I never had problems with my weight until my
mid-30's. All through High School, my career in the United States Marine Corps
and the decade after my honorable discharge, I was lean and never had to worry
about what I ate. When I hit 35 years old, I quit smoking and put on about 70
pounds over the next year.
I started training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in
April of 2008 at the age of 37 years old. In the first year, I lost 50 pounds.
In another few months, I lost the rest of the extra weight I'd put on.
I'm not superman, there was no secret diet
and there wasn't any magic supplement that made it happen.
Before I get into how Martial Arts training
can help you lose weight, I want to point something out something very important.
Being overweight at the age of 37 and being overweight in Middle or High School
are two completely different things, and I understand that many, MANY other
factors come into play in the latter - bullying, teasing, feelings of
worthlessness and an overall lack of self-confidence or self worth. Dealing
with those issues during your formative years can be very depressing and hard
to deal with.
The first and most obvious benefit of
training Martial Arts when it comes to being overweight is getting your body
moving and exercising. The physical exertion alone is going to get your
metabolism cranking and your body will start to burn fat for the calories it
needs to fuel itself.
As you train and your body acclimates to the
exertion, you will start to sleep better and feel more rested. While sleep is
essential to overall health and feeling good, sleeping well is also going to
help your body burn more fat. Your aerobic respiration will go up and
contribute directly to an even better running metabolism.
Your Martial Arts training will also teach
you how to eat a clean and healthy diet. Cutting out the sugar, empty carbs and
fatty food will force your body to burn fat at an ever greater rate than
before. After a week or two of eating clean, you'll be adjusted to the dietary
change and you will feel better than you have in a long time. Feeling better
means you will be able to work harder in the gym, sleep better at night and
lose even more weight.
You will also make good friends during your
training. won't to contribute directly to losing weight, but it will provide an
incentive to work hard, stick to your game plan and reach your goals. Some of
the best people I've met have been through training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and
they push me to achieve my potential as hard as I push them.
The last thing I wanted to mention is the
discipline that will be instilled in you while training Martial Arts. That
discipline will help you push through the hard training, resist the urges to
eat things you shouldn't be eating and show up at the gym regularly. It's
important to remember that this discipline will cross over to all aspects of
your life - not just your Martial Arts training.
I hope you make the choice to start training
Martial Arts and stick to it. Through hard work, one can achieve anything
imaginable.
See you on the mats.
- Joe, Precision MMA member.