Many of our students enroll in a martial arts program with the specific goal of losing weight. Proper diet and regular exercise will lead to weight loss as long as it followed on a consistent basis. The old adage "diets don't work" really means that you have to make lifestyle changes that will stay with you for the rest of your life. This doesn't mean you have to deprive yourself of the foods you love, but you must eat them in small quantities and infrequently.
If weight loss is your goal, you will have to learn to discipline yourself. There is a Zen saying "discipline is freedom." Think of this in terms of weight loss. Carrying excess weight around is not healthy. It slows you down, limits the things you can do, and as you grow older, it brings disease to your body. Is this freedom?
While you've been free to eat whatever you want and have turned into a couch potato, you are now a slave to bad habits which will eventually have a negative effect on your health. If you learn to discipline yourself, you will gain freedom. Freedom to move, freedom to breath, freedom to wear the clothes you want and freedom from diseases caused by excess weight. Look at the individuals who are extremely overweight and can't leave their homes or even get out of bed. Is this freedom?
If you are overweight, you should have a medical check-up before embarking on a weight loss and exercise program. Some individuals cannot lose weight because they have medical problems that need to be addressed by a physician such as thyroid conditions or are taking certain prescription drugs that slow down the metabolism. A consultation with your physician is strongly recommended.
The next step is to find a martial arts school that is supportive of your weight loss goals. Go to the school and talk to the instructor. You want a training environment that is welcoming to those who need to get into shape. Watch a class. Are there others in the group who are struggling with weight issues? How are they treated? Is the class run at a realistic pace where everyone can reasonably keep up? Or is it designed for the fit members while everyone else is left behind? Once you find a good school run by a good instructor, commit to at least two classes to begin with. Don't overdo it by trying to get to class five nights a week. If you're out of shape, you'll burn yourself out and give up quickly. Slow and steady is a better approach.
Discipline yourself when making food choices. Your physician can refer you to a nutritionist who can create a reasonable, healthy food plan to suit your specific needs and goals. Forget magic diets, pills and powders that promise everything and deliver nothing. They don't work. You have to change your relationship with food.
If you have to have that hot fudge sundae, make sure that you cut your calories the next day or maybe spend a little extra time training in order to compensate for your indulgence. A lot of people will eat the hot fudge sundae and then feel guilty about it. This will most often lead to overeating that will result in much more damage than if they just continued with their program and made some slight adjustments the next day. By following this advice, you can live with the choices you make and still achieve your goals.
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