Focus on foods you should be eating, rather than the ones you shouldn’t is the Xen-Do mantra.

This week, take a look at your diet in general and consider where you can improve it in a way that feels nourishing rather than painful. There are lots of small tweaks and additions that can add up to a much healthier you and make kickboxing more enjoyable.

First, aim to prepare meals at home with fresh ingredients as much as possible. If you aim for 80% of your diet to come from whole foods, rather than processed, you will be doing a great job as you will immediately be reducing your intake of sugar, salt and trans-fats, which feature strongly in most pre-prepared foods and takeaways.

If you can add in extra vegetables wherever possible, even better. Below is a list of foods you should try and include on a regular basis to cover your most important nutritional requirements. If you can do this then the occasional blow out on cake or burgers shouldn’t cause you any problems!

Good Fat

– Essential Fatty Acids are crucial for our good health and appearance. If we are fat-deficient then the effects will be noticeable in the form of dry or greasy hair and skin, poor digestion, headaches, chronic fatigue, foggy-headedness or lack of focus, poor nail condition and many other complaints. The best sources of EFA’s are seeds, raw nuts and nut butter, cold-pressed oils, oily fish such a salmon or mackerel, and avocados. You could also consider taking a daily supplement.

Fibre

– Fibre is essential to helping us feel full and enabling our digestive systems to operate smoothly. Whole grains can provide this (providing they agree with you); other great sources include bananas, kale, broccoli, beans, lentils and cauliflower.

Vitamins

– Foods that score particularly highly  for their vitamin content include avocados, berries, apples, kale, spinach, tomatoes, tuna and cauliflower. So make sure these foods are high up on your grocery list for the week.

Eat for Energy

– We all need plenty of energy to get through the Kickboxing and Martial Arts Classes at Xen-Do!  Choose oats, lentils, nuts, full-fat dairy, beans, quinoa, avocados, peas, citrus fruit, spinach and berries to keep you going.

Look after your Gut

– Gut health is crucial for our immunity and general well-being. Feed it well with garlic, onions, fermented foods such as sauerkraut or miso paste, fibrous vegetables, turmeric and live yoghurt.

If you focus on using natural and good ingredients in your cooking, you will be left feeling fresh, energized and much healthier. Use this article as a quick guide on how to jumpstart your healthy life. Healthy eating and exercise will leave you feeling better than you can even imagine.

This article is based on opinion:
– the author is not a qualified doctor or anyone who can dispense medical advice.
– any opinions stated are just that and people should consult a doctor before making any dietary changes or changes of any nature prompted by the articles published by or on behalf of Xen-Do.
– under 16’s please obtain parental permission before posting anything online.
– any opinions stated are that of the author and do not represent the opinions of Xen-Do.