In the Martial Arts, you exercise muscles and joints throughout your body. Keeping your muscles and joints strong and flexible is a key component to overall health. The exercises have a direct effect on cardiovascular health and flexibility, both of which ward off illness and disease.

Exercise also has a direct impact on stress levels. Stress presents a separate health risk factor. According to experts, as reported in Consumer Reports on Health, “Stress is now considered as much of a risk factor as smoking, overweight, or lack of exercise for a variety of diseases. And stress itself can contribute to unhealthy lifestyle choices, such as overeating.”

What makes the Martial Arts even more significant in the battle against stress is that it not only is a form of body exercise, but also is the primary form of “mind exercise” that is paramount to the mind’s control over stress. The relaxation and meditation techniques taught, as well as breathing exercises, all train the body to reverse the stress response. This reversal results in reduced heart rate and blood pressure, decreased muscle tension, and slowed brain waves.

These “anti-stress” techniques are actually being “prescribed” by physicians to help in the treatment of illness and disease. By incorporating the Martial Arts into your daily routine now, regardless of your current health, you are setting up your defenses to both prevent and treat the many diseases and conditions that are currently linked to increased stress. Among these conditions are reduced immunity, hypertension, coronary artery disease, and increased risk of heart attack and stroke. And with less stress, you’ll be able to make more appropriate life style choices, such as healthful food selection and optimal physical activity, which are conducive to your continued good health.

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Here are some tips to help you put forth your best effort while training in the Martial Arts:

1. Stretch daily. Your muscles need to be flexible to withstand consistent training. Most Martial Arts injuries occur when muscles are strained beyond their reach.
2. Exercise regularly. You should exercise your legs, abs, arms, and heart daily to build the strength necessary to maintain speed and agility.
3. Practice your breathing. It is necessary to breathe properly while you are performing your Martial Arts. If you do not know how to breathe right then you will get tired quickly.
4. Eat healthfully. Fruits and vegetables give you energy. Fast food and junk food make you tire faster.
5. Get lots of sleep. You need about eight hours of sleep each night to keep your brain on point and your body strong. Memory fails when your brain is tired. Muscles fail when they are tired.

Whether you are a Black Belt already or are still reaching towards that goal, your training can reach great heights by following the tips above. Nobody has a bigger impact on your life than you, yourself. If you can teach yourself how to give all your activities your best effort, you can accomplish your dreams and goals.

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All people want to be treated with respect. That means they want to be accepted, to be considered individuals, to be treated politely, to be allowed some privacy, and to be judged on their own merits. In order to deserve to be treated with respect, one must learn how to be respectful towards others.

Respectful people treat others with consideration. They do what is proper when dealing with others. They don’t stoop to violence, meanness, or rudeness. They know that this type of behavior is inappropriate and they avoid it simply because it is wrong and disrespectful, not because they fear they will get caught or punished.

Respectful people recognize and understand other people’s beliefs, and accept individual differences without prejudice. They don’t insist that everyone like them, they simply treat others as they wish to be treated and hope that others will do the same for them. They value others. They encourage others. They help other people value themselves. That is how people become respected: through their own actions of respect towards others.

Let’s repeat that one more time: to earn respect, you must give respect. Respect is not something that you can demand. To earn respect, read the following tips carefully, and practice them daily.

Here are three ways that you can show respect to others:

1. Treat everyone with respect by being polite. Always give a friendly hello to people who you meet.
2. Respect the individuality of others and be accepting of individual differences. Defend the rights of others to have their own opinions, as you would want them to defend your right to do the same.
3. Judge people on their merits, not on their race, religion, nationality, age, sex, physical or mental condition, or socio-economic status. Being different than you is not a good reason to treat people differently.

Here are three behaviors to avoid:

1. Don’t insult, abuse, hurt, put down, mistreat, or harass others. People who are mean towards others are very disrespectful. There is never a good reason for these behaviors.
2. Don’t take advantage of others. Instead, you should strive to protect others.
3. Don’t act rude towards others when they make small mistakes. Even if someone makes small mistake which impacts you, you should still treat them with respect. Many mistakes are unintentional, and were not meant to disrespect you.

People tend to get careless with respect. We don’t always treat others as we want to be treated. Respect needs to be rescued! You can help rescue respect by regularly applying the lessons put forth here today.

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You should start by realizing that “being in the mood for” and “getting the munchies” aren’t really the same as a “craving.” If you are “in the mood for” a food, the selection choice is probably much more psychological than biological. “The munchies” are usually associated with more than just plain being hungry…which can also lead to cravings, but is a separate issue.

Many athletes crave sweets. And when you see how to prevent those cravings (or at least decrease the chances of getting them), you’ll realize why athletes, especially health-conscious Martial Artists, are especially prone to them.

To prevent food cravings you should:

1.   Avoid a monotonous diet. Getting into food rituals and avoiding specific foods or food groups can both lead to food cravings. Vary your diet. If you crave a specific food, make “allotments” in your diet for that food and you’ll probably eliminate your craving. For example, if you avoid pizza due to the high fat calories and low fiber, your body (as well as your mind) may crave it. Allow yourself to have pizza occasionally and you’ll eliminate your craving. And of course you can modify your pizza selection to a healthy variety (e.g. whole wheat crust and low-fat cheese or vegetable toppings), if that is going to satisfy your craving.

