I am 2 weeks out until my fight with Frankie Edgar UFC 125 at MGM Garden Las Vegas NV Jan 1, 2011. My diet is key right now, especially the last few weeks leading up. I usually eat pretty clean, but, now I step it up a notch to get the last 10-15 off. I cut out all dairy from the get go, and I also cut out coffee. I usually drink a venti black coffee from starbucks everyday, but I  stop caffeine when I’m in camp, because I really need to know how my body is feeling and not use artificial energy. I also cut out dairy for a few reasons. Dairy on a whole is not really that great for you. It can cause bloating and other side effects. Also most dairy is really processed so you don’t really get any nutritional benefit from it.  I make a protein shake with whey protein, pomegranate juice, a banana, organic blueberries and strawberries (frozen), and a tablespoon of coconut oil. I use pom juice because it has a lot of antioxidants, as does the blueberries. I usually take 2-3 tablespoons of coconut oil a day as well, because it really helps with overall inflammation, and has the “good fats” needed to maintain healthy cholesterol. Also these good fats are absorbed directly into the liver rather than into the bloodstream, so they’re used immediately as energy, not stored as fat. It helps with metabolism and it also is a antimicrobial. After my smoothie I head to my first practice. When I am done with the first practice I will eat a whole wheat wrap, with hummus, salt free seasoning from trader joe’s, tomatoes, cucumbers, and hormone free, antibiotic free organic turkey breast. I eat right after so my body can use the food to replenish what I lost in practice. I can lose up to 8-12lbs in a practice, so it is really important for me to eat right after. Depending on the day, I will either go home to rest and recover, or I will have another practice immediately after. For lunch, again, I will have a wrap, or a salad with organic chicken breast, or brown rice, chicken, black beans, and homemade salsa. I really try and make everything fresh. The fresher the better, and then I know exactly what is going into my body. It takes a lot of time to prepare my meals, but it is very important for me to eat the best foods so that I can use healthy clean energy for my practices. After lunch I relax, and then head to pro practice and strength and conditioning, again depending on what day it is. For dinner I eat chicken or fish as my protein. Everything is baked with extra virgin olive oil, salt free seasonings, and a little lime or lemon. Surprisingly it is really good. It may sound bland, but it is great. Some nights I have carbs with dinner, and some nights I don’t. This depends on my weight, and how close I really am to my fight. Some typical dinners are shish-kabobs with organic chicken breast free of any hormones or antibiotics, couscous with tomatoes, basil and mushrooms stuffed in a red or yellow bell pepper. Fish tacos, with homemade salsa, avocados, and I use sprouted corn tortillas, which are less processed than regular corn tortillas. Grilled salmon and asparagus, and sometimes grilled salmon burgers with whole wehat bun and a side green salad. The other night I had a chinese chicken salad that had cabbage, cilantro, green onions, almond slices, carrots, and grilled chicken, with a peanut vinagrette. So I mix it up. Just because I have to eat clean doesnt necessarily mean boring. Before, I would only eat the same thing everyday, day in and day out. But that gets old. Once your in a routine and happy with the food your eating, all the cravings go away for junk food. If I need something sweet, especially after dinner, I have been making my own sorbet. I bought a Vitamix, which is the best purchase I have made in a long time. It is a blender, but it does everything. I made strawberry lime sorbet the other night. And all I put it in was water, a pound of frozen strawberries, a whole lime, and a few squirts of agave. Agave is a natural sweetner that does not mess with your insulin and blood sugar levels. It is really sweet too, so I use it instead of sugar because it is healthier for you. Basically, I eat only organic meats that are not treated with any antibiotics or hormones. I think that is really important because if they are eating like !@#$, that means I  am eating like shit. If I eat red meat, which is occasionally, I will eat grass fed red meat. Again, if cows are eating crap like grain, which their bodies naturally do not have the enzymes for, they get sick, have parasites, and then are given high dosages of medicine, that in turn is going into my body. My philosophy really is, the more natural the better. It takes a lot of time and energy to eat this way, but I feel great and I know my body is performing at the optimal level, because I put the optimal food energy into my body.