The Japanese know how to keep their waists slim without heavy training and diets – without compromising on indulgence.
We’ve listed the beauty secrets of Japanese women before, because who wouldn’t want to know how their flawless and youthful skin is achieved! However, the Japanese have more to give to beauty than just skin care tips. The inhabitants of the land of the rising sun are known for their slimness and healthy lifestyle, which is visible throughout the body. It’s not just a matter of appearance, because the Japanese are also known to be long-lived.
Of the OECD countries, Japan has the lowest proportion of overweight people in the adult population: according to 2017 data, only 4.2 percent. In Finland, the corresponding figure is 26.8.
A healthy lifestyle does not mean consecrating yourself to gyms and health diets, but many small things in Japanese everyday life that contribute to weight control. Japanese slimming secrets have been mapped out in numerous articles – here are a few recurring tips that you should try!
1. Prefer sushi
Japanese food expert, chef Makiko Sano urges in his book Sushi Slim – lighten up with a Japanese dietSat (January 2014) those dreaming of weight loss to adopt Japanese eating habits. The Japanese diet includes plenty of fish, seafood and vegetables. Carbohydrates are not avoided, because rice is an essential part of food culture. Meals are supplemented with, for example, superfoods such as seaweed, stomach-pleasing fermented foods and wine vinegar, which is believed to give a ride to fat. Food is often prepared by steaming and boiling, and it doesn’t ooze fat – tempura mostly confirms the rule.
In addition to being healthy, Japanese food is also known for its deliciousness, and enjoying food is an important part of food culture. In Japan, food is an experience for the senses, so with the teachings of the Japanese diet, you can enjoy a treat, but without extra calories.
2. Drink green tea
While we sip coffee all day long, in Japan we sip green tea. Tea is thought to be the secret to longevity, and it is also believed to brighten both skin and thoughts. Green tea, which has a reputation as a health drink, is also part of the diet of numerous top Western models. Flattening it helps create a full feeling in the stomach, but it contains no calories at all.
There is also research evidence of the benefits of green tea, according to which it can reduce the risk of insulin resistance and overweight, among other things. According to a study published in The FASEB Journal, the EGCG compound contained in green tea helps, at least in mouse experiments, to reduce the harm caused by, for example, red meat, saturated fats, sugar and carbohydrates.
3. Remember the small portion sizes
In Japan, food is beautifully presented, and the meal often consists of several small portions. Meals also serve light but filling soups and salads.
Makiko says that Japanese meals seem bigger than they really are. He reminds that even a typical sushi set contains only about 300 kilocalories.
4. Eat with chopsticks
A smaller portion is enough if you eat it slowly. Food should not be eaten quickly, but focus on carefully enjoying every bite. In Japan, it’s easy to do, thanks to chopsticks.
– Japanese people notice that they are full more easily, because we use chopsticks to eat more slowly, Makiko advises.
5. Invest in breakfast
Makiko reminds us that a Japanese breakfast is often filling to give you energy for the day. Breakfast can include, for example, miso soup, omelettes, rice and grilled fish.
Instead, according to him, we no longer snack in the evening, but mostly enjoy a lighter dinner containing fish and vegetables. He believes that eating rhythm helps to stay slim.
6. Try bento lunches
It is easy to avoid unhealthy choices when the food is already planned and packed.
The Japanese are very fond of bento lunches, beautifully packed lunch boxes that help keep portion sizes manageable. You can also buy healthy, eye-catching and taste-tickling bento boxes ready to go – they are healthier and easy alternatives to hamburgers and energy bars when hunger strikes.
7. Avoid dairy products and meat
Dairy products are traditionally not used in Japan. Cream, butter and cheese are real calorie bombs, so avoiding them easily makes the diet much lighter.
In Japan, red meat is eaten, but not in large quantities – and Makiko believes that this also makes it easier to stay slim.
8. Replace dessert with fruit
In Japan, desserts are not an essential part of dining, even though the country makes, for example, elaborate little cakes. Don’t binge on sugar, and fresh fruit is often enough at the end of the meal. According to Makiko, desserts are not much of a hobby at home.
9. Take a hot bath
The Japanese believe that a bath not only beautifies the skin, but also helps burn calories, calms the mind and makes it easier to fall asleep.
– Japanese women’s beauty routines include a hot bath every night. It is a natural detox of the skin, i.e. cleaning it from the inside, says Japanese skin care expert Akiko Yokota, the woman behind the V10 Plus series.
– The skin becomes fresh. This is a simple, wonderful routine that I, at least, never miss, says Yokota.
A bathtub is quite rare in Finnish homes, but luckily we have a sauna with similar effects. Sweating removes fluids from the body, up to half a liter during one sauna session, and sweating helps to cleanse the skin.
– A bath effectively relaxes both physically and mentally, so it has a positive effect on overall beauty, advises Yokota.
Stress is known to make weight management more difficult, so enjoying baths and saunas also affects the body’s well-being through this.
10. Walk long distances every day
Many have moved to Japan blogger says that they shed some pounds after moving, and along with diet and social pressure, one lifestyle change is highlighted in their writings: walking everywhere.
In huge big cities, the distances are long and instead of own cars, public transport is preferred, which, however, is often full. So, as if without noticing, you will be walking or cycling long distances over the course of the days. Changing gym training to a calmer but longer-lasting walk can prove to be surprisingly effective, and the power of low heart rate training is also trusted by sports professionals – read more here, for example.
Photos by Unsplash, AOP
Partial sources Womanandhome.com, Savvytokyo.com
The story was previously published in April and June 2020 and March 2021.