At a Muay Thai camp, you burn between 2,500 and 4,000 calories per day. What you eat (and drink) does not just determine your comfort: it determines whether you progress, whether you recover, and whether you finish the camp in shape or injured. Here is the nutrition guide we give new arrivals at Old School Boxing.
How many calories do you really burn?
A typical day at camp looks like:
- 30 min morning run → 300-400 kcal
- 2h Muay Thai session in the morning (shadow, bag, pads, sparring) → 900-1200 kcal
- 2h Muay Thai session in the afternoon → 900-1200 kcal
- Conditioning / clinch → 300-500 kcal
That easily adds up to 2,500 to 3,300 kcal burned by training alone, on top of your basal metabolism (1,500 to 2,000 kcal). You have to eat accordingly, even to lose weight.
Mistake number 1: eating too little
Many travellers arrive with the idea of "going on a diet" at camp. The result: they eat 1,500 kcal, they train like crazy, and after 4 days they collapse. Dead legs, sessions that become punishing, and an immune system that gives out.
The golden rule: eat your fill, but choose smartly. A calorie deficit of 300 to 500 kcal per day is more than enough to lean out over 2 weeks when you train this much. There is no point starving your body.
What to eat in Thailand: the right dishes
Breakfast
In Thailand, the traditional Thai breakfast is a rice soup (jok) or rice with stir-fried pork. But at the camps, the buffet is often westernised:
- Scrambled / fried eggs (protein)
- Fresh fruit (mango, papaya, watermelon, pineapple)
- Porridge or wholegrain bread
- Thai coffee (careful, very sweet, ask for "no sugar")
Lunch and dinner: the fighter's classics
- Pad Krapow Gai (basil chicken) with an egg on rice. The favourite dish of Thai fighters, balanced and low in calories.
- Gai Yang (grilled chicken) with sticky rice and som tam (green papaya salad). Very high in protein, light, an absolute classic.
- Tom Yum Gai. Spicy chicken soup. Perfect in the evening, low in calories, very hydrating.
- Khao Pad (fried rice)with chicken or shrimp. Can be very heavy in oil, ask for "nam man noi" (little oil).
- Massaman curry. More calorific (coconut) but perfect after a double sparring session to refuel.
Dishes to avoid (or limit)
- Pad Thai. It is good, but it is very sweet and fatty. Save it for your days off.
- Fried food in general (spring rolls, fried chicken, fried banana). OK in small quantities, not as a staple.
- Sweet Thai drinks (pink iced tea, sweetened coffee). A fast-acting sugar bomb.
Hydration: the real subject
In a tropical climate, you will lose 3 to 6 litres of sweat per day. Dehydration is the number one cause of dips in form, cramps, and injuries.
- Aim for 5 to 7 litres of water per day. Yes, it is huge. Yes, it is necessary.
- Add electrolytes (ORS sachets, Hydralyte, or simply a pinch of salt and a little lemon juice) to at least 2 bottles per day.
- Drink fresh coconut water. It is the best natural recovery drink in the world, and it costs €1 at the beach.
- Avoid alcohol at least on weekdays. Next morning's sparring with a beer in your system is a guaranteed injury.
Useful (and useless) supplements
Useful:
- Whey protein (if you arrive without any, you can find it in Bangkok / Hua Hin)
- Magnesium (to avoid nighttime cramps)
- Omega-3 (joint recovery)
- Vitamin D (you will be in the sun but sessions are in the shade, useful)
Useless at camp:
- Fat burners (you are already burning 3,000 kcal a day)
- Pre-workouts (your nervous system is already over-stimulated)
- BCAAs (already covered by your protein-rich Thai diet)
Weight loss goal: the strategy that works
To lose fat at camp without compromising your sessions:
- Eat your fill, but prioritise protein + vegetables + a moderate amount of rice.
- Cut out sweet drinks, desserts and alcohol.
- Keep two "full" meals per day (lunch after the morning session, dinner).
- A protein-rich breakfast (eggs + fruit), no fast sugars.
- No snacking between meals.
Expected result: between 3 and 7 kg lost over a 2-week camp for someone starting with fat to lose. No cheating, no starvation, just common sense.
The Thai words to know when ordering
- Mai sai nam taan: no sugar
- Mai phet: not spicy
- Phet nit noi: a little spicy
- Mai sai nam man: no oil
- Gai: chicken / Moo: pork / Pla: fish
- Khaw: rice / Khaw niao: sticky rice
Key takeaways
At camp, your body is under a kind of stress it has never known. Feed it well, hydrate it obsessively, and sleep. That is where progress happens. Thai food, well chosen, is one of the best fighter's cuisines in the world. Make the most of it.
