The Japanese-Travel Weight Loss Program

日本旅行のダイエット

When I last weighed myself before leaving America, I was around 180 lbs (80 kg) while standing at 5’9″ (176 cm). Normally I could say that this was muscle, as I usually have a solid workout routine. But last semester was the most inconsistent I’ve been since consistently working out, so I thought I was getting a little… fluffy… like my cats. When I told my friends about my travel plans for Korea and Japan during the summer, everyone who had been there before either said, “You’ll lose weight! You walk so much, the food is healthier, and the portions are smaller,” or, “You’ll want to eat everything and drink a lot, so you’ll have 4000+ calories a day.”

アメリカから出た時、80キログラムぐらいで、176センチでした。よく、あの大きさなアンディは主に筋肉（きんにく）ですが、先学期（せんがっき）あまり運動（うんどう）しなかったので、少し太（ふと）りました。猫のようなフワフワだったと思いますね。友達に旅行の予定を言った時、いつも、ハッフによると、「ぜったいに痩（や）せるよ！沢山歩くし、ハルシーな食べ物は多いし、日本の食べ物の方が小さいし。。。」ほかのハッフは、「全部を食べたいし、よくお酒を飲むから、ぜったいに太る。」と言っていました。

Little did I know they’d both be right.

でも、びっくりして、みんなは正しかったですよ。

Weeks 1-4: The Eat Everything Stage

1-4週：全部を食べている時

When I got to Korea, it was my first real meaningful experience out of the country. I had been to Mexico for 7 hours in 3rd grade in a touristy area (it was a cruise), but I don’t count that. This was real, a whole week in a new country where I didn’t speak the language and the food was fantastic. There was $8.50 all you can eat Korean BBQ, coffee shops and bars on every street, and convenient stores with good food. Needless to say I consumed many calories, but I did walk a lot.

韓国に行った前に、ぜんぜんほかの外国に行ったことがありませんでした。子供の時、7時間メキシコに行ったけど、観光の所だけに行ったので、外国に行ったことじゃなかったと思います。韓国は本当に外国でした。言葉を話せなかったし、白人は少ないし、食べ物は安くて美味しいんです。韓国の道に、バーとカッフェといいコンビニは一派かったですよね！それに、安いレストランは多かったので、沢山食べてしまいました。でも、よく歩いていました！

Next were my first few weeks in Japan while I was on a school program. We stayed with host families who cooked us breakfast and dinner every day, had easy access to convenient stores and ice cream shops the entire time, and were surrounded by delicious Japanese food. So, during my I must eat everything phase, I definitely continued to consume. But after the program ended, I had tried most of the food I wanted, so I ended up drastically dialing back.

次、京都プログラムの授業がありました。ホストファミリーと住んで、ホストファミリーとは毎日朝と晩ご飯を料理してくれました。それに、よくコンビニに行って、ソフトクリームは多くて、美味しい和食とほかの日本の料理は多かったから、全部を食べること続きました。でも、プログラムが終わった時、みたかった食べ物もう食べてみたことがありましたから、瘦せている時が始めました。

Week 5-9: Nagano Onwards・5-9週：長野の時から今

My last night in Nagano, I went dancing at the (only) reputable club in the area, and another foreigner, at the end, told me, “Bruh you’ve got a handsome face but you’re too fat, it makes you look like a baby.” I’m by no means skinny, but I’m not fat either, but what I thought after was, Good thing I’m in Japan, where I can actually change that easily.

長野のさいごの夕方に、クラブに踊（おど）りに行って、出た時、ほかの外国人は「お前、イケメンのに、太っている。ハンサーム赤ちゃんみたいよ笑笑」と言っていました。僕は瘦せていないけど、ぜったいに太っていませ。でも、あの話のおかげで、日本にいますから、

After leaving Kyoto, during those few days in Nagano, I started to notice a few things:

I was never hungry in the morning (and didn’t eat breakfast because of that)
Smaller portions filled me up
I went from a total sweet-tooth to not being able to finish a Starbucks Frappe
I keep needing to tighten my belt just a little bit more

京都から出た時と長野にいる時、色々なことを気づきました：

朝に、お腹がぜんぜんすかなかった
今の方が小さい食べ物を食べれば、いっぱい
前に、甘い物いつも好きだったけど、今よりほしい
ベルトをよく少し狭くしている

Since then, in Tokyo, I’m walking just as much. A couple nights I missed my last train (but if there’s any chance of that I stay within 3 miles of my hotel) while meeting with friends and not checking the clock, but I personally have loved those nights. I get a free bit of additional exercise walking the empty streets in the cool of night that, during the day, would otherwise be crowded and hot. Japan is one of the safest if not the absolute safest country in the world. so I have nothing to fear here – other than getting enough sleep.

