To arrived in great shape at the IBJJF World Championships, which ended in the second week of December, Tainan Dalpra, Mayssa Bastos and Matheus Gabriel were even more professional during their preparations by hiring Nathalia Chantre, a specialist in sports nutrition for Jiu-Jitsu athletes.

Tainan won gold at middleweight in his first year as a black belt, after beating Isaque Bahiense. Mayssa, for example, was champion for the second time at rooster. Matheus, who had won the Worlds at featherweight, closed ranks with with a teammate at lightweight.

What made the difference in the performance of these three elite athletes of the new generation of the sport? Well, Nathalia will explain below.

“The biggest differentiator about Tainan that I see is the tireless search for improvement and professionalism. With this in mind, the only missing piece was precisely nutrition. The first simple and efficient adjustment we made was hydration. Tainan, for example, used to train practically every day dehydrated, since his water intake was approximately 1.5L. Another very important adjustment was the quantity and quality of meals. The current middleweight world champion ate just two meals a day. It was just lunch and dinner with a carbohydrate source and a protein source. The amount of caloric intake was far below his energy demands, making it difficult to recover. In the first week, Tainan evolved a lot and we managed to increase the water intake from 1.5L to 4L. We also included an electrolyte replenisher after morning competition drills. From two meals, we went to five meals, even when cutting weight. This contributed a lot to his recovery after the training sessions. He improved immunity, started getting truly restful sleep and minimized the chances of injury! Consequently, he had a performance boost! Simply, that 1% that was needed to finish the year at the top”, emphasizes Nathalia.

A certified nutritionist by the International Sports Sciences Association, in the United States, Chantre also reveals the strategy she concocted for Mayssa to have the best “career weight cut”. The rooster champion had three matches, all of which ended with a choke from behind.

“Although I’ve been working with Mayssa Bastos for almost two years now, this was the first time we did the weight cut for rooster in the IBJJF. As she said, this was the best weight cut she made for this event. It was really clear on the mat that she had a lot of energy in the first fight after weigh-in through the final, the next day. The biggest difference for this cut was the beginning time of nutritional periodization, Mayssa’s dedication to follow 100% of what was proposed and understand that an athlete should not cut carbohydrates from their diet! She used some supplements with an ergogenic effect such as creatine, for example. We took care of immunity, which was a frequent complaint from Mayssa, and I paid some attention in the pre-competition phase. It is at this stage that the athlete can have a drop in performance due to the intensity of training. When Mayssa entered this pre-competitive phase, she was practically at weight—that is, I didn’t need to reduce the caloric intake, which is not common when athletes do it on their own. In addition, I added foods and supplements that enhance recovery, such as curcumin, concentrated grape juice and tart cherry”, reveals the nutritionist.

With Matheus Gabriel, an athlete with whom Nathalia has worked for two years, she tells what were the main strategies and changes in the champion’s eating plan.

“At the Worlds Matheus was very good at his weight. He trained with high muscle glycogen stores, which not only boosted his training performance, but also helped his recovery. One of the carbs we used in pre-workout meals was tapioca, which he likes a lot, and fruit. He had a diet planned for his training schedule and we also used an electrolyte replenisher, after intense training sessions, supplements with ergogenic effect such as creatine and beta alanine, both of which improve sports performance. To help Matheus have restful sleep, we use foods rich in tryptophan for dinner, chamomile tea before bed with drops of propolis and also CBD of the ATH brand, which does not have THC and magnesium”, says Nathalia.

Matheus Gabriel with Nathalia Chantre.

Nathalia and Livio Ribeiro. Photo: Personal Archive

The type of work done by Nathalia Chantre, 31, is a key part of the process of professionalization of BJJ as a sport. Playing a fundamental role in the performance of a number of elite athletes, this nutritionist is responsible for building a nutrition plan and enabling fighters to go into their matches healthy, living up to their full potential.

If in previous eras of the sport, it was possible to see athletes cutting weight in wrong ways and consuming fatty foods and sodas, nowadays this sort of behavior has to be kept to a minimum. The professionalization of BJJ has arrived in all spheres, from prize money to the care athletes have for their performance.

A nutritionist certified by the International Sports Sciences Association, Nathalia has monitored more than 300 athletes across more than five years in the field. In her opinion, a high-performance athlete who takes meticulous care of the details of their nutrition tends to come out on top.

