I'm a European living in the US and I completely believe that not walking is one of the biggest reasons Americans are so big. When I first moved here, I chose to cycle 45 minutes to work and back again to stay slim, but then I moved to Los Angeles where that isn't possible. So I chose an apartment by the sea that will let me walk to many places I want to go to, and people think it's odd that I would rather walk 30 minutes along the ocean instead of drive for 5. If I don't try to walk, I can sometimes go a whole day without even walking 1,000 steps because I drive now and work in an office. I never had to "work" at staying slim until I had a car. I think "exercise culture" is so prevalent in the US because most people have no natural exercise. I've struggled a lot to keep my weight down since moving here, but so far I've managed to do okay! Portion control is the other factor. Whenever I eat out I try and just cut the meal in half and take half home to eat the next day. The meal sizes are just too big.
I have lived in the US all my life and I fully agree with you. Walking or biking in most areas is downright dangerous (traffic!) and that is just wrong. Portions also are out of control here. It's difficult to roll back decades of the mindset where you eat and eat and eat. Funny how so many of us in the US think we are exercisers but we are not!
I don't even own a car but I still have a problem maintaining a healthy weight. If I don't exercies and limit my food, my weigth goes to 105 kg very fast.
@shara3114 Gee, that's sad. In my city, in Australia, we have cycle paths built along the major freeways. There is a fence and plants in between the freeway and the cycle path, presumably to freshen the air for the cyclists. Over the past 30 years, the footpaths in residential areas have been widened to accommodate cyclists and pedestrians. There are even lanes marked out on most of the paths and signs to remind cyclists and skateboarders to give way to pedestrians.
There’s one very common thing between Japanese, Korean, French and Mediterranean people: their food culture and habits. If you take a closer look into their habits, you’ll see that: - Eating time is almost like a ritual; - They’re usually “present” during the meals, they take their time while eating; - They eat a lot of different and tasty foods in each meal, but in small portions; - It’s not a common habit among them to eat while working or walking, for example; - They value the quality and freshness of their foods a lot.
That is true! Also, since Spain is hot, they eat less bread than an average German or Ukrainian. Instead, you eat more fish and salad. If you want to turn your diet around, move to Mediterranean countries. You’ll forget about stuffing yourself with cheap calories, and will eat light instead.
I agree 100%. American portion sizes are too large, and we often eat unhealthy food. For example, many American children eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch, cookies or crackers, candy (fruit snacks), and juice or sports drinks. This is a lot of carbs, sugar, and little fiber, protein, and no vegetables. However in Japan, many people eat soups with vegetables and protein, or bento boxes with vegetables and protein. Also in America, we eat a lot of unhealthy snacks, so it's easy to see why Americans are often overweight.
Peanut butter is very high in protein... and it was much more common to our diet until about 20yrs or so back when bourgeois hypochondriacs started insisting that all of their own kids were allergic just so they could force it out of everyone else's diets.
It's a sad truth 😩 Plus it doesn't help that instead of promoting health like we used to, now we're promoting being fat because apparently promoting healthy bodies is "fat shaming" 🙄
So I’m Dutch and I visited the US last summer. The food was the biggest culture shock imo. The portion sizes were normal, but your salads are huge and there are very large options. There’s barely any healthy drink options and fast food chains and the drinks are very very large. You have low fat dairy products but you proceed it to pair it with cereal that is made out of 90% sugar.
I live in the UK and I walk 45 minutes to work - or cycle - and then again back home every day. The path goes through a park, trees and a canal with bridges, no cars and most of my morning commute includes hearing the sound of wind in the leaves, spotting squirrels and robins and greeting dogs on their morning walk. Best decision ever. Not only my body feels grateful, but also my mind is in a better place just because I have those moments. Highly recommend, especially if rent is a lot more expensive when you live closer to the city centre. And you can do so many more things with your money when you do not have to pay for petrol or a car.
I used to do the same. I was size 30” waist and as fit as a flea. Then I retired and gained 2.5 lb a year. 12 years later I was 30 lb heavier and waist 36”. Purposeful walking, especially twice a day, is great exercise. You have to take care when you give it up though.
