Black Belt Diet (for the mind)

The more I train the more I realize the impact my diet has on my performance. As the saying goes, "Garbage In - Garbage Out!" But what is even more surprising to me is how important it has become to have a good diet of healthy thoughts. So along with a healthy diet for my body I am focusing on the following diet of Nutrition for the Mind!



Here are the three parts to my plan:

1. Good diet of words of wisdom.
2. Daily mental relaxation through focused thought.
3. Exercise creativity on a daily basis.

Living with Black Belt Excellence means working towards your potential not just physically but mentally, spiritually and emotionally as well!

We all know that if we don't exercise our bodies on a regular basis we will lose our skills, health and fitness. It is just as important for us to incorporate daily exercise for mind into our routine to guard against negative thoughts that undermine our confidence, focus and direction in life!

The great thing is you don't have to be a Black Belt to start!

Yours in the Pursuit of Mastery,


Bryan Klein
http://www.discoveruta.com/


coming soon http://www.onetimefatguy.com/

Sat Jan 16 th

Oh, my friend, it's not what they take away from you that counts. It's what you do with what you have left. ~Hubert Humphrey

Some Advice to Myself About Negative Self Talk!

I had a friend e-mail today about a diet he has recently started. He told me that it cost him $500 to join a 90 day fitness challenge. He continued to explain that he was hoping that it would work for him because maybe the pain associated with loosing the money would possibly provide enough incentive to follow through.

I responded by asking him to replace the words hoping, maybe and possibly with something like this:

"I am ready to make a change and I am confident that I will attain my goal because....."

Then I thought about all of the times during my test preparation that negative thoughts began to creep into my mind:

"Am I good enough?"

"Can I loose the weight?"

"Will I ever get this split?"

I truly believe that the way we / I talk to ourselves truly determines how far we go in life. I also believe that it is not a kick or punch that will get us in life but often times it is our own limiting beliefs that due us in!

In other words; I must truly believe I will have the split, I must truly believe I will loose the weight and I must truly believe that I have the confidence to succeed! Every comunication to myself or others needs to support that beleif!

So, from this point forward I have decided to make "Mental Self-Defense" part of my test(as well as part of the test for anyone that ever tests for Black Belt under me).

Here is how it works:

1. I will make a conscious effort to notice when I express something in a negative way either to myself, out loud or in writing!

2. I will immediately re-phrase the statement in a positive manner.

3. I will continue to do this until the thought is completely replaced with a positive message that reinforces my belief in myself!

So that is my advice to myself on "Mental Self-Defense".

Yours in Black Belt Mastery,

Bryan Klein
www.discoverUTA.com
www.BlackBeltMastery.blogspot.com

PS: Please feel free to leave positive coments in the blog or pass this along to a friend as a link. It is always nice when someone enjoys what you do!

PPS: Keep an eye out for my new web site that is coming soon....
www.OneTimeFatGuy.com

What is a Black Belt? (At Least As I See It)

Just a few more months to go to the test. To date I have done thousands of push-ups and sit-ups, hundreds of pull ups, countless kicks, punches and form repetitions. But what is it all worth….

· A black belt around my waist…
· Another board broken….
· Another repetition completed…

NO! I have to remind myself that this test is about so much more;

1. It is about first learning to care for myself: martial arts is a way for me (us) to optimize our health. Without our health…. nothing else matters. By optimizing our health I am (we are) defending ourselves against the things that will really KILL us in life… HEART ATACK, CANCER and DIABEETES! Optimizing our health allows us to enjoy life to the fullest.
2. It is about learning to care for my family: My kids are with me every step of the way, with every kick and punch! My hope is that they will learn through my example that we must all find our passion life and follow it! NEVER FOLLOW THE CROWD!
3. It is about learning to care for my community: All those kicks and punches have got to be good for something more then breaking boards! The focus, concentration, self-discipline, determination and perseverance must be put to good use. I will do everything I can every day to make a difference in my community not just through large projects like the 200 Smiles Project but through small daily actions.
4. It is about learning to care for my world: “People are People” there is to much us versus them and not enough of “We are all in this together”. I will strive every day to set an example for my own kids and extended family at the school that we can make a difference, not only in our own lives and the lives of those around us but in the lives of people half way across the world whom we will never meet!

So to me this test and martial arts in general is not only about kicking, punching and blocking. It is about learning to care for myself, my family, my community and my world!

Yours in Black Belt Mastery!

Bryan Klein

Pushing a Bolder Up Hill!
This past week has been a tough week for training…. I have hit a plateau and progress seems non-existent.

I keep reminding myself of the advice I give my students when they are “stuck“ in their training (or any area in life).

1. Try Your Hardest!
2. Never Give UP!

I have to continue to push through towards my goal not just for myself but as an example to all of my students.

It has to get easier….. It is like pushing a 200 lb boulder up hill. It gets progressively harder until you reach the top, and then gravity takes over!

Until then Quitting is Not an Option!