It is commonly known that the American populace is suffering from an obesity problem. Too many adults and children alike are overweight or even obese, and a number of factors have been blamed for this public health issue, and an equal number of fixes have been proposed. While individual Americans all have different lifestyles and different body weights, there are some general strategies than an overweight adolescent or adult may try out in order to drop excess pounds, develop muscle, and eat better. A good weight loss program can totally transform a person’s life, ad boost their mood, sleep quality, ease stress on joints, and improve their nutrition and eating habits. One should consult their doctor first before starting a dedicated weight loss program, but if the doctor gives the okay, a person can launch a personal fitness program. For those interested, this may include the physical exertion of martial arts, ranging from Muay Thai training to kickboxing classes and even Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. How can Muay Thai training fit into weight loss programs?
Starting the Program
Often, American adults and children today are overweight because of two broad factors: poor diets and insufficient exertion. Fast food and highly processed foods add a lot of unhealthy fat, sugars, and more into people’s diets, and this can rapidly pack on the pounds while whole, organic foods are often dismissed because they are more expensive or don’t taste as good. Meanwhile, many Americans, young and old, are failing to get their daily recommended levels of exercise and instead opt for sedentary lives based on indoor activity and the use of electronic screens. In fact, fewer than 5% of American adults today are taking part in 30 minutes of physical activity every day, and only one in three meets their physical activity quota for a week. The American Heart Association recommends that all children over the age of two get at least an hour of physical activity per week, but many fall short of this standard, instead using electronic screens for hours per day.
For any able-bodied adolescent or adult, however, this trend is easily reversible, and anyone can take charge of their health and start a personal transformation, ranging from a diet change to reducing electronic screen use to exercise such as Muay Thai training or other martial arts, or cardio such as bicycle riding or swimming. This can be stressful on the body if a person is not careful, however, so anyone looking to launch a fitness program that includes the likes of Muay Thai training or karate is urged to see their doctor first, especially if they have complications such as having had a previous heart attack, recent surgery, or diabetes. The same is true if a person plans a radical change in their diet, and they may want to consult a nutritionist to ensure that their new diet will be healthy and effective.
Once medical guidelines are set, a person can begin their weight loss program. The person will completely eliminate all fast foods and processed foods from their diet and instead consume organic and whole foods, ranging from dairy like milk and cheese to lean meats like chicken and fish, or proteins like various beans. Fruits and vegetables of all kinds will also be a staple, and most Americans do not eat their daily recommended amounts of fruits or vegetables in the first place. Healthy carbohydrates such as whole grains can be included as well, for energy boosts during a workout.
Exercise has many benefits, and the human body is naturally designed to move, even though our closest primate relatives like chimpanzees and gorillas are sedentary. Human beings even get natural rewards and incentives to exercise such as the release of endorphins, or the “runner’s high.” Exercise such as Muay Thai training can burn excess calories and fat over time and jump-start the metabolism, and exercise also develops many muscles in the body, strengthens bones, and can improve hand-eye coordination and reflexes as well. Exercise has benefits for daily life as well, such as joining a sports team. Sports teams are a great way for people to exercise and socialize, and have fun all the while. And Muay Thai training can make for great self-defense.
