It is fair to say that most competitive martial artists are at the very least concerned about their weight as they approach the competition season. The very nature of having weight divisions make this so. Having been party to many conversations that have involved discussions by otherwise intelligent people doing drastic things to get into a lower weight division, it was with great pleasure that I picked up a book specifically about the martial artists and nutrition that spoke a great deal of common sense about sensible eating. In an age of ridiculous diets and stick thin celebrities, it came as a refreshing change to read about how to control your weight and stay healthy from what appeared to be wise and professional martial artists.

This book is a fully comprehensive and detailed guide that provides everything the martial artists needs to know about their eating plan. We are given a full run down about the importance of a balanced diet and lots of interesting detail about the main food groups such as, carbohydrates, protein, fat and calories. Then follows a long chapter telling the reader about the bad diets that have been fads in the past and what damage they do to your body. What these two writers extol is exactly what anyone wishing to lose a few pounds should adhere to, that by being a martial artist you must fuel your body correctly to ensure you stay healthy and able to keep on fighting effectively. It was with a huge relief when they stated as their nutritional philosophy, “We don’t believe in quick fixes because they don’t work in the long run.” Also, ultimately you are the shape and build that you are. After continuous training and through eating a healthy diet, you may have to accept that you can no longer squeeze into the lightweight division and must therefore accept going up in line with your weight.

It is when Christensen and Demeere talk of gradually cutting calories to shave off those few pesky pounds that they are at their most informative and witty. Although this is a detailed book that deals with a serious training subject, they are both light hearted and funny and make what could be a very dull subject an interesting and fun read. They are practical and down to earth in their diet tips, although diet is probably a misleading word as it implies great weight loss and miserable hunger, which their eating plan certainly does not recommend. The equation to making your weight division is quite simple, eat slightly less calories than you burn and you lose the extra fat, any other diets that claim otherwise are talking codswallop. In their words, “By now you know that it’s all about calories and anything you hear that claims otherwise, you should suspect immediately that they are evil, stinking low-life liars.” Quite!

	Loren Christensen and Wim Demeere Lesley Jackson talks to the authors of 'The Fighters Body' - a book about martial arts and nutrition, as they describe how their massive collective experience in the martial arts helped to shape the writers and people they are.

These practical and down to earth martial authors also don’t believe in the guilt trip after scoffing a chocolate bar, they don’t condemn and they don’t blame you if you have a penchant for guilty goodies like ice cream and beer. They offer the reader a “dirt day” when it is acceptable to have a treat and even if you do fall off the wagon, just remember to get back on it, rather than castigate for eating a piece of cake. This book really does contain some of the best nutritional advice I’ve read in a long time and is fully recommended to the martial artist wanting to learn more about what they eat.

Author Profile: Lesley Jackson

View Full Profile

Lesley Jackson, black belt and Taekwondo teacher is deputy Editor of Martial Edge.

Also by Lesley Jackson:

• The Beginner’s Guide to Darkness
• Jamie Clubb, the Good, the Bad and the Ugly
• Taekwondo Roundup from Beijing Olympics 2008