The holiday season brings parties, gatherings, and delicious food at every turn. It’s tempting to indulge, but you might not love what the scale shows in January. These 5 healthy holiday tips will help you enjoy the festivities without derailing your diet or sacrificing how you feel in the new year.
1. Prioritize Sleep to Avoid Overeating
Getting at least 7 hours of sleep before a big holiday event is essential. Studies show that adults who don’t get enough sleep eat about 300 extra calories and tend to crave high-calorie, sugary foods. Start your day well-rested to make better food choices during holiday meals.
2. Start with Salad or Veggies to Curb Your Appetite
Kick off your meal with a fresh salad or low-calorie vegetables. These foods are filling, nutrient-rich, and help prevent overeating by satisfying your hunger early. You’ll enjoy the main course without piling your plate too high.
3. Opt for Small Portions of Holiday Favorites
Holiday spreads often offer dozens of options. The key to staying on track? Portion control. Take small servings of everything you want to try instead of overloading your plate. Savor each bite without feeling overly full.
4. Focus on the Foods You Love Most
Instead of eating every dish, focus on the foods you truly enjoy. Whether it’s turkey, homemade mashed potatoes, or your favorite dessert, stick to foods you love and skip the ones you can do without. This strategy helps you feel satisfied without overindulging.
5. Follow the 3-Bite Dessert Rule
Enjoy desserts guilt-free by sticking to the 3-Bite Rule: take three bites, savor them fully, and stop there. You’ll get to indulge in something sweet without going overboard on calories.
Bonus Tip: Get back on track quickly by scheduling a post-holiday workout session. After enjoying holiday meals, return to your regular exercise plan to maintain your healthy routine.
By following these healthy holiday tips, you can balance your diet, enjoy the season’s treats, and feel your best heading into the new year.
As summer draws to a close, the excitement and challenges of a new school year are on the horizon. While parents and students gear up for the back-to-school season, martial arts training is one powerful tool often overlooked. Beyond just physical fitness, martial arts offers a comprehensive approach to preparing children for the school year, fostering confidence, focus, discipline, and resilience.
Building Confidence and Reducing Anxiety
Starting a new school year can be daunting for many kids. The thought of new teachers, different classmates, and unfamiliar routines can lead to anxiety and stress. Martial arts helps build confidence by providing a safe and structured environment where children can set goals, overcome challenges, and celebrate their progress. Through consistent practice and the achievement of belt ranks, students gain a sense of accomplishment that translates into greater self-assurance in the classroom.
Enhancing Focus and Discipline
Success in school requires concentration, self-control, and the ability to stay on task—skills that are at the core of martial arts training. During martial arts classes, students learn to pay attention to instructions, follow through with techniques, and remain disciplined during practice. These habits of focus and discipline are directly transferable to academic settings, where students need to stay attentive during lessons and complete their homework with dedication.
Promoting Healthy Social Interaction
The social aspect of martial arts also plays a significant role in a child’s development. In a martial arts class, children interact with peers of different ages, learning valuable lessons in respect, teamwork, and sportsmanship. This positive social interaction builds strong communication skills and helps children feel more comfortable making friends and working collaboratively in school.
Instilling Resilience and a Growth Mindset
One of the most valuable lessons martial arts teaches is resilience—the ability to keep going even when faced with challenges. Whether it’s mastering a difficult technique or bouncing back from a loss in competition, martial arts students learn to embrace challenges and view setbacks as opportunities for growth. This growth mindset is crucial for academic success, as it encourages students to persevere through difficult subjects and not be discouraged by temporary failures.
Physical Fitness and Stress Relief
The physical benefits of martial arts cannot be overstated. Regular practice improves strength, flexibility, coordination, and overall health, which is essential for children as they tackle the demands of a new school year. Additionally, the physical activity involved in martial arts serves as a natural stress reliever, helping children manage the pressures of school and maintain a balanced, healthy lifestyle.
Conclusion: A Strong Start to the School Year
Martial arts is much more than just kicking and punching—it’s a holistic approach to personal development that equips children with the tools they need to succeed both in and out of the classroom. By enrolling your child in martial arts, you’re not just helping them stay active; you’re setting them up for a successful, confident, and resilient return to school. As the new academic year approaches, consider how martial arts can be an integral part of your child’s preparation for the challenges ahead.
