Why we over eat, and how to stop!

As a teacher at Shinka Martial Arts, I'm often asked for dieting advice.

One thing I feel I should mention, is that it is not just the obese that seek to change their emotional state via food.  Many healthy-looking individuals do this as well.

To understand the reason why, is to learn a little bit about human physiology.

First of all, not to get too technical, but, the human lymph system; that is, the sewage system of your body, has the basic job is to remove all the gross stuff from your blood; and its pretty good at it, as long as you breathe in a way that you probably don't.  (For details, check out my other article on breathing)

Due to our "modern lifestyle" that we are enjoying, breathing properly becomes less and less common, unless people are taking martial arts, or yoga.  As a result, the sludge in our blood compounds, which leads to all kinds of health issues.  Obesity being one of them.


So, what does this all have to do with over eating?

Well, if you fill your stomach to a certain capacity, your body is forced to breathe properly.

Your body's need to breathe properly will become more and more urgent over time.  In fact, if you went 2-3 days without breathing properly AT ALL, there's a fairly good chance you'd simply die.

So, once your oxygen deprived and lymphatically clogged body discovers a pleasurable way to get you to breathe properly, you better believe it goes out of its way to create that effect again.


Brain!  Emergency!  Activate craving for mashed potatoes!

And so, the urgent dilemma of needing to circulate the lymph in your body to live, is replaced with the longer term dilemma of the consequences of over eating; of which I don't plan on going into detail about.

So:  Good news:
There's a step by step way that you can both stop over eating, have more energy, and be healthier.  In my opinion, taking martial arts fulfills 3/4 steps.  Diet, of course, must be done at all times.  Find a great school that fits your mindset, body type, goals, etc.

Step 1: Breathing
Step 2: Mindset
Step 3: Diet
Step 4: Exercise

Now, those steps are interchangeable.  For example, if you up the exercise first, the breathing will happen more naturally, and, as I mentioned, martial arts will help with mindset, breathing, and exercise... and its really fun!

Sensei Ono, Shinka Martial Arts

How could you best encourage a blogger to blog?

The Secret of the Alkaline Diet

One huge issue for people attempting to lose weight is their choices of diets.

First off:  All extreme diets that cause you stress are bad.

So, don't stress.

Be gradual in your transition.

Secondly: All diets are to be maintained.  Any diet that is only for a few weeks or months is going to be temporary.

Its basic math.  If the bad food outweighs the exercise and good food, the bad food wins, eventually.

Thirdly:  how you move, when you move, and how you breathe is also important.


A good martial arts school can teach you basic lymphacticly cleansing breathing techniques (which sound complicated but aren't).

So:  What is good food? 

Veggies.  That's it!  Oversimplified?  Maybe, but start there.

Make salad your snacks and major portion of your meals.  If you want to go all the way, research green drinks that both energize the ingredients with megahertz and contain high quality alkaline ingredients (types of grasses are best).

As you do this, it will change your biochemistry so that it does not crave the bad foods.  What I mean by this, is that you do not require willpower to do this once you have gained momentum.

This is the cure to weight problems that plague us as a society.  Up down, up down. Stop!  Do this for 30 days and you will have the momentum that will last you a lifetime!

Sensei Ono, Shinka Martial Arts
How could you best encourage a blogger to blog?

The Actions of Weight Loss

I know its obvious, but so many of us only target one of the basics.

In order to have the body you desire, you will need to have a healthy diet, and a healthy amount of exercise.

In all cases, moderation and gradual increase are essential.


Do not go on a crash diet, and do not suddenly go from "zero to hero" at the gym.

All this will do is cause massive lactic acid buildup, stress, and ultimately, defeat and failure.

Start small.  Take up something fun like martial arts or swimming.  The magic number is 3 times per week, for about an hour.

Next, consider an alkaline diet.  The basics of this involve reducing meat intake, adding green drinks and additional salads to your meals.

Take it slow, and reward yourself with something other than food for actions, not results.  ie "I tried my hardest today and grew as a person" is better than "I lost 2lbs".


Make weight loss a side effect of your lifestyle, not the goal, and it'll stick!


Sensei Ono, Shinka Martial Arts

How could you best encourage a blogger to blog?

Play for Weight Loss

If you feel as though you would like to upgrade that bod of yours, why not make it fun?

Take your goals and ask yourself the most fun, exciting and growth oriented way you could accomplish them!
Some of the most enjoyable weight loss methods are martial arts and swimming.

They are both "play", and both work out every possible muscle in your body.

Plus, you get to learn a skill that could save your life, which makes it more enjoyable. (I don't know about you, but running on a treadmill or lifting weights can get a little... dry)

The other most important aspect is the culture of health and self improvement.  When you go to a great martial arts school, you are surrounded by those with similar goals and mindsets to your own.

They are less likely to pull you back into old habits.

So, find a martial art you enjoy and do it because its fun!  Do it because its empowering!  Do it because you're learning and growing!

Get fit as a side effect.


Sensei Ono, Shinka Martial Arts
How could you best encourage a blogger to blog?

The Mindset of Weight Loss

The Mindset of Weight Loss


The way that we set ourselves up for failure is all too common, and all to predictable.  We have a blueprint of what we are in our mind, and our subconscious does what it can to ensure we stay that way.  We associate more pain to the methods of losing weight, than we do to the pleasure of having it lost.

The solution then, is to ask yourself quality questions.

Ask yourself:  "How could I lose weight and love the process?"  (seriously, ask yourself out loud).

If you don't get an answer right away, keep asking!

A healthy body is a journey, not a destination.  It isn't something you attain, its something you maintain.  What that means to you, is that you must find a lifestyle you actually enjoy, which creates health.  Play and get fit, don't work and get fit.  If weight loss is painful or difficult, you will eventually find a way to avoid it.  If its fun and enjoyable, you'll find ways to do it more!


Sensei Ono, Shinka Martial Arts
How could you best encourage a blogger to blog?

Actually Lose Weight: Make That New Years Resolution Stick!

Diet Resolutions are among the most common of all our New Years goals. And their success is less than 1%.

One Percent!

Why?

It primarily has to do with the method of goal setting, and the methods of weight loss chosen. How good at math would you be if once per year you decided to get better at it and then promptly forget the whole thing? And how good would you be if you practiced your math with sticks drawing in the sand instead of say, a calculator or sheet of paper?

Weight loss can (and must) be broken down into two categories.

1.The Mindset of Weight Loss

2.The Actions of Weight Loss
 
Read on!
Sensei Ono, Shinka Martial Arts
How could you best encourage a blogger to blog?

Goal Setting so it Actually Works!

Take your new years resolution (or any annual goal), and make it specific. Measurable in time, effort, money etc.

How much weight do you want to lose? Why? By When? Make your reasons emotional. "to look good" pfft. how about "To be a sexual goddess". Define that, what does that mean to you?

Next, break your goal down into 12 steps, then each of those 12, split in half.

(psst! reading this is great, but actually doing it is much better!!)

You now have 24 benchmarks to make throughout the year. Keep those benchmarks up on the fridge or bulleten board of your home and get to work doing them! Baby steps are much, much easier than huge insurmountable goals.

Remember, make it fun!

Sensei Ono, Shinka Martial Arts




"A Healthy Body is Maintained - not Attained"
Shinka.ca
How could you best encourage a blogger to blog?