@@peterrat100 Can you tell me 'why give it up'? I am planning for my later years and hope that exercise will always be part of my life. But maybe it's not always possible?
@@BelloBudo007 I never enjoyed exercise for its own sake, but when it had a purpose, i.e. a lovely walk through the woods rather than a frustrating drive on busy roads, I was happy to do it. It became part of my routine. When I retired my routine changed and the walking stopped. If you like to do exercise this probably won’t happen to you.
@@peterrat100 When I retired we entered in covid lockdown. Two of our friends, who are diabetic started a one hour day walking, and got free of medication. They are feeling better in every sense. I was feeling exhausted for a long time, but then I realised that it is a pity to waist the freedom one has won, and took the good decision to re-start. Indeed, walking or any exercise is crucial for life. Body and mind.
I’m a Brazilian living in US. Here you just can’t walk if you live in a suburb . The way they planned the cities is ridiculous. If you are in a parking lot surrounded by shops, you can’t even cross from one shop to another , or going to a restaurant without driving. I really don’t understand why they do that when the population is so fat. Sometimes I think that the urban planners have a deal with the health insurance company. Ps: I love your Chanel.❤
Eu percebi isso qdo visitei o Texas... me chamou a atenção porque logo pensei que para mim seria difícil morar num lugar assim porque alem de ter medo de dirigir eu amo fazer tudo a pé. Aqui em Sp Aphaville lembra muito o layout dos bairros dos Eua.
Its actually very widely speculated and considerer that ford lobbied the government powers to zone and micromanage the united states structure so that people would NEED to buy cars in order to manage an ordinary life. It was very intentional. But it was the auto industry ;)
I agree. I moved to USA several years ago and noticed a lot of people I know here don’t walk anywhere. My husband (he is American) even drives to our local shop which is across the road - only tales 3 minutes to walk it. I find that very strange. I noticed a lot of Americans also drive from one store to the other when they are next to each other when there isn’t even a road in between so it’s safe to walk. I never went to the gym in my own country because I walked a lot (even though I had a car to get to work). Now I live in USA I bought a treadmill for home because it’s not always easy to get excercise in on a daily basis due to the road setup.
Cities were always crowded in the USA. We had gridlock in NYC when we only had horses and carriages! But, people walked everywhere in the cities. This I know, because I grew up in NYC. And, the cities developed mass transit to move the millions around, but you had to walk to the mass transit, and again when you emerged at your destination. And, people walked as a pastime, for the fun of it, or to the many parks in the city. No, it was the development of the suburb that literally drove people to stop walking. And, this was possible because of the affordability of a car, and the vast size of the country. People wanted fresh air, their own home and out of the city. And, they got it. The problems that eventually developed, pollution, lack of potable water, inability to walk to stores, schools, shopping, doctors, etc., developed as the suburbs grew, and spread out, and grow and spread they did. And, little to no mass transit was built to carry the masses to the cities where they still worked. We built highways that criss cross this country in a beautiful grid of roads that almost connects one place to every other place. So, we can and do take great pleasure in being able to drive coast to coast, 3,000 miles, on the southern route, northern route and straight across the middle. If you look at a map of the east coast of the United States, at night, you will see that there exists one huge megatropolis from Boston down through Washington, D.C. and into Virginia. And, then greed drove developers to build in places that never should have been developed, as time went by. But, to answer the question, this is not why people in the United States are fat. That can be traced to dietary changes starting in the late sixties and seventies, the acceptance of fast food as an alternative to actually cooking at home, and technology which encourages us to be quiescent, especially children.
Another great video! Portion control has always been an issue for me. I've also been told that Japanese learn early in childhood the 80/20 rule: eat until only 80% full. I grew up learning the clean plate club: others are starving, must clean your plate; still unlearning this. Portions kept increasing...
I feel that, additionally the portion sizes that are served at restaurants or canteens are extremely big. As a small person I can only eat half of it and still be full. I learned to bring a container with me, so the other half doesn't go to waste, but it still feels weird to not finish the meal.