長野の時から今、同じぐらい歩いています。時々友達に会っていた時、終電をのりおくれましたが、あの三日はとても楽しかったと思います。少しボーナスな運動ができたし、夜の方がすずしかったし、混んでいなかったのです。日本はとても安全ですからあまり心配していません。でも、次朝はたしかに少し困っていますよね。

The Plan Going Forward・次な計画

(English only for next few paragraphs, I’m not confident to translate all the topics)

Now that I’m in Tokyo for a couple more weeks, my goal is to set up healthier eating habits that hopefully last after I return to America. This article has a several good pointers, such as how to check for sodium content, which common foods are not healthy, and some other tips. The most important two for me are to stop eating at 80% fullness (it’s a Japanese phrase, hara-hachibu), whether that means not eating everything or going for smaller portions. The next is avoiding fried foods. I have a huge soft spot for these. My last day in Shinjuku, I got fried chicken curry for lunch and Wendy’s for dinner. While it wasn’t big portions, it was all fried and that can easily be avoided. Here is another article providing some examples of healthy (and unhealthy) foods in Japan. Generally, fried, salty, or sugary foods are to be avoided. That’s an obvious given, but some Japanese foods can be deceptive with their salt and sugar especially.

I’m also working on a mindset shift towards food. I recently read a book titled Start With Why by the somewhat infamous Simon Sinek. He has a chapter called The Celery Rule, which creates a decision-making process using groceries as an example. If your WHY for buying groceries is to get healthy food, then unhealthy food is incompatible with your goal, but celery is A-okay. After reading that chapter I’ve been able to stop myself from buying unnecessary ice cream over 3 times, cheesecake twice, and fried food a few more times. Since Japan has so many healthy options, it’s not hard to follow The Celery Rule.

Related image — It’s a pretty good book. Bit repetitive but the repetition reinforces the message

Finally, when it comes to exercise – I haven’t been doing much strength work. I went to the gym once in Korea since leaving America and have yet to go back to one. Thankfully, there are some compact options. I bought resistance bands at a Yodobashi Camera (like Best Buy x100) and used them while in my host family’s home, but not at hostels. Now that I’m in a private hotel I’ll use them, do push ups with some other bodyweight exercise, and keep up with my immense amount of daily walking. I’m averaging about 20,000 steps a day, which is double my usual in America and I couldn’t be happier… and my shoes couldn’t be in worse condition

Image result for resistance bands — This kind of thing

In short, the Japanese-Travel Weight Loss Program is:

Only eat enough to be satisfied, not stuffed
Aim for healthier Japanese foods
Reduce fried, salty, and sugary foods (tempura, tonkatsu, fries, udon, ramen, etc.)
Mindset improvement to make choosing healthier foods over unhealthy ones easier
Walk a lot, missing the last train can help with this
Strength work-outs if you can (so you burn more calories and don’t lose muscle)

日本旅行のダイエット

腹八分目
ヘルシー食べ物の方が食べる
フライド食べ物より食べる（たとえば：天ぷら、トンカツ）
ヘルシー考え方（かんがえかた）
よく歩く。終電を乗り遅れたら、もっと歩ける
できたら、運動する。しなかったら、筋肉がでる

I am not an expert in health and dieting and I will not pretend to be, but I am sharing what has personally worked (and not worked) for me while traveling abroad in Japan. It’s easy to want everything and gain weight, but it’s even easier to get used to Japan’s smaller portions and healthier lifestyle. Of course there are times when I get nachos and pizza in the same meal (yes, in Japan), but despite that it’s been such a healthier place. Even the junk food is generally healthier than similar American foods. While you’re in Japan, make the most of it!

運動とダイエットの先生じゃないですが、日本に旅行していた経験のおかげで、沢山習っています。時々悪い食べ物を食べているけど、主に日本に元気になっています。僕は少し瘦せていることは日本のおかげで。