The “Summer Brain Drain,” also known as the “Summer Slide,” is a parent’s and educator’s worst nightmare. It’s when your child’s months of hard work–hours upon hours of math homework, late nights working on science projects, and car rides spent quizzing history flashcards–all begin to slip away. It’s a decay in learning, which then can have a domino effect on a child’s physical, emotional, and social development.
Ever wonder how knowledge retention works? Here’s what we know. Skills deteriorate over time at a rate determined by the specified task, predicted by the individual’s original level of learning. The old adage “Use it or lose it”. Therefore, the method yielding the highest initial learning level will lead to the highest level of skill retention over time. When summer break rolls around, learning takes a dramatic stop. In just a short amount of time the “Summer Brain Drain” begins and so begins the downward snowball in ALL development areas.
Physical
The Problem: Children gain weight nearly twice as fast over the summer because they are snacking more often, many times out of boredom or lack of proper supervision. At the same time, many children are also less active over the summer because they sleep in longer, watch TV longer, play video games longer, etc. Although it may seem like they are more active over the summer, the lack of structure contributes to weight gain.
The Solution: Even just two days of structured physical activity, like martial arts, over the summer can dramatically affect children’s physical activities at home. They will have more energy and, therefore, more likely to engage in other physical activities throughout the summer.
Intellectual
The Problem: To be blunt, the “Summer Brain Drain” happens when kids spend the summer months without learning or practicing their skills, leading them to fall behind on learning and academic achievements. During the school year teachers, coaches, and counselors are focused on helping children learn and grow. But what happens during the summer season when these people are not around? A decline in cognitive development.
The Solution: Child psychologists state that children who maintain some sense of a structured activity during the summer, like martial arts, do better in the initial months of the new academic school year. Martial Arts training through the summer reinforces a time commitment, and necessity to practice, reminds students to follow through, and gives them the learning environment they need to reinforce the skills they’re learning, which in turn strengthens their retention of academic knowledge.
Emotional
The Problem: When the school year ends, children lose a lot of key contributors that boost self-esteem…teachers, counselors, coaches, etc. This leads to less confidence entering the back-to-school season. Children who lose self-esteem over the summer enter the new school season with many fears associated with making new friends, meeting new teachers, and bullying.
The Solution: Structured martial arts classes provide a great environment for building children’s emotional development in a manner that is positive and productive, helping to ensure confidence, self-esteem, and emotional well-being.
Social
The Problem: Children who do not have proper social development over the summer tend to misbehave when they enter the new school season. At the same time, children who do not have sufficient positive social interaction over the summer enter the new school season with more anxiety.
The Solution: Martial Arts classes include daily classroom activities that strengthen children’s emotional outlook. In fact, more confident children enter the new school season excited about all of the wonderful opportunities that schooling has to offer!
Many people have an image of summer being a carefree happy time where “kids can be kids,” and take for granted the benefits of enriching experiences from organized activities. Even just two times per week in a structured program can make a tremendous difference in a child’s intellectual development over the summer, which ultimately helps with their physical, emotional, and social development as well. Do your research and find a program that provides these benefits in a manner that is also fun so that kids can still be kids and not lose that carefree and happy summer lifestyle.
To learn more about our Summer child development-based martial arts program that utilizes ring-tested martial arts and cutting-edge brain training as the vehicle to maximize your child’s growth or to get him or her started click the button below.
At NAK Martial Arts, we believe in the power of commitment, not just for our young martial artists, but for their parents too. Children don’t quit martial arts, parents do. Your dedication shapes their journey toward discipline, confidence, and success. Over the 35 years I have been teaching martial arts I get tons of adults that tell me when they were a child they were disappointed that their parent’s let them quit, usually at one of the firt 3 belts. But if you truly want to help you child become successful;
Here’s how you can support your child’s growth:
Be consistent with attendance. Discipline and confidence stem from structured commitment.
Encourage perseverance through tough times. Overcoming challenges breeds true confidence.
Teach the value of commitment. Resilience is built by seeing things through, even when interest wanes.
Embrace the journey to black belt. Completing the martial arts journey instills invaluable life skills.
