When you look in the mirror are you happy with your body? Unfortunately, only about 21% of adults feel satisfied with the way they look. This image of the body begins in the early stages of childhood and is often affected by family, friends, social pressure and the media. 

Body image and self-esteem directly influence each other and this is why I love training in Muay Thai. Martial arts is a positive tool for improving body image as it is a discipline that teaches you to respect and value your body for more than what it looks like. After a warm up of jumping jacks, pushups, sit ups and burpees I am tired, but I am also fired up and ready to push my limits to see how hard I can strike the bag, test the strength of my swing kicks, and see what my body is able to do. It is this feeling that builds my body image and not whether I measure up to the fitness models in Women’s Health Magazine. 

Professional fighters are some of the most fit athletes in the world as a result of the long hours put in training and conditioning, but even if you are fighting recreationally, it is still one of the most effective fat-burning workouts. Each session of authentic Muay Thai training works the whole body and easily burns around 600-700 calories in an hour (depending on your metabolic rate) making this a great choice of exercise to lose weight and tone your body.

There is a saying that “abs are built in the kitchen”. Along with a regular fitness routine, what you eat plays the most important part in how your body looks and feels. Incorporating a well-balanced diet into your lifestyle with lean protein, good carbs, fats and loads of vegetables will improve your performance, provide you with energy, and help build muscle.

Your body is an important vessel. Be sure to nourish it with good food and appreciate it for what it does and not always what it looks like. 

teamLEGACY.BLOG would like to introduce our Holistic Nutritionist, Michelle Stone.  Michelle will be making sure we stay informed and educated with our food choices as our newest nutrition & liftstyle writer!  But first, here's a little bit about her:

I am a lot of things. I am a woman, a school teacher, a registered nutritionist, a fitness enthusiast, a partner, a daughter, a writer, a friend, a chef... But most of all I am a fighter. Yes, I train at Legacy Fight Club, but what I mean by “a fighter” is not just in the literal sense of the word which is “to contend in battle or physical combat”, or, “to engage in boxing”. It is to constantly put forth effort and determination in everything I do. So when I say I have been a fighter all my life, it is true. 

For me, fighting is putting in 100% until I get the results I want. It is definitely not easy, and the little voice in my head tries to talk me out of a ton of things, but I have this fire inside to help push me through to achieve what I set out to do. Everyone has it. Whether it is a voice, a feeling, the fear of failing, or exhilaration once you have accomplished a goal. You just need to focus on what drives you. 

This is what has brought me to love Muay Thai. I was introduced to boxing when Federico asked me to do a class with him in Toronto over two years ago. I had been dating him for less than a month and was terrified to make a fool of myself as I had never put on a pair of boxing gloves before. However, I played many sports and went to the gym often so I figured I might be ok. We walked into a rundown-looking place with a ring in the middle of a tiny gym looking like something right out of Fight Club. Federico wrapped my hands, I slid on the gloves for the first time, and man was I hooked! Every movement, burpee, and jab-cross made me feel alive. It was hard, technical, and exhausting, and I knew this was something I needed in my life. Since then, I have joined Legacy and every day I put on my gloves and strive to become a better fighter in and outside of the ring.