211 - Combat & Compassion with Vegan MMA Fighter Mac Danzig

Episode • Jan 4, 2023 • 1h 21m

To talk to today’s guest, you may not guess he’s an extremely accomplished mixed martial artist. Modest, thoughtful, and incredibly insightful, Mac Danzig is a true maverick – a warrior poet and animal rights proponent who defies stereotypes and can wax philosophical about anything from human nature to photography, even skateboarding. A 2nd-degree black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, he came to prominence while winning season six of the Ultimate Fighter and made his mark in the ring as a dominant grappler and proficient striker. In addition to his success in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, he appeared in the revolutionary documentary Forks Over Knives, where he discussed the benefits of a plant-based diet and how it affected his health and his career as an athlete.

Today, Mac has his own MMA studio where he passes on what he’s learned to a new generation, and we’re really happy to have him on!

“When they were telling me that I needed a gram and a half of protein per pound of body weight to two grams of protein per pound of body weight, at the same time, they would be telling me that I could only absorb 20 to 30 grams per digestion cycle. Now how long is a digestion cycle? They say it’s like three to four hours, maybe five. Well, how many hours in the day do we have for me to get two grams of protein per pound of body weight if I’m walking around at 170 pounds? 170 times two. There’s no way I can absorb that.” - Mac Danzig

What we discuss in this episode:

His childhood and how removing dairy from his diet drastically improved his health
The transformative impact working at an animal sanctuary had on him
The ways a vegan diet improved his athletic performance
His favorite sources of protein
Insight into the world of MMA
His insights into training for fights
His experiences with concussions
How he transitioned from MMA to opening his own gym
How he approaches the topic of veganism with his students

Resources:

Mac Danzig gym: Danzig MMA
Mac Danzig photography: https://www.flickr.com/photos/california4life/

The Plant-based Playbook IS HERE!

Let the Plant-based Games Begin, the first-ever guidebook dedicated to optimizing athletic performance with plant-based fuel. We developed the Playbook in consultation with the IOC’s Office of Sustainability to help coaches, dietitians, and athletes understand how to embrace plant-based nutrition.

Researched and written by a diverse group of highly credentialed researchers, clinicians, and athletes, the Playbook leverages peer-reviewed science and real-world experience to illuminate the physiological benefits of a plant-based diet. The Playbook also includes robust, field-tested tools and resources for meal planning and other practical implementation techniques.

You can download the Playbook here: https://switch4good.org/plant-based-playbook/

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