@@naraseth That's so true! Once I started packing up half of my meal, I lost weight. But I'm a big tall woman: 5'9 (175.26 cm), over 250lbs (113+kg), and have big bone frame and I get hangry. The struggle is real, lol 😆
I hear you. My grandmother would literally (I wish I was kidding) lick the pots and pans clean in order to not waste anything. And it wasn't just at home either, I remember them not letting us leave the table in school unless we'd eaten everything on our plate. The result now is that not only do I feel the need to completely empty my plate, but I feel bad about saying "no, thank you" if there is still food left on the table that nobody else wants. I remember going with my (now) ex to visit his family in Kobe a couple of years back. I was alone with his mother one day and she decided to make me shabu shabu (my favorite food) as a treat. I was the only one eating and I remember that I kept staring at the plates of food that she had lined up on the table as she was preparing my food. I was very full, but I kept telling myself "only one plate left, only one plate left" and I somehow managed to squeeze it all down. At this point she stands up, collects all the plates and goes out into the kitchen. Without saying a word, she returns with 5 more plates of food and I almost started crying because I really couldn't eat anymore, haha. I told my ex about this and he just laughed at me and said "you don't have to eat it. If you don't eat it, she'll just save the food for me or my father to eat". Still, I had such a hard time telling her "no". During the whole time I was there, I would always clear the plate and as a result, his mother kept making my portions bigger and bigger because she thought that she wasn't making enough for me since I wouldn't leave even a breadcrumb on the plate. I can laugh at it now but this really is such a bad habit that many of us have learned. Like you, I'm still trying to unlearn it.
Agree with this. By changing my serving dish to a breakfast bowl instead of a large plate means I now eat the appropriate portion of food for me. And yes still dealing with the mentality of not leaving an empty plate. But once you have the habit, I enjoy not being full. Cos let’s be honest, it’s painful.
Walking and bike riding is definitely the biggest factor! The fact that Japan has a low crime rate giving this kind of commute feasible makes these simple UNDERRATED exercises wonderful.
UNDERRATED for you because that's not part of your everyday way of life. I swear, anyone under 40 years old today's clearly moronic using these "internet" bred terms without even knowing its True meaning.
lol no its not the biggest factor. Societal Pressure is great and also small portion sizes. Here in Germany people walk and ride bikes alot too yet are fat because of silly woke " healthy at all sizes " bullshit and big portions
@@Dan-sw8tg True, these days everyone has to be protected and everyone is a victim. People don't want to have any sense of agency in their lives. They prefer to hear that they are beautiful with fat deposits hanging from the stomach in super tight leggins because "It's not their fault" and doing something about it would be "succumbing to social pressure" rather than take responsibility for their body and lose a couple of kilograms introducing 2-3 simple habits.
My own theory is it's mainly from the food itself but also from walking so much. The first time I visited Japan 10 years ago, I lost 15 kilos (no, that's not a typo; 15) in one month. During that time, everyone thought that I must be starving but the truth was actually the exact opposite; I was indulging myself in so many different Japanese foods and fruits (fruit tastes much better in Japan than in my home country so I always eat a lot of it when I'm in Japan, even though it's much more expensive). I was also doing a lot of walking since I felt that it was simply easier to just walk everywhere I wanted to go instead of taking the bus or subway. While 15 kilos in a month is a lot (and it's a record I haven't been able to break since), I have heard from many others that they have lost weight any time they come to Japan as well and it's from the food alone since admittedly few people walk as much as I do (I love walking so I can easily walk 20-30 km in a day). I have also heard the opposite; that Japanese people that go abroad tend to put on weight from eating western food and not moving around as much as they would in Japan. So yeah, my guess is that it's simply a combination of the food and simply being more active than us westerners.
I was right there with you. When I lived in Japan I lost alot of fat and got really fit through merely getting around and eating seasonally. I love the infrastructure in Japan making it very easy to walk everywhere. Here in the US in a rural suburb I am forced to drive everywhere and there are no convenient places to walk. My nearest park is a half hour drive and no sidewalks.
