Calorie Restriction for Karate Training?

I recently read an article from Science News titled Living Long on Less? Mouse and Human Cells Respond to Slim Diet (Week of March 10, 2007; Vol. 171, No. 10 , p. 147). The article explains that it's unknown if calorie restriction actually leads to longer human life, but that a person's cells do show the same change as those seen in mice who have been shown to have longer lives as a result of calorie restriction.

What are some of those changes and how do they relate to Karate? Most important from my point of view was the observed rejuvenation of mitochondrial cells, the energy producers. I'm older and starting to feel my age. I've put on a little weight and don't have the pep. What if I could restrict some calories and get the boost in energy from my mitochondria? How much would I have to do?

Here's the really great news from the article. Human studies show that whether you restrict calories 25% or only 12.5% plus increase your exercise to expend 12.5% more calories, you get the same effect. I'm a little leary from a health perspective to restrict calories 25% and it's absolutely important to get complete nutrition as part of the approach. However, I think I can restrict 12.5% and increase my exercise enough to meet the study limits and also get a nutritionally complete diet. Normally, its very dangerous to take a research study out of context and apply it to life. In this case, I've done this before and I felt great (at age 32). Now I'm age 47, and ready to try it again. My other stats are 255 pounds and the scale showing 28% body fat.

For another connection to Karate, the Okinawans, who eat 8/10 full, invented Karate, also are renown as the longest lived of human societies (see The Okinawa Program : How the World's Longest-Lived People Achieve Everlasting Health--And How You Can Too by Bradley J. Willcox, D. Craig Willcox, and Makoto Suzuki (Paperback - Mar 12, 2002).

I'll let you know how it goes, but without the ability to test my cells!