2.   Get adequate sleep. When you are tired, your blood chemistry is altered, leading to increased appetite and cravings for fatty, high-calorie foods.

3.   Don’t skip meals. When you get too hungry, you will not be able to make appropriate food choices. Hunger also gives sweet cravings their “power.”

So instead of trying to fight food cravings, feeling that your “willpower” alone will combat them, delve into the “why” of your cravings. Use your “willpower” to fight the culprit behind the craving, and you’ll definitely be able to win!

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Legally, companies cannot put “healthy” on their labels unless the nutritional content of the products meet the government’s specific definition for “healthy.” For a product to be labeled “healthy,” a serving must: 1. have no more than one gram of saturated fat; 2. have no more than 480 mg of sodium; and 3. supply at least 10 percent of a day’s recommended amount of protein, fiber, vitamins A or C, calcium or iron.

So “healthy” on a label does have a very specific meaning. You know the product is low in saturated fat, at least moderately low in sodium (low for a processed food), and supplies a decent amount of one of the above six nutrients, vitamins, or minerals. But of course, you still need to read “the fine print” on the label. Which diet component does it contain 10% of? Does it have a good balance of macro nutrients (carbohydrates, protein, and fat)? And most important, what is the serving size?

This “serving size” issue is where things get a bit complicated. The manufacturers can make the serving size pretty much whatever they want. They just have to keep the claim accurate for whatever serving size they specify on the label. For example, one “healthy” deli meat might have a serving size of one ounce…so in that one ounce you get 10% of a day worth’s of protein, with less than 480 mg of sodium and one gram of saturated fat. Another “healthy” deli meat might need to make its serving size two ounces to get enough protein, but then they would need to make sure that the sodium is still less than 480 mg for the entire two ounces. Especially when comparing products, it is extremely important to be conscious of the serving size.

When making food choices to optimize your performance, education is your very best “weapon.” Knowing what “healthy” on a label truly means will help you to evaluate the finer details of the label specifically and completely. Be a label reader. Know what and how you are fueling your body. Don’t put water in your gas line and expect to perform like a race car.

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It makes sense to seek out ways to enhance our self-esteem in order to ensure that we are the best that we can be, and that we treat others well.. As martial artists, we must avoid “giving in” and allowing ourselves to take a lesser path. Martial artists look at high self-esteem as a duty, a call to action that is necessary to carry on at a higher level. Martial artists consistently strive to accomplish this task, and persevere when situations become challenging.

Here are ways that you can enhance your self-esteem in the true tradition of the Martial Arts:

ü  Develop your talents.  Seek out activities that you are good at and then strive to excel in those activities.

ü  Be your own best friend.  Treat yourself well mentally, physically and emotionally, and act in ways that are good for you.

ü  Make good choices for yourself; don’t let others make choices for you.

ü  Take responsibility for yourself, your choices, and your actions.

ü  Always do what you know is right.  Don’t even consider cheating, lying, or stealing.

ü  Set goals and work to achieve them.  Your goals are your road map; without that map, you will get lost.

ü  Treat other people with respect.  Avoid greed, anger, and jealousy.

ü  Practice forgiveness, even if the other person is in the wrong.

Enhancing your self-esteem will enable you to increase your success, enhance your social competence, and improve your overall life. This is not an easy task to accomplish, but a task that is well worth the effort. Martial artists know the importance of self-esteem and the effects it has on life. As you work to increase your confidence and positive attitude, you’ll reap the benefits of high self-esteem each and every day.

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The first question to ask yourself is what need are you trying to fill? Do you want to have a bar instead of a meal or as a between-meal snack? Are you trying to add a nutrient missing in your diet or merely to curb your hunger?

Once you determine what need you are trying to fill, then you should look at the list of ingredients and the nutritional “facts” on the label. How many calories does the bar have? A bar intended to be a meal replacement obviously can contain more calories than a “snack” bar. But what are the macro nutrients (protein/carbohydrate/fat) in the bar? A meal-replacement bar should be balanced: no more than 30% of calories from fat (preferably 15-20%) and at least 20% protein. For a snack bar, you should make sure that no more than 30% of the calories are from fat, and that the nutrient composition balances out the rest of your diet regarding carbs and protein.

In addition, you should look at the type of fat in any bar you are considering. Most have saturated fats or trans fatty acids (for stability and/or taste purposes), neither of which is good for you. For most adults, a healthful diet should contain no more than 10% saturated fat, so make sure that if your bar of choice contains saturated fats, the amount “works” with the rest of your diet. Trans fatty acids (or “hydrogenated fats or oils”) should be consumed sparingly if at all, so avoid them whenever possible. (Thus a bar containing hydrogenated oils or trans fatty acids would not be a good choice for either a snack or a meal replacement.)