“A time comes when the athlete’s key has to turn, so to speak, and they understand that in order to stay at a high level these days, it’s necessary to have more than good training; they need to be more than just talented,” said Nathalia, who’s also a BJJ student, in a recent interview. “It’s important to surround yourself with a multidisciplinary team that’s going to put you at your 100% to perform with excellence.”

She added: “One of the great differentials of my work with athletes consists of investing time with each of them. I treat athletes individually to understand their goals in a thorough way, their training, possible flaws, difficulties, and to not spare any efforts to develop a nutrition plan. I want the athlete to have adherence, for the plan to be compatible with their reality, making it easier to conquer the desired goal. That’s why I say that I don’t do consultations; I do nutritional monitoring with athletes and practitioners of BJJ. Our contact is very close; I make adjustments daily, if necessary, in the pre-competition phase.”

At this year’s IBJJF Pan, one of the biggest events of the calendar, Nathalia had multiple of her athletes come out victorious, not the least of which was Lívio Ribeiro, the roosterweight champion. The nutritionist went into some detail on her work with him.

“Lívio speaks openly of the crazy stuff he used to do to hit the weight before he had nutritional monitoring,” she said. “He, for example, used to cut water in the week that precedes a fight. Additionally, he would cut foods rich in carbs and use laxative drugs. It’s unbelievable how someone can train and fight in those conditions, completely dehydrated and without glycogen reserves. Certainly, he would sleep poorly, and his immunity was extremely low. When I became aware of this situation in March, the first thing was to get the house in order and adjust the basic: improve intestinal health, increase water intake and improve sleep quality.”

“He understood that he’s not supposed to starve to hit the weight, he doesn’t need to dehydrate, and he has no reason to cut foods with sources of carbs,” Nathalia continued. “So I included in his diet: rice, cuscuz, pasta, potatoes, various fruits, oatmeal, tapioca, beans and many other foods rich in micro- and macronutrients. I also used some supplements such as: beta alanine, probiotic, vitamin D3, magnesium, omega 3 and creatine. By the way, creatine does no harm when it comes to cutting weight. Quite the opposite: it’s an extremely safe supplement; it improves tolerance to straining, muscle recovery, on top of improving adaptive response to the training.”

In previous tournaments, Lívio had chosen not to eat before the first round, because his main opponent was the scale. This time, in 2021, everything has changed, and Lívio had the best performance to date in his early days as a black-belt.

“I followed Lívio’s training up-close, and his evolution was visible — especially in the final stage of the training, close to the competition, where usually he already felt extremely saturated, stressed and fatigued,” said the nutritionist. “I was very excited to see him in the competitions. It was going to be the first time he would eat on fight day! I was sure his performance was going to be special, and it was! He knew he was able to be explosive from the start until the end of the match; he knew he had energy reserves and was well trained, because he had the physical preparation provided by Itallo Vilardo and the training at Ares academy in Modesto, led by Prof. Samir Chantre.” She subjoined: “Those who think nutritional monitoring makes no difference certainly have never had the opportunity to be followed by a good nutritionist.”

Nathalia is a Health Coach with Integrative Nutrition (IIN) and is currently getting a postgraduate degree in nutrition, metabolism and physiology in sports.

A bowl of açaí with an apple can be the perfect snack for a BJJ fighter. Gustavo Aragão.

The favorite energy food of BJJ practitioners, the açaí has become popular among athletes and non-athletes alike. With its unique flavor and healthy properties, the fruit from the north of Brazil has gained fans the world over. But preparing it correctly can be the difference between a quality meal and one that can harm your performance.

To clear this up, we talked to nutritionist Danielle Machado, who recently visited the Amazon rainforest. “The açaí,” she says, “is rich in anthocyanins, a purple pigment with great antioxidant abilities that helps combat aging and prevent some types of cancer. Besides, the açaí has good amounts of omega 6, omega 9, oleic acid, vitamins B1, B2, C and E, iron, magnesium, calcium and potassium, as well as proteins, fibers and carbs. That is, a complete food.

“The properties of the açaí help with weight loss, prevent cramps, act as a natural anti-inflammatory — essential to high-performance athletes, — as well as being an excellent source of energy.”