I must add one significant factor. As a foreigner who has lived in Japan for 14 years and have children attending Japanese schools, I remember vividly how I was surprised when I was told that "children don't eat snacks in the kindergarten, they only have lunch" when my daughter started kindergarten back in 2010. I thought, "is this ok or even healthy that a 4 year old has only lunch, and nothing at, say, 10 o'clock?" Aparently they thought it's fine, and we had to obey. And it was the same in elementary school, junior high and even high school when children spend long hours in school. So the Japanese people get used to having only the 3 main meals, and nothing in between. In my country (Iran) each school has a kiosk where children can buy various unhealthy snacks. Also, in Iran celebrations are associated with eating. In Iranian schools children can bring cake to school on their birthday to share with their friends, whereas in Japanese schools it is evidently forbidden.
Snacks are only required on processed foods garbage diet, because of insulin issues. Eat keto or low carb whole foods, and you won't need snacks anymore.
It is taxing on the body to not have sustainable blood sugar levels that are obtained through low and medium glycemic foods. In America our pancreas is overworked due to long spacing between meals (adrenals take over during hypoglycemia) and massive blood sugar spikes when a meal is finally enjoyed.
This makes sense. My fitness trainers told me it’s 80% what & how much is eaten and 20% exercise. Also, I had my DNA tested (for fun) and it showed that I have obesity genes, they said my lifestyle is the only reason I’m not overweight. I haven’t eaten the standard American diet (SAD) in about 25 years & have been exercising regularly for about 37 years.
When I was in Japan, I ate a fattier diet than I do here in the US (I usually eat pretty healthy here). I also didn’t exercise like I do in the states. Despite my worsened diet and lack of typical exercise, I actually LOST fat! I suspect it was largely due to how much walking I did while in Japan. Where I am in the US (Tennessee), you have to drive everywhere. I’m Japan, I walked just about everywhere. It was amazing!!!
Here in the United States we are also surrounded by many foods that are high in sugar and carbs. I went to a sports bar the other day and the healthiest thing on the menu was a fried chicken salad. The salad was very large and covered in cheese and dressing. Also, I think restaurants justify their higher prices by giving you larger portions. In many restaurants your drink choices are either 5 different kinds of soda or water.
Yeah that's true. There's sweets in Japan but even things like pastries and sweet cakes etc, are not that sweet. Most Japanese do not drink a lot of soda (or pop, depending on where you're from... fizzy drink?) Also most processed foods in America are loaded with hidden sugar and/or corn syrups
@@pixelseagull3126 uh... he said the healthiest thing at THAT sports bar was the fried chicken salad. it doesn't reflect the entire culture. get some reading comprehension plz
I'm glad that you included perfectionism. A friend of mine lived in Japan for several years and spoke to me of the pressures and suicide rates. So many of the other reasons for being slim are very helpful to hear.
yes I think it's also worth mentioning that japan is one of the countries with the highest prevalence of eating disorders, top 5 I'm pretty sure. as well as not having as many options or resources for treatment and help for those disorders, and the amount of stigma around mental health issues in japan.
Switching to a more traditional Japanese diet and eating with chopsticks has significantly improved the amount of food that I eat. I usually find myself getting full before I’m even done with my plate, whereas before I wasn’t giving myself enough time to feel full before starting to eat more.
From an african perspective , I note few similarities. I come from a community that's usually tall and lean , slim . But I think like any modern society , genetics have taken a back seat to the influence of the current environnement of unhealth foods and habits. So we see what limited physical activity and acces to 'modern food ' are doing to us. Something like attitude to food can also play a role . In my culture , it used to be and still at some extend , not well regarded to talk about food , to enjoy food .We don't even have a typical cuisine. Food is regarded as a necessity rather than something to 'enjoy' or find comfort in or be proud of. There's still no culture of 'street food' compared to other african countries , which is something I appreciate , but lots of tourists don't like when they tour . Eating on the street is something that can raise curious 'stares' or seen as lack of self respect , so we know that the person eating on the street isn't local. Snaking is something for kids . Adult usually stick to 3 main meals per day. It's unusual to snack or eat in between the main meals of the of the day . So when am asked why we're lean , I have come to realize that maybe that's something that play into this. Plus , we can't forget that processed food isn't yet widespread in our continent urban settings . People still have access to organic foods whetever the size of wallets.
