Karate and Losing Weight

This is my third blog post about losing weight and how Karate practice helps not only take the weight off, but then keeps it off.

Being a former wrestler I know how to “cut”, which means don’t eat or drink anything for a day while working out like crazy. The next day you get on the scale and viola, like magic, you have dropped 5-7 pounds. A variation of “cutting” for those of us not on a wrestling team is to take a day or two and reduce what we are eating. But this method generally does not allow for long term weight loss, and is only good for that morning or maybe even that week, because after you have let up, gotten back to normal eating patterns, you are back to your normal “walking” weight.

What I am talking about here is a steady, gradual weight reduction program where you can see the results in the first couple of weeks, and then either continue until your goal is met or be able to maintain your new weight.

Karate will help you get there. Now, for those of you thinking “I can’t do Karate, it is too hard”, let me tell you a little secret – it is not. Karate was designed and meant to be for everyone, young, old, male, female. It does not matter, everyone can do it. In 2005 I had a serious back injury at work, and at first I thought I would never be able to practice Karate again. But not only was I able to do it after a short time off, Karate actually helped me recover more than the physical therapy did and brought be back to the point were I am fully functional in nearly all aspects of martial arts training!

Getting back to the topic, Karate will help you lose weight because of these three items:

1. You will stretching, moving and exercising, helping your body burn calories.
2. You will be with a group of individuals that are supportive and help you achieve your goal.
3. The gradual weight reduction means that your body is making the adjustments needed to keep the weight off.

One of the key items here is item #2, a supportive group of individuals. When you battle weight loss by yourself, you will have moments of weakness as well as frustration. When you are in a group setting, however, you will find encouragement to battle on and achieve those milestones that you have set for yourself.

And Karate practice utilizes just about every body part and muscle, so you are getting a true full-body workout.

I will post some more about this in the next few days.