Shields' Diet Plans: Eating Like A Champion

Will Shields is a vegetarian fighter who watches his diet around the eight-week mark before a fight. Shields' diet includes oatmeal or eggs for breakfast, a mid-morning snack of nuts and fruit, a stir-fry with brown rice and vegetables for lunch, and a protein shake post-workout. Shields also enjoys Thai food and will occasionally indulge in processed foods like soy chicken or soy steak from Whole Foods. Shields tries to focus on eating small meals before training and avoids greasy foods. Shields' favourite fruits include blueberries, strawberries, oranges, dried fruits, and cantaloupes.

Breakfast: oatmeal, eggs, bagels, and peanut butter

Will Shields is a vegetarian fighter who starts to watch his diet around the eight-week mark before a fight, when his training intensifies. Until then, he's fairly liberal with what he eats. Shields says: "I eat based on how I'm feeling. If I'm hungry, I eat. Right now my weight is where I need it to be."

For breakfast, Shields eats oatmeal with fruit or sweet maple syrup, or eggs. If he's in a hurry, he'll grab a bagel with peanut butter and jelly. Shields likes to load up on fruit and nuts for a mid-morning snack.

Shields tries to focus on eating small meals before training. Carb-based meals, but not greasy foods like Thai takeout, usually make the cut. For lunch, he might eat out, perhaps choosing Thai food with tofu, but he cuts this out of his diet when his training for a fight gets serious. After lunch, he might have a veggie burger or a veggie sandwich from Subway. From time to time, Shields will go to Whole Foods and get soy chicken or soy steak. He doesn't like to do that often because it's processed, but for a change of pace, he'll put it on a sandwich with avocados and vegetables.

For dinner, Shields might eat quinoa, a whole grain, mixed with vegetables or eggs. He'll then have a late-night snack of crackers and hummus, followed later by another snack of scrambled eggs and hash brown potatoes.

Lunch: stir-fry with brown rice and vegetables

Will Shields is a vegetarian fighter who starts to watch his diet around the eight-week mark before a fight, when training intensifies. Until then, he's fairly liberal with what he eats. He says: "I eat based on how I'm feeling. If I'm hungry, I eat."

For lunch, Shields will often have a stir-fry dish with brown rice and vegetables. He'll load up on whatever catches his attention in the supermarket, which could be spinach, broccoli or any other green veggie.

Stir-fries are a great way to get lots of vegetables into your diet. They're also quick and easy to make. Simply chop up your chosen vegetables and throw them into a hot wok or frying pan with a little oil. Add some garlic and ginger for extra flavour, and maybe a splash of soy sauce or teriyaki sauce. Stir-fry until the vegetables are tender-crisp, then serve over a bed of brown rice.

Brown rice is a healthier alternative to white rice, as it's higher in fibre and nutrients. It also has a nutty flavour and chewy texture that goes well in stir-fries. To cook brown rice, simply rinse it first, then add it to a pan of boiling water. Reduce the heat and simmer for around 25-30 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Drain off any excess water and fluff the rice with a fork before serving.

Shields focuses on eating small meals before training, and carb-based meals usually make the cut. He'll often have quinoa, a whole grain, mixed with vegetables or eggs for dinner.

Dinner: quinoa, a whole grain, mixed with vegetables or eggs

Will Shields is a vegetarian fighter who starts to watch his diet around the eight-week mark before a fight, when training intensifies. He says:

> I eat based on how I'm feeling. If I'm hungry, I eat. Right now my weight is where I need it to be. When I was going to fight at 185 [pounds], I had to eat six, seven or eight times every day, and force myself to constantly eat. As a vegetarian trying to gain weight, you have to eat more than you want to.

Shields' typical diet includes:

• Breakfast: oatmeal with fruit or sweet maple syrup, or eggs. If he's in a hurry, he might grab a bagel with peanut butter and jelly instead.
• Mid-morning snack: nuts and various fruits.
• Lunch: a stir-fry dish with brown rice and vegetables. Shields will load up on whatever catches his attention in the supermarket, such as spinach, broccoli or any other green veggie.
• Post-lunch: a veggie burger or a veggie sandwich from Subway. From time to time, Shields will go to Whole Foods and get soy chicken or soy steak. He doesn't like to do that often because it's processed. But for a change of pace, he'll put it on a sandwich with avocados and vegetables.
• Post-workout: a protein shake with whey or soy-based protein most of the time.
• Dinner: quinoa, a whole grain, mixed with vegetables or eggs.
• Late snack: crackers and hummus, followed later by another snack of scrambled eggs and hash brown potatoes. Shields tries to focus on eating small meals before training. Carb-based meals, but not greasy foods like Thai takeout, usually make the cut.

Snacks: nuts, fruit, crackers, hummus, and scrambled eggs

Will Shields is a vegetarian fighter who watches his diet around the eight-week mark before a fight, when training intensifies. He says, "I eat based on how I'm feeling. If I'm hungry, I eat." Shields's breakfast usually consists of oatmeal with fruit or maple syrup, or eggs. If he's in a hurry, he might grab a bagel with peanut butter and jelly.

Shields's mid-morning snack includes nuts and various fruits, such as blueberries, strawberries, oranges, dried fruits and cantaloupes. For lunch, he might have a stir-fry dish with brown rice and vegetables, loading up on whatever catches his attention in the supermarket, such as spinach, broccoli or any other green veggie.

Shields's late snack is crackers and hummus, followed by another snack of scrambled eggs and hash brown potatoes. He focuses on eating small meals before training, and carb-based meals, but not greasy foods like Thai takeout.

Shields's post-workout meal is a protein shake with whey or soy-based protein most of the time. He doesn't like soda and will drink coconut water or 100% juice drinks throughout the day.

Drinks: coconut water, juice, and protein shakes

Will Shields is a vegetarian fighter who starts to watch his diet around the eight-week mark before a fight, when training intensifies. Shields doesn't like soda and will drink coconut water or 100% juice drinks throughout the day. He also drinks protein shakes with whey or soy-based protein most of the time after a workout.

Shields focuses on eating small meals before training, and carb-based meals, but not greasy foods like Thai takeout, usually make the cut. He tries to eat based on how he's feeling, and if he's hungry, he eats. Shields also eats a lot of fruit, including blueberries, strawberries, oranges, dried fruits and cantaloupes. He'll snack on nuts and various fruits mid-morning.

Shields eats a lot of vegetables, including spinach, broccoli and other green veggies. He'll also eat quinoa, a whole grain, mixed with vegetables or eggs for dinner. He'll sometimes have a late-night snack of crackers and hummus, followed later by another snack of scrambled eggs and hash brown potatoes.

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