Still, there are things that can go wrong when consuming the fruit, and Dr. Machado has her own recipe to make sure you make the best of it. “The consumer must be wary of the ways the açaí is sold,” she says, “because the guarana syrup, which is often added to the fruit, raises the number of calories per tablespoon by about 93. Since the syrup raises by a lot the glycemic index and, consequently, the levels of insulin in the body, this excessive sugar tends to be stored in the form of fat, and the individual may even develop diabetes in some cases. Not to mention other cases where stores sell the açaí with sweet sauce, chocolates, candy and cookies, making the sugar concentration even higher.

“In the Amazon region, the açaí is consumed with flour by the riverine population. But another option is to blend some organic açaí pulp, a frozen banana, 50ml of coconut water and a tablespoon of oatmeal for a nutritious, efficient, natural pre-training meal.”

When in doubt, one can never be too wrong by sticking to the recommendations made by the Gracies over the decades: Sweeten your açaí with dates, honey or apple juice.

The winter time brings low temperature and along with it a higher risk of us getting a cold and/or flu. This way a few measures should be taken in order to fortify our immune system and avoid missing Jiu-Jitsu classes in this period.

According to the Havard Medical School, “Your first line of defense is to choose a healthy lifestyle. Following general good-health guidelines is the single best step you can take toward keeping your immune system strong and healthy.” Thus, the best way to boost your body’s defense is adopting healthy-living strategies like:

• Don’t smoke.
• Eat a diet high in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and low in saturated fat.
• Exercise regularly.
• Maintain a healthy weight.
• Control your blood pressure.
• If you drink alcohol, drink only in moderation.
• Get adequate sleep.
• Take steps to avoid infection, such as washing your hands frequently and cooking meats thoroughly.
• Get regular medical screening tests for people in your age group and risk category.

Knowing that diet is a main factor to one’s health, researches indicate that some vitamins and minerals play an important role in armoring your body such as: Selenium, Vitamin A, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin E and Zinc.

Also, some supplements have drawn attention from researchers that might help strengthen our defenses but they need further studies to prove its efficiency such as: Aloe Vera (topical), Astragalus, Echinacea, Garlic, Ginseng, and Probiotics.

For more information on how to get the proper daily amount of vitamins and minerals, and how to use supplements and dosage, talk to your doctor or a specialist.

Vegan raw chocolate shake

Did you know that in the Aztec society, Cacao or chocolate was known as “food of the gods” and, it was recognized as a superior aliment reserved for warriors, nobility and priests?

Today, dark chocolate and raw cacao are still considered superfoods high in manganese, copper, iron, magnesium, fiber, phosphorus and antioxidants flavonols and theobromine. By Containing antioxidants, diuretic, stimulant and nutritive properties, cacao helps promote cardiovascular healthy and induces an overall sense of well-being while enhancing mood, supporting a positive mental state and increasing alertness.

In order to make the most out of this superfood, rather than simply eating a chunk of dark chocolate, you can indulge the same health benefits consuming less fat, sugar and fewer calories by using raw cacao powder to prepare a delicious but still healthy and powerful beverage that will deliver the energy you need for training.

Power punch vegan chocolate shake

Ingredients:

1 tbsp raw cacao nibs
1 tbsp organic raw cocoa powder
6-7 raw cashews
2 tbsp honey
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp unsweetened almond butter
1/3 ripe banana
1/3 cup of unsweetened coconut or rice milk
1/2 cup coconut water
1/2 avocado
2 or 3 ice cubes

Instructions:

Blend all the ingredients together, sprinkle raw cacao nibs on top and drink it fresh.

Enjoy and be healthy!

Sources:

SUPERFOODS The healthiest foods on the planet by Tonia Reinhard

Herbal Remedies by Andrew Chevallier

100 foods to stay young by Charlotte Watts

SuperFoods RX by Steven Pratt, MD and Kathy Matthews

Leandro Lo in the cover of GRACIEMAG #202

Leandro Lo is making history in Jiu-Jitsu. Black Belt under Cicero Costha in Brazil, the young athlete, 25, has been training in the gentle art for more than ten years now alongside other high-level competitors, such as the Miyao Brothers. As an avid competitor, he has accumulated so far a distinctive amount of victories in his carrier as a fighter and today places second in the official IBJJF Adult Black Belt ranking.

Born in São Paulo and with a unique fighting style, Lo is a current three times Jiu-Jitsu World Champion who has also won multiple gold medals at other prestigious tournaments, including the WPJJC, Pan Jiu-Jitsu and Brazilian National Championships. Last November, he defeated Gilbert Burns at Copa Podio – event in which he holds an almost perfect record since 2011.

