MMA Diet: Rudog Edition

CC: Mary, congrats on your successes so far. It must feel so rewarding to be considered this trusted nutrition source amidst the chaos. Not only are you helping people lead healthier lives, but each person who comes your way is less likely to be swayed by the junk science out there. Was this your original goal? At what point did the lightbulb moment happen about MMA nutrition?

MB: Yes, my original goal was to simply provide a trusted nutrition resource for MMA athletes that didn’t cost them a lot of money. It needed to be something that could be accessible by anyone in the world and could fit any budget. My lightbulb moment happened when I was finishing up a kickboxing class about 3 years ago and I overhead some guys talking about nutrition. I was shocked at how little they knew. (And these were guys who knew what I do for a living!) That’s when I realized that no one was specifically targeting the MMA community for sport specific nutrition education. I decided to change that.

CC: You’ve talked before about how many MMA fighters take in too much protein. What are two other areas where fighters often struggle when it comes to fulfilling their nutritional needs? How do these struggles differ from the struggles seen in the general population?

MB: The fighters that I have worked with seem to struggle with 2 other key areas: Eating enough total calories and not getting enough high quality sleep. These are so critical to their overall game plan, and yet they are guessing at both. They typically are so afraid to eat too much that they under eat. They also spend so much time training that they neglect to schedule adequate time for sleep. Both of these contribute to poor or incomplete recovery and chronic fatigue, which sets the stage for injury. I think the general population struggles with these areas also, but when your paycheck doesn’t depend on your ability to avoid being killed, I think the effects of poor nutrition are not as readily apparent.

CC: Just like fighters have other fighters they respect in the field, who are some other nutrition folks inside or outside of the MMA community that you read and respect?

MB: I think it’s important to have exceptionally high standards in competitive sports and in the field of nutrition, and very few people make that cut for me. Nancy Clark is a dietitian who practically pioneered the field Sports Nutrition. I have the utmost respect for her and her approach. She is out of the Boston area and is my “go to” resource on anything sports related. I also look to many experts from the Cooper Aerobics Center in Dallas. The founder, Dr. Kenneth Cooper, and his work on fitness and nutrition speak for themselves.

CC: What can people expect to receive when they enroll in your services? How can fighters and fans alike contact you directly?

MB: I like to explain the Rudog website as an online magazine for nutrition.  Subscribers have access to articles and content that covers anything from why carbs are important, to a great seared tuna recipe. The content is updated weekly and is written either by myself or a contributing author, many times from a different discipline than myself. Subscribers are always welcome to text or email if they have questions or need a suggestion or tip. If they need or want more in depth information, additional services can be purchased for a separate fee. You don’t have to be a member of the Rudog site to get any of the customized services (like consults or menu planning), but Rudog members do get a 25% discount.

I can be reached directly by email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or by phone at 972.880.8443. Follow us @RudogNutrition on Twitter or here on our Facebook page.