@Xena I am an Indian. I totally agree with your view. 1. Earlier food was necessity. No one ate untill hungry, which means they have digested the previous food. Now, we eat on time which overloads stomach. 2. Snacking does not exist untill companies wanted to make money. 3. Standing and gobbling, a.k.a fast food, was not part of culture. Still looked down upon many places in India. 4. Exercise was not gym, but washing dishes and doing laundry. I see and understand the problem, so making tiny changes in my home regularly. One home at a time to build a healthy world.
I certainly agree with you! Traditionally in my culture, people eat light breakfast and head to the farm where they work till lunch time. There was no room for snacking, just drinking water in between meals. They come back from farm late afternoon and eat dinner and that was it. To lose weight and maintain good health, any type of meal restrictions like one meal a day or intermittent fasting will have to be practiced. .
@@bindyasaravanan number 4 I absolutely agree: nowadays people buy a lot of electric appliances like robot vacuum or food processor to spare some time that they need for going on gym to get some excercices 😆making perfect pizza dough which is constantly kneading for 10 minutes with own hands is quite physically demanding 😊people should just start to make good quality food on their own at home and it will make a huge difference for their health in every aspect👍
What a lovely video! Thanks for sharing! I actually incorporated one thing, that I found in japanese eating habits and what really astonished me: a typical japanese breakfast has a variety of different foods incorporated in small dishes. There is everything the body needs: some carbonhydrates, some proteins, some fat, cobined with vegetables and fermented foods. And if you put everything in front of you in small plates and stuff, your mind thinks: "there is enough food, I can relax". With this mindset you don't rush through your meal like a man starved (because your brain "fears" that someone is going to take your food away), so you don't eat more than you need. Plus you have the positive impact on your brain: the brain loves variety and when it sees the many small dishes, you feel happy. I didn't realize that, until I tried this method of combinining different kinds of foods in small dishes for my breakfast. I can't really say, if I lost weight in the proesses (because I didn't weight myself), but I definetly feel more energized, healthy and happier than before.
I think its the life style from childhood, saw one of the Japanese school video where kids are engaged in managing their class, lunch etc. So they develop discipline from childhood, growing up they have this engraved, but in other countries there are less activities except for sport, this makes kids lazy to do minor tasks, and with addition to having fastfoods often and processed foods they practice unhealthy lifestyle from early age. Its always best to stick to traditional food often and occasionally engage in food of your choice
It’s most definitely the diet. I vacationed there and I had vacation mentality and thought “I’m just going to eat and enjoy all this cuisine, I’m on vacation, I don’t care”, and I did. I came home thinking I must have gained 10 lbs. I actually LOST 5. After all that eating! Plus the walking too. We did walk everywhere. I think it helps that everything is fresh made. It’s not processed.
Watch a Japanese cooking show for a while. They may serve three and four dishes, small amounts, big variety of different vegetables, many fermented, and very few snacks. Even their choice of snacks is relatively healthy. Desserts can be quite small, almost never lavish or highly sweetened. Even their fast food, Japanese style, is relatively healthy. This is all about portion control and their native diet.
yes. When I visited Japan last year, I thoght I was going to gain weight like I did everytime going abroad. Maybe the only country I've been in before where I hadn't gained anything was Switzerland. But Japan suprised me so well- even though the usual tourist guide is focused on sweets and sweet drinks- the case for me was astonishing. I was eating ramen everyday, sometimes twice. But also Japanese simple combo meals like rice, miso soup, side dishes with veggies, and a whole variety of meats. My mom always said noodles and and rice are preccesed wheat, drained of its natural goods. The problem in the west when eating carbs is there are a lot of carbs in your meal, and when there's animal products, they are very fatty. Whenever you'd want some veggie form it's always a huge salad that is very expensive- or no veggies at all. A big factor for me was that the meals were so balanced: a little rice, some soup, some veggies. Gives you such an easy opportunity to eat balanced food- and this is actually more satisfying like that- so you are less prone to cravings. Another effect for me- was the price of the food. Eating out where I live is very very expensive, so anytime I do that it's "we're in a 100%". It cost me a lot of money so I have to finish it, even when I'm full to a stomacache. And speaking of digestion- I usually take additional fiber, and everytime else abroad I had to take twice my usual amount in order to have good bowel movement and not get consipated for the entire trip. The case in Japan was exactly the opposite! I had regular movements, plus no need toilet paper. never had such an easy experience. Also, for some reason I didn't like Japanese sweets and pastry at all. When I came home I stopped liking sweets as well. I just like meat now and good meals. way less junk cravings. Thank you Japan for showing me how food consumption can be both healthy and satisfying.
