What Champion Boxer Amaiya Zafar Eats in a Day

Learn what groundbreaking boxer Amaiya Zafar eats on a typical day to fuel her workouts and keep her wellness game in *fighting* shape. Amaiya Zafar made headlines at the age of 16 when she began fighting for the right to box competitively while wearing a hijab. After a two-year struggle, she was successful: In 2019, the International Boxing Association lifted its ban against hijabs and she was able to compete. Impressively, Amaiya went on to win:

• the Ringside World Championship in 2017
• the women’s flyweight title at the Sugar Bert National Boxing Championship in 2018
• the Upper Midwest Golden Gloves Championship in 2019

Now 20 years old, Amaiya continues to train and work on self-development. One main point of focus is supporting her body through nutrition, which brings us to Amaiya’s food diary.

What Boxer Amaiya Zafar Eats in a Day

Here’s what Amaiya eats on a typical day to power her boxing regimen.

Breakfast

Amaiya starts her morning with a 6 a.m. run followed by meditation. By the time she makes it to the kitchen, she’s already worked up a good appetite. When it comes to breakfast, Amaiya’s biggest priority is avoiding refined sugar (to feel healthier) and gluten (to control her eczema). A typical breakfast consists of a tomato and onion egg scramble with cucumber on the side. Protein is a crucial element in her breakfast, and sometimes she’ll swap her egg scramble with heated leftovers from a previous dinner. Then, her breakfast is never complete without coffee mixed with oat milk and honey.

Lunch

At lunchtime, Amaiya focuses on incorporating healthy fats into her meal. Fortunately, her love of avocado makes this easy and enjoyable to do. Amaiya’s lunches are usually either a robust salad or hearty sandwich. Salads for Amaiya will usually consist of:

• chicken, beef, or fish
• hard-boiled eggs
• avocado
• cucumbers
• tomatoes
• ranch dressing

Otherwise, she’ll make a sandwich with the following:

• eggs, turkey, or chicken
• cheese
• avocado
• cucumbers
• tomatoes
• hot peppers
• mayo

Afternoon Snack

Amaiya does her best not to snack, as she believes it’s not the best thing for her body and unique dietary concerns. But when she has a strong craving before dinner, she’ll reach for a healthy option, such as:

• orange slices
• dehydrated prunes
• cashews or trail mix

She also has a favorite go-to healthy snack: frozen mango slices. Amaiya encourages everyone she meets to try them because they’re “as delicious as a scoop of ice cream.”

Dinner

Amaiya is living with her parents while she pursues her bachelor’s degree in mental and physical health development, so dinner is influenced by the rest of her family. Since her father follows a vegan diet, dinner is usually plant-based. Most often, it consists of curries paired with rice and beans. “We are a multicultural family,” Amaiya notes, regarding the prominence of curry dinners. Her family is a mix of Indian, Pakistani, and East African, and all of their dinners reflect these roots. Also, Amaiya tends to lean more towards a keto-inspired diet, for which she limits her starch intake. She also makes an effort to cook chicken or beef a few times each week to amp up protein intake.

The Bottom Line

Overall, the most important factor for Amaiya is to listen to her body when it comes to eating and planning her meals. She tunes into what her body needs and avoids things that don’t make her feel her best. Listening to her body has taught her to:

• snack on healthy food when she has strong cravings
• incorporate protein in her meals so she feels full throughout the day
• make each meal as colorful as possible by including an array of fresh veggies

Her creed also applies to grocery shopping, as she avoids items “with ingredients I can’t pronounce” and opts to buy free-range, non-GMO, and organic foods whenever possible. Interested in seeing what others eat in a day? Check out the food diaries of HUM RD Gaby Vaca-Flores and nutritional psychiatrist Uma Naidoo.