7 Japanese Secrets to Staying Slim and Healthy!

The Japanese are well known for longevity, but the secrets of their success are not that complicated. Many of their traditions support health preservation. Their cultural attitudes to food and general lifestyle promote high energy levels and keep off excess pounds. Here are the 7 key habits that keep the Japanese going, as pointed out in Naomi Moriyama’s aptly titled book “Japanese Women Don’t Get Old or Fat”.

1. Different diet choices 

A traditional home cooked Japanese meal includes fish, steamed rice or noodles low in fat made from ingredients like buckwheat or mung beans, and simmered vegetables. The meal can also be accompanied by a bowl of miso soup. Afterwards, a cup of green tea is enjoyed and the meal is concluded with fresh fruit.

The fish-rich meal promotes the eating of healthy omega 3 fatty acids, while eating sea weed and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, sprouts, kale, or bok choy gives one a feeling of fullness and allows for consumption of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Green tea is well known for protecting the heart and fighting off chronic illnesses. Ending a meal with fruit also stops one from indulging in trans fatty foods like cake or tarts. 

 

2. Small portions 

Japanese food culture places an emphasis on presentation and despite smaller portions, offers a satiating meal. The Japanese follow the principle of enjoying food slowly. Each dish has its own plate and the food is arranged to show off its natural beauty. They also make sure not to fill each plate completely and stop eating once they are 80% full, avoiding any urge to continue eating for the sake of it. This portion control allows them to keep off extra weight.

3. Power up for the day with miso soup 

Japanese breakfasts are no small affair and include a variety of small dishes. One of these servings is a bowl of miso soup, which is rich in probiotics. While it might be considered unusual in the West, this delicious soup offers energy to get you going for the day. 

 

4. Light cooking 

 When the Japanese cook they choose healthy cooking methods including heart friendly oils, and not exposing the raw ingredients to overly high temperatures for long periods. Choice methods include pan grilling, stir-frying in a wok, steaming, sautéing and simmering foods. Fresh foods, light on dressings are also preferred. Overall this cooking style leaves you with a light, fulfilled feeling in your stomach.

5. No bread. Just rice. 

The Japanese traditionally did not eat bread. Instead, they served rice with every meal, traditionally steamed. Without bread, their diet remained free from refined wheat flour. You can go a step further in adding healthy choices to your diet and opt for brown rice, a healthier option than white rice.

6. Less desserts  

Sugary and processed desserts are so ubiquitous in Japan. Instead of using puddings, cakes, tarts or ice cream for a sweet ending to a meal, the Japanese serve small helpings of fresh fruit, or small portions of desserts, but not daily. Fruit is rich in antioxidants and other essential nutrients, and less sugar prevents diabetes, excess fat and weight gain.

7. A different attitude  

The Japanese devote less time to dieting and are raised to enjoy food. This also means they eat a wide choice of foods. In addition to their healthy attitude to food, they spend a lot of time involved in incidental exercise such as bicycling. Together with smart diet choices, being active allows for Japanese people to remain slim and contributes towards their longevity.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

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15 Easy Life Hacks for Fat Loss

1. Drink water before meals
Research suggests that drinking two 8-oz-glasses of water before main meals can help enhance weight loss. Participants in a 12 week study who drank 2 glasses of water before every meal consumed 75-90 fewer calories per meal and lost more weight on average than those who didn't. The researchers concluded that by hydrating right before eating, you're more likely to feel satisfied from the meal and less likely to overindulge.

2. Dine on smaller plates
Three is growing evidence that the size of your dinnerware can influence how much you consume during a meal. Researchers attribute this phenomenon to the Delboeuf Illusion- an optical illusion of relative size perception. When serving yourself, use larger plates and bowls for healthier foods, like fruits and vegetables and smaller plates and bowls for less healthy foods.

3. Dine on blue plates
Not only can decreasing the size of your dinnerware help you eat less, but also a specific colour. Research shows that people eat less if there is a high contrast on colours between the plate and the food. For e.g., a red sauce pasta dish served on a green plate. The higher the contrast between the colours, the more you perceive the serving size as larger than it actually it is. The plate colour that was shown to help participants consume the least amount of food was blue. It's the least appealing colour to pair with food.

4. Eat more vegetables
This might sound redundant, but consuming a lot of vegetables can do more than provide you with health-boosting nutrients. Use vegetables to your advantage by adding bulk and fiber to your dishes, which will help fill you up. And vegetables can also be used for low-carb food swaps like using cauliflower as a pizza crust or squash for spaghetti.

