One of Australia’s toughest female MMA fighters has proven dominance both in and out of the right – using words designed to hurt her to fuel her performance.
Internet trolls have tried to crush Megan Anderson by insulting her appearance and mocking her skill level, but the 28-year-old said it would take a lot more than some mean words from strangers to bring her down.
From being told she looked like a man, to being accused of having taken steroids, and being told she was too ‘fat’, the powerful sportswoman has just about heard it all.
MMA fighter Megan Anderson (pictured) has proven dominance both in and out of the right – using words designed to hurt her to fuel her athletic performance
The 28-year-old (pictured) said it would take a lot more than some mean words from strangers to bring her down
Ms Anderson, who’s never been injured or knocked out in the sport, said she received messages saying she had ‘ugly tattoos’ and that she was a ‘useless’ fighter.
But instead of letting the trolls dishearten her, she decided to use their cruel comments to build her into a better person and even more of a ferocious fighter.
‘You can let it fuel you and motivate you to prove those people wrong, and use it to help you become and even better person,’ she told Daily Mail Australia.
Nasty comments aren’t the only thing the former Invicta FC Featherweight champion uses to fuel her in the ring, with her sprucing a diet low in flavour but high in carbs.
Ms Anderson (pictured), who’s never been injured or knocked out in the sport, said she received messages saying she had ‘ugly tattoos’ and that she was a ‘useless’ fighter
The powerhouse shares physique updates with her 139,000 Instagram followers (pictured left in the morning and right in the evening – showing a 2.3kg difference on the same day)
Instead of letting the trolls dishearten her, she decided to use their cruel comments to build her into a better person and even more of a ferocious fighter
She said her focus was on packing in the nutrients and calories to nourish her muscles for optimum performance – and less so on indulging in tasty meals.
Some staple dishes were rice and chicken, yoghurt, oats and berries, sweet potato, and the occasional serving of turkey bacon, red meat and fish.
Under instruction from her personal nutritionist, she was told carbohydrates were going to be vital in remaining in peak physical condition.
‘A lot of people think cutting carbs is a good idea, but really it’s the worst thing you can do for your body, we need energy to train at our best,’ Ms Anderson said.
‘I eat carbs before and after I train, you need that fuel source to get through.’
Nasty comments aren’t the only thing the former Invicta FC Featherweight champion uses to fuel her in the ring, with her sprucing a diet low in flavour but high in carbs
She said her focus was on packing in the nutrients and calories to nourish her muscles for optimum performance – and less so on indulging in tasty meals
While she trains in a male dominated environment, she uses it to help her become a stronger and more competitive athlete
It’s no surprise the professional fighter needs all the energy she can get, powering through two intense one and a half hour workouts five days a week.
She covers a range of cross training activities including boxing, Jiu-Jitsu, strength work and metabolic conditioning, and takes a holistic approach to her fitness.
‘There’s not one specific thing I focus on, I try and cover all parts of my body and fitness equally,’ Ms Anderson said.
Beyond a light nose bleed she’d never had an opponent cause her serious harm, but she was no stranger to shattering a bone or two of someone else’s.
Ms Anderson powers through two intense one and a half hour workouts five days a week
She covers a range of cross training activities including boxing, Jiu-Jitsu, strength work and metabolic conditioning, and takes a holistic approach to her fitness
She told Daily Mail Australia she was no stranger to shattering a bone or two of her opponents
She once broke the pelvis of one of her opponents, and cracked through the eye socket of another.
Training in a field dominated by strong male characters, Ms Anderson said it was imperative she developed and utilised a thick skin.
While some people might find training in a masculine sport intimidating, she explained the unique environment had actually help sculpt her into a better fighter.
Ms Anderson has been training to face off against the woman who beat Ronda Rousey, Holly Holm, for her UFC 225 debut in June.
Ms Anderson said it was imperative she developed and utilised a thick skin in the challenging sport
She has been training to face off against the woman who beat Ronda Rousey, Holly Holm, for her UFC 225 debut in June