Source:
https://scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3047761/mma-fighter-change-plant-based-diet-after-watching
Lifestyle/ Health & Wellness

MMA fighter to change to a plant-based diet after watching Netflix film The Game Changers – will it make a difference?

  • French-Vietnamese martial artist Marc Guyon has gone meat-free to see if it helps his recovery from injury, as it did MMA fighter featured in Netflix film
  • Guyon, based in Hong Kong, is on a vegetarian diet in January as step to going vegan in February. Nutritionists confident it can provide him enough energy
Guyon has experience in wing chun, boxing, savate and jiu jitsu. Photo: JTP

On New Year’s Eve, professional mixed martial artist (MMA) Marc Guyon bit into his last carnivorous indulgence – foie gras – before embarking on a meat-free journey that saw him adopt a vegetarian diet for January with plans to transition to a vegan diet in February.

“I used to make jokes about vegetarians … It was the old cliché that to be strong and to fight, one must eat meat,” says the bantamweight fighter.

Several factors triggered his decision. For one, he was ready to take on a New Year challenge. And he had just watched the Netflix documentary The Game Changers, which covered fellow MMA fighter James Wilks’ return to form after two knee injuries, which he credited to adopting a plant-based diet.

“I identified with him … he injured his knees and did research [on better recovery],” says the 35-year-old. “I got injured last year but only one knee. I’m now recovering.”

Guyon won gold at the IBJJF Jiu Jitsu Asian Open in September 2018, but tore his anterior cruciate ligament on his way to victory. Photo: Marc Guyon
Guyon won gold at the IBJJF Jiu Jitsu Asian Open in September 2018, but tore his anterior cruciate ligament on his way to victory. Photo: Marc Guyon

In September 2018 at the IBJJF Jiu Jitsu Asian Open, Guyon tore his anterior cruciate ligament during the first of four competitions, but continued fighting anyway, and won the overall gold medal. Following knee surgery, Guyon realised he had only a few years of fights left in him, which motivated him to research better recovery strategies.

“Being vegetarian, French and a fighter, it’s not easy,” says Guyon of going meat-free. He is also president of the Hong Kong chapter of UFE, the French Foreign Union that supports French expatriates.

Guyon has experience in wing chun, boxing, savate and jiu jitsu. Photo: JTP
Guyon has experience in wing chun, boxing, savate and jiu jitsu. Photo: JTP

As Guyon targets a purely plant-based diet, he joins many people taking part in Veganuary, started by a UK charity of the same name in 2014. The aim is to eat a plant-based diet throughout January – and perhaps beyond. Celebrity backers include actor Joaquin Phoenix, Brian May from the rock group Queen and rock singer Meatloaf.

According to the charity, more than 250,000 people from 159 countries took part in Veganuary in 2019, up 49 per cent on 2018. Some participants adapt the challenge to fit their time frame or lifestyle.

Guyon is eager to find out what health and athletic benefits he will derive from the experiment. “Apparently [going plant-based] helps you digest faster, have more energy and recover quicker,” he says.

By eating a variety of plant-based foods throughout the day that are rich in plant-based protein … it is possible to get enough of all of the essential amino acids … required Fiona Halar, a vegan dietitian, nutritionist and exercise scientist in Sydney, Australia

Though many elite athletes following a plant-based diet attest that going meat-free gives them an athletic edge, research in this area remains limited. A 2019 study led by Josefine Nebl looked at exercise capacity among runners who were vegans (eating no animal products), lacto-ovo vegetarians (consuming dairy products and eggs as well as vegetables) and omnivores (who eat all food types).

Participants underwent tests on a stationary bicycle and had blood samples taken to analyse lactose and glucose levels, among other performance biomarkers. The study, published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, did not find a significant difference in performance among the diet groups. It concluded: “A vegan diet can be a suitable alternative for ambitious recreational runners.”

Recent research suggests the health benefits of forgoing meat are extensive, and include improved cardiovascular health, lower diabetes risk, a healthier gut and weight loss.

A short-duration low-fat vegan diet can change one’s gut microbiota, resulting in improvements in body weight and composition, plus blood sugar control, according to a study by Dr Hana Kahleov from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine in Washington.

Emilie Clairet gives a talk about plant-based diets during a vegan lunch at Hemingway’s restaurant in Discovery Bay, Hong Kong. Photo: Winson Wong
Emilie Clairet gives a talk about plant-based diets during a vegan lunch at Hemingway’s restaurant in Discovery Bay, Hong Kong. Photo: Winson Wong

In Kahleov’s study, 148 participants, all overweight, were randomly assigned to a low-fat vegan diet or their usual diet for 16 weeks. Those in the vegan diet group showed significant weight loss (average 5.8kg/12.8lbs) and body composition changes, including reduced fat mass. Their insulin sensitivity also increased.

In preparation for his vegan diet, Guyon attended a workshop at Hemingway’s restaurant in Discovery Bay. Emilie Clairet, a medical doctor and nutritionist from France, presented a beginner’s guide to a plant-based diet. She urged participants to incorporate whole grains into meals, such as quinoa or millet, which are rich in protein. She also encouraged them to consume less processed food.

“When you eat something that hasn’t been too processed, they are richer in nutrients,” she says.

She also advises loading up on leafy greens such as like spinach, a high-iron food. Additionally, embrace seed-based foods such as flaxseed oil, which is high in Omega-3 fatty acids. Be sure to also eat a variety of plant-based foods to achieve a balanced diet with nutrients from various groups.

Fiona Halar is a vegan nutritionist, dietitian and exercise scientist from Sydney, Australia. Photo: Fiona Halar
Fiona Halar is a vegan nutritionist, dietitian and exercise scientist from Sydney, Australia. Photo: Fiona Halar

“Research shows that vegan diets typically meet recommendations for protein intake when energy intake is adequate,” says Fiona Halar, a vegan dietitian, nutritionist and exercise scientist in Sydney, Australia.

“By eating a variety of plant-based foods throughout the day that are rich in plant-based protein, such as tofu, legumes, beans, wholegrains, nuts and seeds, it is possible to get enough of all of the essential amino acids – the building blocks of protein – required.”

As for concerns about whether a vegan diet contains sufficient vitamin B, Halar notes that all types of this nutrient with the exception of B12 are available in adequate quantities in plant-based foods.

“It is difficult to get enough vitamin B12 on a vegan diet because plants don’t naturally contain any vitamin B12,” Halar says. “Since vitamin B12 is made by bacteria, you can get trace amounts from fermented foods and unfortified nutritional yeast.” She recommends vegans regularly consume foods fortified with vitamin B12, or take a supplement.

Clairet is a medical doctor and nutritionist from France.
Clairet is a medical doctor and nutritionist from France.

Guyon says he does not feel major benefits yet, though he does experience less bloating. “When you eat a big pasta and pizza, sometimes you feel sleepy in the afternoon, but that does not happen now,” he says.

He has been surprised at how easy it has been to transition away from eating meat, and he is a fan of the plant-based Impossible Burger. He is also energised, with a new zest for coaching clients at his gym, MGK Fight Club in Discovery Bay.

Now Guyon is looking to arrange a fight in Asia to gauge his performance on a fully vegan diet. “I’ll do it to test myself. We’ll see,” he says.