What to eat before and after Muay Thai or MMA training

Before Muay Thai or MMA training, eat a carb-led meal with some protein about 2–3 hours beforehand, or a small, easy snack 30–60 minutes before if that's all the time you have. After training, eat a full meal with roughly 30–60g of protein and a good serving of carbs within a few hours. In Bali's heat, hydration matters as much as the food. The rest is detail, and the detail is timing.

This is general sports-nutrition guidance. If you have a medical condition or are preparing for a weigh-in, work with a qualified professional.

Why does fuelling matter for striking and grappling?

Muay Thai and MMA sessions mix hard intervals, pad rounds, sparring and grappling. That kind of work runs largely on carbohydrate stored as glycogen. Come in under-fuelled and the last rounds feel heavy, technique gets sloppy and you recover more slowly. Protein matters most afterwards, for repair and recovery across a week of frequent sessions.

What should you eat before training?

Time before training	What to eat	Examples
2–3 hours	A full meal, carb-led, moderate protein, lower fat and fibre	Rice or noodles with chicken, oats with fruit, eggs on toast
60–90 minutes	A smaller meal or large snack	Overnight oats, a rice bowl half-portion, a wrap
30–60 minutes	Something small and easy to digest	Banana, a little rice, dates, a sports drink

Keep fat and fibre lower close to training: heavy, greasy or very high-fibre food sits in the stomach, which is not what you want before body kicks and clinch work.

What should you eat after training?

After training, aim for a real meal within a few hours:

• Protein: roughly 30–60g, depending on your size and daily target.
• Carbs: a generous serving, especially if you train twice a day or again tomorrow.
• Fluids and salt: water plus electrolytes, especially after a sweaty session.

Bigger, heavier training days need more carbs. Rest days can be lighter on carbs while keeping protein steady. Our macros explained guide covers the logic.

How do you time meals with Solimans delivery?

The Solimans delivers twice a day, Monday to Saturday, across Canggu, Pererenan and Munggu:

• Breakfast run: around 9:00–10:00 AM
• Lunch and dinner run: around 11:00 AM–12:00 PM (dinner goes in the fridge)

Here is how that fits common training times. Session times are examples; check your own gym's timetable.

Your session	Before	After
Early morning (e.g. 7–8 AM)	Small snack like a banana or dates	Solimans breakfast when it arrives at 9–10 AM
Late morning (e.g. 10–11 AM)	Light breakfast earlier, or a small snack	Solimans lunch, arriving 11 AM–12 PM
Afternoon or evening (e.g. 4–6 PM)	Solimans lunch at midday, small snack about an hour before	Solimans dinner from the fridge
Twice a day	Breakfast after session one, lunch as fuel for session two	Dinner after session two

Sunday is the kitchen's day off; if you order seven days, Sunday's meals arrive with Saturday's delivery.

Which Solimans meals work before training?

For a breakfast 2–3 hours before a session, carb-led options with moderate fat work well:

Meal	kcal	Protein	Carbs	Fat	Price
Solimans Pudding Breakfast	585	21g	87g	17g	Rp 100K
Lotus Protein Bliss O/N Oats	647	28g	82g	23g	Rp 85K
Waffle Apple Cinnamon Breakfast	758	38g	93g	26g	Rp 100K
Choco Pancake Breakfast (vegan)	625	38g	89g	13g	Rp 90K

Higher-fat breakfasts like the omelettes on the High Protein menu are great for protein but better when you have more time before training, or on rest days.

Which Solimans meals work after training?

Post-session, go for protein plus carbs:

Meal	kcal	Protein	Carbs	Fat	Price
Mie Goreng Chicken	846	81g	72g	26g	Rp 100K
Pad Thai Chicken	899	77g	87g	27g	Rp 100K
Solimans Chicken Kebab	855	66g	87g	27g	Rp 100K
Solimans Chicken Satay	689	63g	71g	17g	Rp 100K
Tempeh Pad Thai (vegan)	836	45g	101g	28g	Rp 90K

If you're cutting, the Chicken Tawook and Tabbouleh (600 kcal, 72g protein, 33g carbs) keeps protein high with fewer calories.

What should you eat on rest days?

Rest days are when recovery actually happens, so don't skip meals. Keep protein at the same level as training days, since muscle repair continues for a day or two after hard sessions. Carbs can come down a little if you are trying to lose fat, but there is no need to cut them out, especially if you are training again tomorrow. Rest days are also a good time for the higher-fat, higher-protein breakfasts, like the American Omelette (794 kcal, 77g protein, 9g carbs), and for plenty of vegetables and fruit.

If you train twice a day most days, think of your week as a whole: big training days get the most food, lighter days a bit less, and protein stays steady throughout.

How should you hydrate in Bali's heat?

Training in a hot, humid gym means heavy sweat losses. A few simple habits:

• Arrive hydrated: drink steadily through the day, not just at the gym.
• Sip water between rounds.
• Replace electrolytes after long or very sweaty sessions; coconut water or an electrolyte drink both work.
• Use bottled or filtered water. See how to avoid Bali belly for more.

What about making weight?

Making weight for a fight is a separate topic. Avoid extreme dehydration and crash dieting: they are dangerous and hurt performance. Read how fighters cut weight and work with a coach or qualified professional for any fight-week cut.

The short version

Carbs before, protein and carbs after, water all day. Line your sessions up with the delivery windows and you never have to think about it. The Solimans was founded by MMA fighter Yousri Soliman, and the fight camp meal plan is built around exactly this kind of training week.

Build your week, or see our high protein meal prep for leaner days.