in the life of a BJJ competitor

Breakfast	2 egg omelette, spinach, asparagus and wholemeal toast
Mid-Morning Snack	Papaya, kiwi and cashew nuts
Lunch	Spicy shrimp/salmon and avocado salad
Mid-Afternoon Snack	Whey isolate shake, chopped banana and blueberries
Dinner	Grilled chicken breast, stir-fried vegetables and white rice
Supper Snack	Casein shake w/ almond milk

Clean eating requires athletes to abstain from high calorific junk in favor of fresh flavorsome whole foods.

This way we can ensure we are getting the most bang for our buck when it comes to the calories we consume.

Any calorie that doesn’t help us towards our goal of getting shredded is a wasted opportunity. Therefore, everything we put into our body must be healthy, nutritious and full of goodness.

Only by eating this way will we be able to sustain the rigors of training alongside a deficit. If we were to fill up our daily allowance with highly refined and processed junk food, we would lose out on many vital nutrients.

Simply put; we would lack the means to train and recover efficiently. Not only that but gorging on highly processed and refined sugary food does not sustainably satisfy hunger. This is better done by eating lean high-quality proteins and slow release complex carbs.

Tip: Try to keep foods as wholesome and natural as possible. This way you won’t get caught out by hidden sugars and preservatives that can harm your shredding goals.

Now you have an understanding of the BJJ lifestyle, it’s time to put together a plan. You will be aiming to attend class three times a week, whilst only training light on our days off.

On our harder training days, you can afford to fuel up on carbohydrates. These should be unrefined complex saccharides such as; wholewheat pasta, brown rice, and oats. However, bananas are a great energy-boosting staple of BJJ fighters, so try them out around training times.

You must also ensure that your body gets the lean protein it needs to remain muscular and powerful. Proteins are what our torn and damaged muscles use to repair themselves and grow back stronger every time.

Aim to eat at least one portion of lean protein with every single meal. That’s breakfast, lunch, and dinner at an absolute minimum. It’s also ideal to include this essential macro within your snack meals to amplify your daily intake.

Before you begin, weigh yourself and make a note of your mass in kilograms. Then, make sure that you’ve eaten 1.4-1.7 g of protein per 1 kg of body weight before the day is through. If you fail to do this, you run the risk of losing important muscle mass.

Plan Summary

• Eat lean protein with every meal
• Consume a large volume of low-calorie vegetables steamed to retain nutrients (Broccoli, Kale, Spinach, Cauliflower, Green Beans, Carrot, etc.)
• Save the bulk of carbohydrates for around training times
• Remember to stay hydrated to ward off hunger pangs
• Train often and consistently
• Don’t forget to rest once or twice a week at least

A Day in the Life of a BJJ Athlete: Mock Plan

Time	Activity	Meal	Notes a.	Notes b.
Early Morning	BJJ Specific Movement Drills	Glass of Water w/ Lemon	Hot green tea is also acceptable w/lemon	Aim for a large 16oz glass
Mid Morning	–	Snack	Fruits and nuts can be eaten here. The fruit will give you energy and refreshment, whilst the nuts provide healthy fats and satiety.	Consume at least 16oz of fresh water.
Mid Day	20 min Light Run	Lunch	Low carb w/ a plate full of leafy green vegetables. A larger amount of lean protein can be eaten here along with healthy fats.	Light run before lunch to not disrupt digestion.
Mid Afternoon	–	Snack	Whey isolate, plant based alternatives, natural yogurt, or Jerky, offer lean protein sources.	Consume at least 16oz of fresh water.
Early Evening	–	Snack	Banana and Mango can provide great training fuel in moderation.	Only consume this snack if completely necessary. If you are feeling flat and low in energy, go ahead. If not, train without.
Evening	BJJ Training: Warm Up, Techique/Drilling, Rolling/Sparring/Conditioning	Dinner	Lean protein is vital to aid recovery. Also, low GI carbs such as white pasta and potato are allowed at this point for faster recovery.	Drink at least 1L of water whilst training and post training. If possible save dinner until you return home from class. Eating a large meal close to exercise is bad for digestion and impacts negatively on performance.
Late Evening	–	Snack	Casein or plant based alternative drink if daily protein goal hasn’t been met.	If you feel hungry try to drink water instead. Then, if you feel the same after 20 mins, consume a protein drink.

What we have here is a look into the daily life of a BJJ athlete. Notice how smaller meals are consumed throughout the day to keep the metabolism revving. Look to eat every 2-3 hours and keep larger meals for after training times.

On your inevitable low activity days, lower the carbohydrate intake. This will encourage your body to target unwanted fat for fuel. Also, ensure you keep up a healthy intake of protein to build and maintain those shredded slabs of muscle.

Healthy fats should be served consciously as to not over-amplify the daily calorific intake. Use your own thumb as a gauge, adding no more than two at a time to each feed. Every gram of fat contains nine whole calories, so use them intelligently.

Lastly, make a mental or physical note to remind you to take on water throughout the day. Not only will this keep us performing at our absolute best, it’ll help ward off cravings too

Sometimes we mistake thirst for hunger and run towards the refrigerator instead of the bottle. When we’re trying to hit any kind of calorie deficit, this is never ideal. So stay hydrated to keep on track to your shredding success.

Key points:

• Take on a positive attitude towards clean living
• Carbs should be reserved for training times, with fewer consumed on rest days
• Fuel your shredding journey with nutrient-rich whole foods, including high-quality protein
• Embrace the BJJ lifestyle by consuming fresh fruits and vegetables daily
• Fats are essential for health and performance but use them intelligently
• Drink fresh water throughout the entirety of the day, especially when hungry