Martial training is focused on the physical training emphasizing speed and power. This leads us to stretch, calisthenics or weight lifting, sparring…Yet, when it comes to the fuel that drives our training is overlooked while we punch and kick. The fuel we put into our bodies is essentially one of the three most important things we need: breath, water, and food. What we put into our bodies for energy is directly responsible for our strength and power.
The Okinawan diet must be one of the best diets out there. Before the western diet, they had the longest and healthiest lifespans. The old Okinawan master’s did. Since it was just considered food, not some special diet, perhaps we should do the same; eat with nature. (Now with their diet going to a more Western diet, their lives are being shortened and sicker, I know because a friend of mine is a hospice nurse over there and told me some stories.) If we can eat like people did before modern times, we can improve our strength, power, recovery time/health, and longevity (as well as be more eco-friendly. See my other articles: Jonathan Snowiss, Author at Martial Journal)
First off, this article is not on weight loss diet fad or anything. It is to encourage you to start eating and living healthier in basic ways. As a general statement, in the west we eat too much meat, so I chose to write about fruits and vegetables and the unsung hero of our lives; probiotics.
It is up to you how you want to live. But if your goal is to become a better martial artist, then choose your sacrifice; the hamburger and soda or your training. Which is more important to you? A lifelong pursuit of perfection or an instant gratification of a happy mouth?
A side note: if you pay attention to famous MMA fighters or BJJ fighters, i.e. the popular fighters, they all talk about what they eat and how important diet is in their lives and training. If a healthy diet is good for Joe Rogan, Jocko Willik, among others, it’s good enough for us.
How to Start
Starting is actually not easy, but make a decision and keep to it. Use the determination you use for your training to help with discipline (discipline gives you freedom) and you can do it.
We are essentially addicted to the way we are; what we eat and how we live and think. Do not start off with lofty goals. Start simply. But before you can truly change, what is your motivation? What will drive you to make a permanent change? What will remind you that changing your diet is important for you? It must be intrinsic, coming from the inside. (It does not need to be martial arts. It could be for your family/kids, feeling better…) Find it, make your decision, and like a real martial artist, do it with conviction.
Today, as you are reading this, make the first change. Use discipline you learned from martial art training to prevent yourself from going back. First, decide what you can and cannot live without. For example, if you are a soda drinker or you like your alcohol, decide; do you need these to survive? If not, get rid of it or at least drink less of it. Less is more. Drink water instead. It won’t be easy because these drinks are, in a way, designed to be addictive through chemistry as well as advertising. If you love eating sweets, decide whether you need it or not. If you must have a sweet, eat less. Remember, less is more. And then continually eat less until you don’t eat empty calories (junk food) at all, and soon, you’ll not be interested in it at all.
Fruits and Veggies
Begin to eat more fruits, veggies and nuts. The FDA recommends us to eat at least 5 servings, or cups of fruits and veggies. (Processed fruit and veggies don’t count. The fiber is usually taken out and extra sugar is added.) Our bodies need micro and macro nutrients, which fruits and vegetables have plenty of. You can get some of these through vitamin pills or powders, but there’s nothing like the real thing. Fruits and veggies have more than just vitamins and minerals. They have fiber (which helps our microbiome, the bacteria in our gut which is at least 50% of our immune system among other important things like our mood) and some, like broccoli, have prebiotics which feed the probiotics.
The FDA says we need about 35 grams of fiber a day. That is about 3 times more than the average American eats. In the 70’s, there was a study in China where they followed villagers, from a small village for, I think, 20 years following their diet. The study, from the book called the China Study, said that the average person that they studied ate 55 grams of fiber a day. Those who stayed in the village were healthier, less cancer, lived longer, and overall lived better than those who went to the cities. In the cities, they started to eat more meat, and less vegetables. They had more rates of cancer and other health issues. The bottom line, eat more fruits and veggies.
