Now, before I begin I must say that I am a big McGregor fan. So, why not do a breakdown of his diet. Because with fighters they are oftentimes cutting to make weight, I have decided to divide this post into three sections: 145lb Conor, 170lb Conor, and 155/154 Conor. So, let’s begin.
145 Lb. Conor
When McGregor entered the UFC, he began his journey to superstardom, he started in the Featherweight 145 pound division. Conor is naturally walking around close to 170 pounds, so making the cut to 145 requires a lot of dedication to diet. In various all-access videos, it is shown that McGregor stuck with a Paelo-style diet. He even experimented with Intermittent Fasting, something I use to lose weight and still eat big meals. See video below, where he explains early on.
McGregor showcases his meals in several episodes of “UFC Embedded”, which provides an all-access look into fighter’s prep for their next fight. His meals focused on omelettes, chicken, fish, and vegetables. He drank coffee and a lot water. Much like all of the athletes profiled on my blog, he ate very clean.
170 Lb. Conor
After his plans to fight then-UFC Lightweight Chamption Rafael Dos Anjos for the belt, McGregor was faced with the difficult task of facing a taller, longer opponent in Nate Diaz at UFC 196. With the fight planned on short notice, the fight would be at 170 pounds instead of 155. For Conor, this was easy. In preparation for his fight, he still ate clean but had a penchant for steaks.
Ultimately, this had a negative effect on his performance, as he suffered a loss by submission to Diaz that shocked the UFC. Determined to redeem himself, McGregor agreed to a rematch a UFC 202 and made some changes to his diet. He hired George Lockhart as his nutritionist and cook. Lockhart incorporated such things as honey barbecue chicken, avocados, basmati rice, breakfast burritos, good fish, and the occasional red meat. The focus of his diet prior to Diaz was to make sure he was getting proper nutrients and vitamins necessary for the body to function properly. This, along with a well-timed workout plan, helped McGregor succeed in defeating Diaz by decision.
155/154 Lb. Conor
Following his win at UFC 202, McGregor dropped from 170 to 155 pounds to fight Eddie Alvarez for the Lightweight division belt. McGregor stuck with Lockhart as his nutritionist, eating meals that were carefully executed and precise to his body. Most likely, he was eating smaller meals to cut weight but still packed with a lot of vitamins and minerals. Not much was documented about his diet before UFC 205, but you will see meal examples below from his next fight at a similar weight. McGregor did end up becoming a two-time world champion, defeating Alvarez by knockout in the second round.
After taking a break from fighting, McGregor came back in the late summer for a mega-fight against undefeated boxer, Floyd Mayweather. The challenge was daunting, but he was up for the task. McGregor seemed most comfortable in the UFC fighting at 155 pounds and his bout with Mayweather would be at 154 pounds. McGregor continued to work with Lockhart. See some pictures below of some of his meals from Lockhart’s Instagram page.
While he did lose by knockout, McGregor proved that even with a short camp he can hang in there with the best. I hope some of these pictures inspire you and help you understand that his diet is so much more than chicken and broccoli. You can add color, variety, and flavor and still lose weight, pack on muscle, and feel great.
What's in their Diet? 