SIX TOP TIPS FOR EATING HEALTHY

Tracy Lee Thomas-Member of the American Taekwondo Association. Changing Lives ATA
Martial Arts of Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Suffolk, Virginia

Nutrition is a scary subject for newcomers. The nutrition section of most bookstores is filled
with literature featuring healthy recipes and flashy diets. Recipes and diet guides are nice, but
most people don’t know how to put that information to effective use in their everyday life. The
diet theories contained in the books don’t work under real-life circumstances.
In our quest to make information on healthy eating easy and accessible, we here at Changing
Lives Martial Arts have compiled a list of things that everyone can agree on. By following
these TOP TIPS guidelines, you’ll be well on your way to a healthy diet.

1. Don’t eat deep-fried food! It’s really that simple. KFC’s grilled selections contain
significantly less calories, fat and carbohydrates than their fried counterparts. Deep-
frying food will drastically increase the fat content in most food, which sends the calorie
count skyrocketing. None of that is good for your body. Avoid. Eating deep fried foods
will slow you down and prevent you from performing top notch in any sport activities
such as, taekwondo, krav maga, karate, kung fu, martial arts, soccer etc.

2. Eat slowly and pay attention. Many of us simply don’t take the time to enjoy eating.
We grab a muffin on the way to work or munch popcorn in front of the television.
Forcing ourselves to eat quickly leads to overeating because we want to make sure we’ll
feel full afterwards. Eating while distracted by something else—like driving or watching
television—leads to overeating because our minds are too focused on the task at hand to
worry about how much we’re eating. “STAY FOCUSED” states; Tracy Lee Thomas of
Virginia Beach Martial Arts.

3. If you know it’s bad for you, don’t eat it or drink it! This applies mainly to things like
soda, candy, potato chips and things of that nature—“junk foods.” They contain few
nutrients and tons of sugars, fats and calories. For most, these foods are comforting, with
the sugars causing a fleeting feeling of euphoria and happiness. Recognize these foods
as what they are: sources of temporary pleasure that should be eaten in heavy
moderation. Many martial art styles like the American Taekwondo Association knows
too well that eating junk foods before a martial class or activity causes the body to crash
and slow down.

4. Have meals with others as much as possible. The American Taekwondo Association
Martial Arts Instructors and Karate for Kid students believe in eating with others,
socially. It has a number of social and emotional benefits. It gives us an opportunity to
observe others’ eating habits while also allowing us to model our own healthy eating
habits. Finally, the flow of conversation during the meal forces us to eat slower, which
helps us avoid overeating. Digestion aids in the process of feeling you have ate enough
at on meal.
 5. Go out of your way to eat fruits and vegetables. Every nutritionist repeats the same
line—you should get five servings of fruits and vegetables every day—yet hardly
anybody ever listens. Fruits and vegetables are high in antioxidants, vitamins and
minerals and make great healthy snacks. Grand Master H. U. Lee of the American
Taekwondo Association believed in eating healthy and organic foods such as fruits.
Fruits and vegetables should be involved in everything you eat, whether that means
orange juice with your breakfast, lettuce and tomato on your sandwich or a helping of
corn with your dinner.

6. Cook for yourself! The best way to know what you’re eating is to prepare it yourself.
Don’t push yourself, but try to plan on cooking a simple meal three or four nights a
week; when you do cook, prepare enough so you’ll have leftovers. You don’t need to
use more than three ingredients—who doesn’t love whole-wheat spaghetti with tomato
sauce and aged Parmesan cheese?

One final tip: Don’t overcomplicate things! Unless you have a life-threatening medical
condition, you don’t need to completely change your routine tomorrow. Try to make one or two
small tweaks at a time. Add a salad with lunch. Cut out the Coca-Cola. Only you have control
over your diet—make sure you’re getting the most from it.

Changing Lives Martial Arts Senior Master Instructor, Tracy Lee Thomas states; “everyone
should have their own common sense eating habits for their personal life style. There is a vast
amount of knowledge on this subject and it is important to understand what food can alter our
well being. Try creating your own common sense tips for your daily lifestyle.”

Changing Lives ATA Martial Arts (CLMA) can be contacted at one of the following locations for a “FREE
COMMUNITY One on One” Evaluation.

Virginia Beach Martial Arts Training Facility: Princess Anne Shoppes (next to Fitness One) 757-
471-9002

Virginia Beach Martial Arts Training Facility: Red Mill Commons Shopping Center (next to Pier
One Imports) 757-563-9022

Chesapeake Martial Arts Training Facility: Edinburgh Commons Shopping Center (off route 168)
757-432-9022

Chesapeake Martial Arts Training Facility: Greenbrier Shoppes Shopping Center (corner of
Kempsville Road and Greenbrier Parkway) 757-382-9022

CLMA Martial Arts

P.O. Box 68820
Virginia Beach, Virginia
23471
Website address: www.atakick.com
Email: SMT@atakick.com
Headquarters: 757-471-9022