Probiotics
Our microbiome, or the good bacteria in our gut is a new science, seems like a new age fad, but it is truly important to be mindful of, and to feed. There are studies after studies on how a microbiome full of “bad bacteria” changes our over physical and mental health. Junk food is food with lots of sugar to hid the excessive salt and the fiber taken out to promote shelf life. Michael Pollan wrote from his book Food Rules, “if it came from a plant, eat it. If it was made in a plant, don’t.”
Things that are “probiotic” are fermented like kimchi, pickles, sourcrout, kombucha (make your own, it’s cheaper and store bought have more water than kombucha. Get a scoby (SCOBY – Wikipedia and make your own), yogurt/kefir (unsweetened, the processed yogurts don’t have much probiotics at all), …. The probiotic pills are good, but not totally necessary since you are going to start eating healthier ?, unless you’re on anti-biotics.
I just heard about a study in rats that is showing that a strong gut biome (intestines full of good bacteria) have a better muscle building abilities. It is a new study with a small number of tests, but it is promising understanding of how our bodies work. Take care of your gut biome! It not only is energy healthy, but the immune system and your strength. Both of what we need to be good martial artists.
80% Rule
The 80% Rule is to only eat until you are about 80% full. The point is that over eating is a problem. Eat only until you are satisfied. Over eating will give your body more work to digest, extra calories that you won’t burn, and turned into fat, extra protein will also turn into fat… Things we actually don’t need extra of, especially now that we have a steady place of food to shop for. Also, extra food makes us groggy, lethargic and the infamous food coma. The extra food is just generally not healthy. As we age, we also don’t need to eat as much. Our body changes as we age. We must act accordingly. It is also a sign of strength and discipline to do only what is necessary. This will also change your mentality and make you a better martial artist. Martial arts does not stay in a dojo, it stays within you.
Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting is eating only within an 8 hour period, such as eating between 10AM through
6PM. Depending on your metabolism, this might be a good thing to try out. Though, it is very tough at first, but once you get into it, it gets easier. I do not do this practice, I still have a fast metabolism so I don’t necessarily need it. But for many, it might be a practice to try and see if it works for you.
Gluten and Dairy Free
If you are interested, you can try this as well. Though, it is probably the hardest because these things are everywhere. (Example, gluten is in soy sauce, pills….) It isn’t the calories, it is the wheat and dairy; we are a technically a chemistry experiment and some of us are not able to take these healthily. The problem with these 2 things is probably an overload into our system. If you are food sensitive to these, it can be causing inflammation in your body causing joint to be stiff, feeling foggy headed among other health problems. To be honest, I am doing this because I do have inflammation (diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis) and have felt a big difference. But going through a bakery is a huge challenge to my discipline, but now I don’t feel the addiction anymore. I don’t miss it.
At first, your body and mind will probably reject these ideas; because we are chemically and emotionally attached to the food we eat. I’m not asking you to go crazy with a new life, but take steps to improving your intake of energy. Remember, junk food is exactly that, junk. Although you might not think of yourself as a Lamborghini, you actually are. But you’ve been giving the Lamborghini the wrong gas, so, of course, it isn’t what it could be. Meaning, you are a ‘badass’, you just haven’t given yourself the chance to be one. I hope you can start improving your life and martial arts through eating healthier.
I recently finished writing my book on virtue. Please go to my Facebook page of Virtues Path and follow for more essays on virtue. Also, please visit my website thevirtuespath.wordpress.com
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When I began Tang Soo Do at the age of 69, I was expecting my instuctors with advanced black belt degrees to be svelte like Bruce Lee. Most of my instructors, although they have all the moves, are carrying a few extra pounds. They also indulge in alcoholic beverages and consume too much meat. I’m a pescatarian ( former vegan ) and try to consume a plant-based diet. After taking 5 months off training last year, because of Covid-19 restrictions and some personal health issues, I have been unable to lose the ten-pound weight gain. I work a physically demanding job three nights a week and have recently been training at the dojang four days a week. I’m hoping to begin dropping that extra 10 pounds soon.