Started Losing Weight! Japanese Diet and American Diet

158.5! I know it's not much but it's something! Finally, I started to see the weight loss after 3 weeks into my boot camp! I feel like I'm in a better shape and I feel better about myself for doing something right. I am happy that the number started to drop, but I don't want to focus too much on the number itself. How I feel, how I look, and most of all, how my health condition is more important than the number itself.

Anyways, let me talk a bit about Japanese diet. As most of you already know, Japan has the smallest number of obesity in all so called "developed" countries. (i find this term ironic. if our countries are so "developed" why are we witnessing all the racism, crimes, suicides, homelessness, hunger, and all that??? we have to wake up!) Yes, Japanese people have the longest life and much less people are sick, apparently. Why, why, why? What are Japanese people doing right? Maybe diet?

I think diet is a lot to do with it! Traditionally, Japanese people eat lots of vegetable and fish(I know the entire world, especially the US is bashing Japan for eating/fishing too many fish. I agree that Japan should change how we fish. I disagree that we should eat less fish. We don't want to eat lots of meat like westerners, because we see the result of eating too much meat in the Western countries.). Of course, the staple food is white rice.

I have talked to lots of doctors about diet, both in Japan and the U.S.. All doctors agreed that we should avoid eating red meat as much as we can. We don't have to cut red meat completely, but red meat is not good for a lot of things, they say. We have soy beans as protein substitute, if we are worried about the protein.

I see this point. Because Japanese people don't eat a lot of meat. They are much skinnier than average Americans, no offense.(hey, my weight is as heavy as average American, so don't take this personal.) It's just a fact. The obesity rate is very low in Japan. It might be something to do with the amount of red meat we eat.

If you have gone to Japan, you know this but JAPANESE PORTION size is so SMALL! When you see it, you go like "Are you kidding me? Is this a kids meal? Do I look like a kid? I'm gonna be starving at the end of my meal!" Yes, I feel the same way every time I eat in a Japanese restaurant. Japanese people in general, including men, don't eat a lot. Often, portion size is about 1/2 or 2/3 of what we get here in the U.S. (still, same price. ouch!)

I guess if you are born and raised in the society where all portion size is so small, it is natural for you to eat only that much and you don't see anything wrong with it. Now, I'm over here living in a big portion country, unfortunately, my stomach is accustomed to the portion size here and got enlarged by it, I must sadly admit. :(

Traditional Japanese dishes are prepared either steamed, stir fried, or stewed. Not a lot of fried stuff.

It is funny because Japanese people are very skinny, but they are obsessed with weight loss. American small size clothes would be Japanese large size. ha ha. I go to Japan, and I can hardly find my clothes size because I am TOO BIG. (In the U.S, I wear size 10-12.) People tell me to my face that I am fat. Not funny, but they think it is. Funny thing is that all these skinny Japanese people believe that they still have to lose weight! I'm talking about size 0 women trying to lose weight! Isn't that crazy or what? Now, you see why I left that dangerous country.


Well, if we all follow these traditional Japanese diet, we can be as skinny as average Japanese people. Question is....can we?