I live in Southern California and we have a car culture. In many places, there is no way to get where we need to go without driving. Our necessary shopping (like food and household goods) is frequently located far away and there is sometimes not even any infrastructure for people to walk or bike to get there. I like that you noticed that we have an exercise culture. We compartmentalize our exercise rather than making it a part of our daily life. For example, we might go to the gym to work out for a hour or two but then we drive to the store and park as close as possible so we don't have to walk as far.
@@valentina47734 A person would have a death wish if they biked down the majority of roads in CA cities. Google Earth I-5 that runs the length of CA, OR and WA and you’ll get a good picture of what we deal with. 😊
@@zuzupetals6025 I am so bad at researching Google Earth but I can see there is lots of freeways , highways, etc. Isn't there infrastructure for bikers, mopeds, even pedestrians?
I love Japanese culture and habits, it's great that you don't have to put such effort in getting healthy or slim because it is already part of your lifestyle. Since Japanese always walk their way to work or school, you must have a very sturdy and good quality of shoes there 😁 Thank you Aki for sharing such great video! More power to you and your channel ❤️❤️☺️
Fascinating! Thank you for sharing. ❤️ I am the happiest person in the world. I grow my own food in my backyard garden, make my own compost to properly feed the soil which feeds the plants I will eat from. I eat plenty of beans and rice in addition to my home grown fruits and vegetables and eat poultry, fish and meats sparingly. I make pasta, sauces and breads from scratch and am happy that I can control the sugars and salts in my foods (I use more spices than salts). I grow my own ginger and culinary herbs and use these to make tea. I'm healthy and happy. I think this is why I can relate and LOVE your videos. 😊 Thank you for sharing. I'm learning!
I look forward to trying Koso. Thank you for introducing this product. I’d like to see you sponsored by more subscription boxes and maybe have a Samurai Matcha box made with items you love.
Here in the UK it’s often hard not to take the bus or go by train to various places because it’s so convenient. There seems to be a culture of rewarding your children with a £1 to go buy sweets at the shop if they’ve been good, and thus forming addiction from an early age. Also, there is not really a healthy option at any restaurants. Even if it is a ‘salad’, it will still be unhealthy. Traditional Japanese food is very healthy, and thus adding to the lack of obesity in Japan. In addition, there are SO many pubs in the UK, and fathers take their children to the pub to get drunk on their 18th birthday. The country drinks so much alcohol, yet another reason obesity is so high. Thanks for this video!
Thanks ! I don't need to lose weight, but I have been taking probiotics for years. Also don't eat fast food. The Japanese diet and the Mediterranean diet are 2 of the best on the planet !!!
Thank you so much! I feel inspired to eat slower and with chopsticks. I have done this in the past and very much enjoyed the experience. I'm not overweight and eat only plant-based foods, but often read the news or watch a movie online while eating. I know it's a bad habit so I will work on it. I have learned much from observing how Japanese people treat the pleasure of eating.
Thanks! Very informative! Now I heard about Koso from you first time in my life. Amazing product. Please, continue your work. The ideas you express in videos are very healthy,positive,inspiring for humanity and every individual. Best wishes to you and your followers from Russia!
I feel lucky to live in NYC where most people walk and take the train. I noticed there are far fewer obese people here than I have seen in other places in the US. I hope more places around the country can invest in train systems and walkable areas.
