Bloated stomach

[Steph]

Why is it that i feel bloated after training? do i drink too much water?

i usually drink between 1,5-2 L every day cause everyone says it's good for the body and i do agree, but why do i have that bloaded stomach feeling? and it does look a bit bloaded..

Also, what kind of diet should i follow for an MMA focused training regime? I do weight lifting twice a week but i keep it to a minimum as i don't want to bulk up.

[Mario Fanzolato]

Hi Steph. Once again welcome aboard our network. To answer your question, I don't think the water has too much to do with you feeling and looking bloated. Being involved in MMA, I would imagine that you do quite a bit of cardio-related exercises. You might not be jogging, cycling, or running up stairs... but I'm sure that you pull a good sweat when practicing specific MMA training movements. Many people fear doing weights too often because like you, they don't want to bulk up. However, to naturally build muscle is a puzzle that some people never figure out... and so it's not as easy as just lifting weights. Still, I encourage you to train with weights about 3-4 times per week & build as much muscle as possible... because what this does is increase your metabolism which in turn enhances your body's natural ability to burn fat. People that do tons of cardio, with little or no resistance training tend to have a bloated look. Weight training can help you in many other ways as well. For example, regularly performing basic bodybuilding training exercises will greatly improve your posture (giving your body an even more aesthetically-pleasing look). Don't worry about getting too big. As long as you're also doing your MMA training frequently throughout the week... then it shouldn't become a problem.

Off the top of my head, I'd say you need to consume a very high number of calories because of the tremendous amount of energy you're burning. Include lots of good clean carbs (like oatmeal, rice, potatoes, whole grain pasta, fruits, vegetables, etc) & tons of protein (Iike egg whites, chicken breast, lean ground beef, fish {tuna, tilapia}, whey protein powder, etc), as well as some good fats (from nuts, avocado, yogurt, extra virgin olive oil, etc). Also, keep drinking plenty of water throughout the day. I can't stress enough the importance of listening to your body. Let your instincts guide you (while always taking into account your objective). For example, if you regularly crave sugar, this is probably an indication that you're not taking in enough carbs.

I hope this helps Steph. And please don't hesitate to post more questions.

[Steph]

thanks for your quick reply Mario

I do MMA three times a week for a total of 6 hours, so i guess doing weights another 3 times would be detrimental to my body. I can do it in 2 days though but i don't know what exercises i should perform. I've heard that compound exercises are really good but again i'm not that experienced with weights so i would be grateful is someone helped me organise a weight lifting regime! :)

Here's my typical everyday diet:

Morning: Porridge
Mid: Banana or any other fruit
Lunch: Chicken & salad & rice (but not always)
Mid: Fruit or protein shake
Pre-workout: Youghurt or banana & Jack3d
Post: Protein bar (prefer that instead of a shake)
Dinner: Something light but it includes a salad and something with protein

During training i drink around 1L of water with amino acids in it.

Hope i'm doing it right ! :)