While the ace Leandro Lo is highly known by his fancy Jiu-Jitsu, It might be the champion’s simplistic way of looking at life that is giving him the advantages to succeed. Here at GRACIEMAG.com, he talks about his lifestyle, what motivates him to compete and how he blends diet and training.

How do you combine diet and training?

My first training session is at 11am. Usually, in the morning I don’t feel hungry so I just drink an açaí and orange juice smoothie. When I’m trying to gain weight to move up in category, I replace the smoothie with a protein shake. My training finishes around noon, and then right after I eat lunch. I always have rice and beans with chicken or meat, salad or pasta. After my afternoon training I usually eat a snack high in protein, often with chicken. As I’m trying to put up some weight right now, I’m taking creatine, protein and carbo supplements as well. I don’t have a strict diet though; I often eat anything.

What is your biggest motivation to train and compete?

My love for Jiu-Jitsu, which makes me always want to evolve and win.

How would you describe your Lifestyle?

So, I think I would describe it as “I live my life intensively”.

Leandro Lo and Gilbert Burns battled for over 20 minutes last November at the Copa Podio, in Rio de Janeiro.

See how Lo was able to win the thrilling match in Brazil:

Leandro Lo VS Gilbert Durinho (Luta Especial) from Copa Podio on Vimeo.

Black Belt World Champion Michelle Nicolini. Photo by Milena Fioravanti

IBJJF Hall of famer Michelle Nicolini has many reasons to celebrate the year of 2014. The black belt has accumulated so far her 8th World Jiu-Jitsu Championship, a promising career in MMA and several booked seminars around the globe.

Here on GRACIEMAG.com the fighter shares some of her lifestyle secrets to success in training, dieting and how to be a girl in a big men’s world.

How do you adjust your diet to your training routine?

Usually, I lift weights or do my cross fit session before BJJ class. So, I like to get up early to have breakfast; but it does not mean I like to train early in the morning (laughs!) No, I need some more time to start training; I usually get up around 7am thereby I have enough time to eat a good meal. I normally eat 1 “tapioca” with white eggs, half papaya with yogurt and muesli, and black coffee. I start my work out at 9am, which typically lasts for 1 hour, and then I have a snack, like 1 small fruit or half of a protein bar, and immediately after that I go train Jiu-Jitsu. For me, its essential to drink a recovery shake afterwards. This first BJJ class is our competition training so I need to rehydrate and recover to be ready for the next training session. Then, in about 40 min I eat lunch; I like to have salads, lots of veggies and one kind of fish or chicken. If I need to drink something I choose a hot or iced tea.

Do you take any supplements?

Yes, I do take some. I believe that because I train a lot, I need extra care and help from supplements. For example, before I go to bed at night I take 1 scoop of whey protein – Lean Body or ProV60- Labrada mixed with water. Also, I take multivitamins, Vitamin D, Glucosamin, Glutamin (Glutalen-Labrada), BCAA, Elastijoint (Labrada), Endurox R4, and not often but some times if I feel tired, I take one scoop of Super Charge (pre training-Labrada).

Do you think your eating habits affect your performance?

I believe the way I eat affects the way I train. If I eat too much sugar for example, I will get very tired during my workouts, with a very bad cardio. So, it’s extremely important to eat healthy. I avoid sweets and fried foods on a daily basis, and I do not miss it. If I’m not training for competition then I give myself the pleasure of having ice cream or açai!

The girls that like you also love training Jiu-Jitsu would like to know: what are your beauty secrets for before and after practice?

BJJ is in its majority a male sport. So, I like to show I’m a girl even when I’m on the mats. I like to have my gi and rash guards always clean; its basic but some people just are not used to do it. I like to braid my hair to prevent other people from pulling it; its good for me and for the people I’m training with. I like to do my nails every week, and I love pink nails polish (laughs!). Like a girl I do put make up on, but not too much though because I’m going to training and not to a party. However, I remove it before working out and every night before I go to bed. I take extra care of my face and skin: cleaning and hydrating and things like showering before and after training to prevent mycoses and bacteria. Having a fresh breath is important too. Besides that, I don’t like rolling with people when they have dirty feet and it touches my gi, face, and hands; it is disgusting when someone is stinking. I’m not telling you we need to be tremendously clean but there has to be a minimum of hygiene.

Tell us, what it takes to keep your gratefulness on the mat?

