When we talk about legends in martial arts, one name stands apart from the rest. Bruce Lee was not just an actor who made martial arts popular, he was a dedicated student of martial arts as well. If you look at his pictures, you’ll notice that Bruce Lee had a body that was lean, strong and most importantly, fit. Besides training hard in martial arts, Bruce Lee also knew the importance of eating right. The ‘Bruce Lee diet’ is not really a strict diet program as such, but it focuses on different patterns of Bruce Lee’s eating habits, which made a definite contribution to his physique and strength.
Attending martial arts classes for self-defence or for a good workout is just half the picture. In order to get the best out of each martial arts training session, you need to change the way you view food and alter your eating habits so that you have the necessary stamina and energy to train right. Why not begin by getting inspired by Bruce Lee himself?

a) Say no to empty calories:
While many of us find it hard to say no to a frosted cupcake, Bruce Lee knew the importance of eating food that gave his body some form of nutrition and so stayed away from eating any product that contained refined flour and sugar. Avoiding such feel good foods which don’t have anything beneficial to give your body also helps reduce sugar cravings and stabilises blood sugar levels.

b) A balanced diet:
In order to give your body all the nutrients it needs to perform a range of activities on a daily basis, you also need to ensure that you get a balanced serving of carbs, proteins, fats and vitamins every day. That’s why nutritionists advise eating home cooked meals more often (just like Bruce Lee) and saying no to convenience food or junk food. You’ll find that a meal cooked from scratch gives you more energy and does not contain harmful additives, high sodium or other preservatives that are commonly found in fast food.

c) Taking the right supplements:
Health supplements are widely recommended by doctors for their abilities to promote better health, help the body function at its optimum and even ward off diseases. Bruce Lee took different supplements like Vitamin C, Vitamin E and wheat germ oil to enhance his workouts. In order to build up his stamina, he would also consume at least two protein drinks everyday as well.

d) Drinking Tea:
Bruce Lee’s love for tea may have been influenced by his Asian heritage but if research is to be believed, then tea has plenty of benefits to offer. Green tea in particular helps to boost up metabolism, increase immunity, promote better heart health, lower cholesterol levels and even prevent cavities. That’s more than one reason to say yes to tea and no to carbonated drinks!
By making small changes to your diet, you’ll find your martial arts classes much more enjoyable too. Live life the Bruce Lee way.