Bars can be good sources of nutrients “missing” from your diet. Many martial artists use bars as energy sources before working out, or as protein supplements. These uses are totally appropriate provided that the ingredients and nutrients fit the criteria of a “good bar,” as well as a “balanced diet.” Other uses of bars may be to include soy protein in your diet, or to increase fiber intake (which might otherwise be difficult or not satisfactorily tasty for an individual).

Martial artists can decide if a bar is right for them by following the steps above: determine what your purpose is in having the bar and then determine how well the specific bar meets your needs. Choose only those bars that truly meet your needs without exceeding your daily calorie requirements. Eating a snack or meal bar should always accomplish the goal of balancing out both nutrients and calories, not tipping the scales, in your overall healthy diet.

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Having diligence is a potent force in our lives. It enables us to achieve ambitious goals despite encountering setbacks. People who are diligent understand that the biggest setbacks in life are often caused by our own fears and inaction. Being diligent keeps us on track, and eliminates unnecessary obstacles.

Are you a diligent person? Below is a survey to see if you are.

Answer the following questions true or false:

1. I always strive to do my best at home, at work, and during my training.
2. I am willing to risk failure to achieve a worthy goal.
3. I make sure to learn from my mistakes and failures.
4. I am self-disciplined to follow through on my responsibilities.
5. I see the big picture and think long-term.
6. I don’t give up when things get difficult.
7. I don’t procrastinate.
8. I set goals and stay focused.

Did you answer “false” to any of the questions above?  You must work to make all of your answers “true.”

It takes diligence to earn a promotion, earn your black belt, and fulfill your dreams. Think about your biggest dreams. What is preventing your from making them come true? If you are diligent then you can achieve your dreams. It may not be overnight, but being diligent means that you will work hard for however long it takes to accomplish your goals.

Think about how diligence can make a difference in your life. Write out ways that diligence has helped you accomplish goals in the past. Then, write out ways that lack of diligence has kept you from achieving a goal. Finally, write out a goal that you wish to accomplish and how diligence will help you get there.

The next time you are on the verge of quitting, think about diligence and the positive power that it has on your life.  You will be surprised at what you can achieve once you practice having a diligent attitude.

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Then came the “Food Pyramid” that graphically represented the concept of a balanced diet: how to proportion different food groups, the further breakdown of the basic four food groups, and the conceptualization that there are foods that should be used very sparingly.

In 2005r, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) published an all-new food pyramid. The new pyramid encompasses even more concepts that are key to overall health.

First is the slogan itself: “Steps to a Healthier You.” The slogan emphasizes that following the food pyramid is all about making gradual improvements to your overall lifestyle, steps in a lifelong process.

Then there is the depiction of a person climbing the pyramid. This represents the huge importance of physical activity in any healthy lifestyle. The same way you need to eat healthful foods each day to fuel your body, you need to exercise each day to condition your body in order to practice a healthy lifestyle. As a martial artist, you already incorporate this key element into your life in a fun and exciting way. This will help you to maintain your activity level throughout your life, as is one of the pyramid’s goals.

The new pyramid is segmented vertically, with the wedges going from broad at the bottom to narrow at the top. The wide part of each wedge represents the foods in the group that are more healthful, such as whole foods, while the foods at the top are those with the most added sugars and solid fats that should be eaten sparingly. In addition, the person climbing the pyramid represents the fact that those who exercise more have more room in their diet for the “peak of the pyramid” foods.

For more information, visit the official website, MyPyramid.gov. Online, you can receive specific recommendations for yourself and your family, such as your own food plans, as well as general tips, articles, and resources. The website has great information for families on the go and for martial artists of all ages.

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Self-discipline also means that you are dependable. People can count on those who have self-discipline because they have the power to keep their promises and the power to do what is right. These characteristics are essential in the Martial Arts and are key habits that true Black Belts practice all of the time.

Here are some basic tips to help you build self-discipline:

1. Practice having a “can do” attitude. When something gets tough, don’t let negativity slow you down. Focus on accomplishing your goals and overcoming your obstacles.
2. Always be on time. People with self-discipline understand that being late is a bad habit that shows disrespect to all who are affected by your tardiness.
3. Follow through on your promises and commitments. By keeping your promises and following through on your commitments you begin to earn the trust of others.
4. Be honest with others. Honesty is always the best policy despite the fact that you may get in trouble. If you are not honest, the repercussions down the road will often be more damaging than if you had been honest in the first place.
5. Consistently set new goals to accomplish. People with self-discipline always strive to achieve new levels of accomplishments. This means more success and a brighter future.

Self-discipline is essentially the heartbeat of your lifestyle. Without it being strong, you limit what you can do in life. With your regular heartbeat, if your heart is strong, then you have the stamina to accomplish much throughout the day. The same for self-discipline: only when it is strong do you maximize your possibilities.

You can also look at how self-discipline plays a key role in the Martial Arts. It takes a lot of self-discipline to arrive at class on time, persevere through physical challenges, and overcome roadblocks, such as learning a new forms or sparring for the very first time. If you have self-discipline in the Martial Arts then you can make it to black belt and beyond!

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