Lead by example. Your involvement cultivates your child’s confidence and discipline. Together, let’s empower our children to thrive with unwavering commitment and dedication. Get them to the dojo and witness their transformation into strong, focused individuals ready to conquer life’s challenges!
Introducing the Internationally Acclaimed Youth Muay Thai Program! 🌟
Ten to fourteen-year-olds are the smartest students in the school. Yes, they are smarter than most adults! They are also physically competent and can excel in most physical challenges that are presented to them. The problem we discovered is they are so focused on what is socially acceptable that they have a hard time keeping themselves emotionally driven to the task at hand. The solution we found is to provide them with their own program that targets their stage of development in a manner that nurtures their social and emotional instability while at the same time building skills that set them up for success. With that said a structured program introducing extreme skill-based training in Martial Arts has proven to be very successful.
Here’s an overview of the stages of development of children ages 10 -14:
Physically– they typically have great technique and agility, but they can be lazy which leads to sloppiness.
We expect them to initially be sloppy on things that are easy physically.
The goal for our program is to get them to understand their potential if they pay attention the intricate details. We normally bypass the basics elements of physical development and jump right into the complicated details.
Intellectually– they are extremely smart. Their critical thinking skills are top-notch, but their decision-making skills are typically the exact opposite, and that is why most adults treat them like a child.
We expect them to initially make choices that are easy as compared to applying thought and effort.
The goal for our program is to get them to see the bigger picture and apply their intellect.
Emotionally– thanks to science, they are typically all over the emotional spectrum. This is more prominent in boys than girls.
We expect their efforts to be based on what they think is cool.
The goal for our program is to help them apply intrinsic motivation and realize their true potential. Our goal is to also help them improve their decision making skills with drills that challenge their reaction time.
Socially– they care about what their peers think. If something is cool, then they will put more effort into it.
We expect them to initially hold back if they are uncomfortable as a defense mechanism.
The goal for our program is to help them excel at everything they do, especially in front of a crowd.
By understanding the stages of development of 10 and 14-year-olds, we were able to select age-appropriate skills that make up our Youth Muay Thai Program.
As you can see we take Martial Arts training to a whole new level! We use extreme elements of traditional Martial Arts curriculums to build skills that are appropriate for 10 to 14-year olds. This means that your child will learn and grow at a pace that is not too easy, nor too challenging. The best part is the Youth Muay Thai program will equip your child with skills that they will utilize in every area of their life
In the dynamic world of martial arts, Muay Thai emerges as a superior choice for kids, surpassing the traditional appeal of Karate. Here’s why Muay Thai takes the lead in shaping young warriors:
Realistic Self-Defense Skills: Muay Thai equips kids with practical self-defense techniques relevant to real-life situations. The comprehensive skill set includes punches, kicks, elbow strikes, and knee strikes, providing a well-rounded approach to personal safety.
Full-Body Workout: Muay Thai’s emphasis on using all limbs results in a full-body workout. Kids not only develop strength and flexibility but also enhance cardiovascular fitness, promoting a healthy and active lifestyle.
Cultural Diversity and Respect: Muay Thai’s rich cultural heritage instills values of respect, discipline, and humility. Kids learn about Thai traditions and customs, fostering a global perspective and appreciation for diverse cultures.
Effective Striking Techniques: Muay Thai’s focus on powerful striking techniques gives kids a broader range of offensive and defensive maneuvers. The inclusion of elbow and knee strikes enhances their arsenal, providing more effective means of protection.
Clinch Work and Close Combat Skills: Muay Thai uniquely incorporates clinch work, teaching kids effective close combat techniques. This valuable skill set prepares them for scenarios where maintaining control at close quarters is essential.
Dynamic and Engaging Training: Muay Thai training sessions are known for their high-energy and dynamic nature. Kids remain engaged as they learn through interactive drills, making the learning process both enjoyable and effective.
Adaptability in Various Scenarios: Muay Thai’s versatility ensures that kids can adapt to various situations, whether in self-defense or sparring. This adaptability enhances their overall martial arts proficiency.
In conclusion, Muay Thai emerges as a holistic and practical martial arts over karate for kids, providing not only effective self-defense skills but also a dynamic and culturally enriching experience. Enroll your child in Muay Thai at NAK Martial Arts to witness their growth as empowered and well-rounded young warriors.