I’have found what I like to do in my life so far. It’s not a sacrifice to go train. If I have any problem outside the mat, as soon as I start training it all disappears. There is no stress on the mat…BJJ is a mind therapy. So I m happy like this and that’s the most important thing.

For more tips, info and seminars visit www.michellefights.com

Lucas Lepri against JT Torres at the Worlds. Foto: Ivan Trindade/GRACIEMAG

Lucas Lepri conquered in 2014 his second World Jiu-Jitsu Championship tittle after winning five matches in his weight division. In the final match, the black belt outscored JT Torres by 12-0, with guard passes and one takedown.

Fighting at Alliance BJJ, the athlete is used to train hard and roll with opponents that are much stronger and heavier than him. Knowing that, GRACIEMAG went after Lucas to find out what does the lightweight do to fuel up energy and have the stamina to endure tough hours of training at the gym and compete.

GRACIEMAG: What do you eat before training?

Lucas: In the morning I usually eat Brazilian yucca (tapioca) or whole wheat bread with almond butter, mashed bananas with hemp seed and honey. Especially, I feel very well and light while training when I have tapioca for breakfast.

Do you take any supplements?

I prepare some green tea and drink it on my way to the gym. I take a Multi-vitamin, Maca, Red Ginseng and amino acids – Glutamine only after training. I don’t enjoy taking a lot of supplements to enhance performance; I prefer to eat healthy.

How do you think your eating habits affect your performance?

I feel very good and energized to start the day and train.

So, dear reader, did you like the diet tips of the world champion? Comment here!

Cantaloupe. Photo: Morguefile

Have you ever tired mixing a variety of melons to make one unique juice? Besides being tasty and refreshing, this laudable drink can provide many health benefits to Jiu-Jitsu practitioners.

According to www.diethealthclub.com, Melon juice has a cleansing, diuretic, mineralizing, and alkalinizing effect on the body and is very effective in eliminating harmful toxins. It is easily digestible and helps maintain an acid-alkaline balance in our body.

Melon juice is a rich source of antioxidants like lycopene, lutein, beta-carotene, neurosporene phytoene, and phytofluene. These antioxidants not only help protect against a number of diseases and disorders, they also boost stamina and metabolism. The vital antioxidants also help neutralize the harmful free radicals found in the body.

It contains no cholesterol and helps prevent the build up of cholesterol in the arteries and other blood vessels. Furthermore, melon juice increases the good cholesterol in the body and lowers the risk of cardiovascular disorders.

While studying about the nutritional facts of melons, it is also important to shed light on some of the vital nutrients in melon juice. Some of the important vitamins are vitamin A, B6, C, D and folate. Similarly, some of the main minerals found in melon juice include: Magnesium, Potassium, Sodium, Calcium, Iron, Zinc and Selenium.

In addition to these nutrients in melon juice, there are also a few amino acids found in trace amounts such as: Tryptophan, Aspartic acid, Glutamic acid, Glycine, Lysine.

Thus, after finding out about all these miraculous health benefits of melons, GRACIEMAG searched for a delicious and powerful melon juice recipe to share with our faithful readers. Check it out!

*Melon Combo

Ingredients:

½ Cantaloupe (peeled and seeded)

½ honeydew (rind removed and seeded)

½ seedless watermelon (rind removed)

1 bunch of mint

Instructions:

Wash all the ingredients in running water. Then, you should peel; remove the seeds and rinds off. Cut the melons in small pieces. Now, use a power juicer or a blender to mix it all up.

Drink it fresh!

*Jack La Lanne’s Power Juicer – Fresh recipe collection

Watermelon. Photo: Morguefile

At the famous Thousand Steps, in Laguna Beach, California, she meets with diet specialist Fernanda Mello and Jiu-Jitsu world champion Kayron Gracie for a day of climbing the steps in the direction of fitness.

Learn how the steps can help your cardio for the mats and get important tips on what to eat and how to hydrate properly before, during and after the work out.

Join the Lifestyle now!

Carol Gracie shows you a healthy breakfast recipe and a fast but powerful exercise routine that will make you start your day at full speed.

Watch, practice and join the Lifestyle.

Every week, Carol will feature one aspect of the lifestyle of those who love and live the gentle art.

Healthy eating, exercises, recovering tips, relaxation for mind and body, outdoor activities and much more will be on Carol’s Lifestyle menu, and yours too.

It all starts this September and you are all welcome!