5. Track your intake
One of the keys to success in weight loss or weight management os tracking your food and beverage intake regularly. Tracking can help make you aware of subconscious snacking, unhealthy eating patterns and overeating. Multiple research studies have tested the effectiveness of tracking intake on enhancing weight loss and have concluded that individuals who track eating habits regularly lose more weight on average than those who don't.

6. Spice up your meals
Cayenne pepper can kick your metabolism into high gear because of capsaicin- the active compound that causes the burning sensation in your mouth upon consumption. Capsaicin is widely known and studied for its thermogenic effect, which is the ability to generate extra body heat and a rise in metabolic rate. One recent study found that about a 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, either mixed in food or swallowed as a capsule, helped study participants burn an additional 10 calories more over a 4 hour period. While that might not seem worth the temporary burning sensation, consumption of the cayenne pepper also reduced their preoccupation with food and their desire to consume fatty, salty and sweet foods during the same 4 hour period.

7. Drink a glass of hot lemon water
Adding a cup of hot lemon water to your mornings can help kick start your digestive system and stimulate bowel movements. Some experts suggest it can even give you a little natural energy boost, which would also help you cut out some unnecessary calories if the lemon water is used to replace high calorie coffee beverages. Additionally, lemon juice is an excellent source of vitamin C, with the juice of 1 lemon providing about a 3rd of the daily recommended value. Research suggests that an inadequate consumption of this vitamin may hinder weight and body fat loss. If you include lemon pulp in your beverage, you'll also add pectin- a soluble fiber that can help you feel full.

8. Have a bowl of soup
Soup can do more than alleviate cold and flu symptoms. In fact, a bowl of soup a day may help keep the pounds away. Multiple studies have shown that when low-energy-dense soups were consumed at the start of a meal, subsequent food intake was reduced by as much as 20 %. Furthermore, a soup has a higher water content, which can also help fill you up in addition to helping you stay hydrated. Be sure to avoid creamy, rich soups, which can run upwards of 500 calories and canned soups high in sodium.

9. Eat slowly
Research suggests that eating slowly can lead to improved satiety and amkes you less inclined to overeat. When you eat slowly, you allow more time for your brain to catch up with your gut as it signals it's full. To slow down your eating, try alternating bites of foods with sips of water, removing distractions like television and chewing your food thoroughly. Another great technique is to eat with chopsticks, which will inherently force you to eat smaller bites and at a slower pace.

10. Park far away
Forget convenience, and park as far away as possible to burn some additional calories. This method is a very simple way to squeeze some extra exercise into your day, no equipment necessary.

11. Ditch the bread
On average, a burger bun or 2 slices of bread contains 150 calories and 25 gm or more of carbohydrates. You can save at least 100 calories and 20 gm of carbohydrates per day by swapping out bread for produce options, like sliced eggplant, large mushroom caps and romaine lettuce. Better yet, you won't have to sacrifice fiber since you'll still get a good dose from these low-carb alternatives.

12. Wear form-fitting clothing
Wearing form-fitting clothing can help prevent you from overeating because you'll start to feel uncomfortable as you eat more than you need. This discomfort is an example of how your clothing can help serve as a sensory reminder of when it's time to put down the fork.

13.Eat in front of a mirror
The kitchen may be the last place you'ld ever think to hang a mirrot, but it's the most useful place when it comes to weight loss. Research has shown that hanging a mirror in your kitchen can help you lose weight and keep it off. How? Taking a look at yourself right before you're about to reach into the refrigerator or pantry can help you avoid poor, unhealthy food choices. Furthermore, eating in front of a mirror can help you consume less food by making you more aware of how your body looks and feels.

14. Work out in the morning
Exercise plays a significant role in weight loss and weight maintenance. If you're already exercising or plan on starting an exercise program in the near future, try getting your workout with in the morning. Exercising early can help jump-start your metabolism, increase your focus, improve your mood and reduce your motivation and desire for food throughout the rest of the day.

15. Up the good bacteria
A healthy gut microbiome may be the missing piece to the weight loss puzzle. Daily consumption of probiotics, known as " good bacteria", can help speed up weight loss. Scientists believe that in addition to aiding the digestive process, probiotics may make your intestinal walls less permeable to molecules that contribute to obesity. Probiotics come in many forms, including supplements and natural food sources, like yogurt, sauerkraut, kombucha, tempeh, fermented foods like idli, dosa and so on. When looking for a high-quality probiotic supplement, those with at least 7 strains and at least 5 billion colony-forming units are encouraged.

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.                                    PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO  VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                           https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com/                                                                                                                                                FOR INFO ABOUT KNEE REPLACEMENT, YOU CAN VIEW MY BLOG-                                                  https:// kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com/                                                                      FOR CROCHET DESIGNS                                                                                                                                                                                     https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com