These insights are very good. I also wanted to shed some light on weight loss from an American perspective. I lived in Japan three separate times for a total of 5 years and was able to lose weight but, only when i tried. My best friend gained about 40lbs during her 6 years in Japan because she was eating a lot of sugary breads and Japanese snack foods and pizza… it can be done if you mimic the American diet despite how much you walk. My mom visited and we ate quite a few things but she never overdid it and she wasn’t use to walking so much… she said she lost about 7lbs in the 2 weeks she was there. 🎉 I’ve gained 10lbs on a 3 week vacay in Japan where i walked everywhere but i went out of my way to eat all the things i missed. 😅 I find it easier to stay slimmer in America due to the fact that our supermarket food quality just isn’t as good… don’t get me started on the fruit comparison. 🍇 🍈 🍓 So the takeaway Ive gotten is adopt the Japanese mindset: walk as part of your daily routine. Eat til 80% full- mostly veggies, fish, and a little rice with tea. 🍵 Think about how much it takes for you to be not hungry and don’t go over that. what’s the minimum your body needs? do that for a while and see how you feel and increase accordingly. Eat sugar only as an occasional treat and make it small. (the cakes there aren’t even half as sweet as here in the states.) 🍰 and if you want to burn fat- (from a western mindset as per my trainer bf- build muscle and do hit aerobic workouts in a balance most days and get sleep to lower cortisol) As someone who used to be a flight attendant- i can’t tell you guys how much cortisol messed with my mind from lack of sleep and all the cravings it gave me. ✈️ I hope this helps someone ❤ Also, i’d like to try this probiotic drink as part of the health equation. 🇯🇵 cheers for the awesome content! 🍹
I am learning Sumi-e painting and have started collecting Japanese art. Last week I tried Japanese food and loved that too. Thank you for another really interesting. I am a big fan of yours!
Nutrition is absolutely everything! The old saying in English that "you are what you eat" is literally true. The Japanese diet is just the best taste-wise in the world, it's also the healthiest... IMHO :)
This is so true! I think it's also the environment as well! and discipline and culture! when I grew up in Japan I always had great health. When I came back to Australia after 10 years I started to get unhealthy. Moved to London lost weight again... not sure what it is but when I'm back in Japan again I loose weight, beautiful skin ( I think onsen helps ) and become healthy! it's the food and also discipline. Also you may want to look into epigenetics. The environmental factors has lot to do with health as well. Japan has very good discipline, healthy lifestyle and outlook is very important in Japan and people tend to naturally adopt to the norm. I think this is what I have experienced in Japan.
After watching your video, I began eating only two meals per day, while continuing to exercise/walk/workout. I’ve lost weight and I’ve learned to enjoy the sensation of slight hunger.
I'm glad you're featuring these products...I got a 1 year subscription to Sakuraco and enjoying snacks as I watch! I'm now looking at Koso and they deliver to Canada. 👍
I absolutely agree on your research and thoughts. As I can compare myself, here are some of my observations and thoughts an this topic: Portion size is one thing but also WHAT people eat/drink has a lot of impact. After having lived in Japan for many years, I have been shocked walking into a Western supermarket after a long time and seeing that 80% of the products offered are sugary, fatty or fast food types of food. And most people actually buy it (just take a look at their shopping carts). I feel that Japanese people cook much(!) more by themselves (despite being busy, so this is no excuse) and on top of that take care to eat well balanced as well. I’m working in a Western country now and at work I’m the only one bringing my own lunch (self-cooked) and not buying an unhealthy option, eating out or even skipping lunch and going for cookies and snacks later on. In Japan I always had lunch with my colleagues and almost everyone brought his/her own self-cooked lunch (O-bentou). Another completely underrated factor are drinks! Japanese people drink coffee, tea or water most of the time and as main beverages. Barely sugary juice, energy drinks or any type of fizzy drinks. A lot of (sorry, but it’s the truth - especially bigger) Western people drink sugary, fizzy drinks and therefore take in a lot (!) of calories just with drinks. So already with drinks only a huge calorie difference is created between Japanese and Western people on a daily base. I totally agree on the point of walking but I think it just adds to the good eating/drinking habits of Japanese people which is most crucial for keeping weight.
I walk every day as my main form of exercise, because here in US suburbs it's either that or drive to a park if you ever hope to walk at all. I mostly just step out of my house, and walk in my neighborhood. It's weird because hardly anyone else does it, but I know it's important to channel my inner Japanese and be healthy :)
I am 52 year old Japanese female keeping my BMI 18 and my waist 58cm. I do not eat farmented food like natto, miso,pickles and I have never taken KOSO. I am not sure what keeps me fit but I guess no snacking is the key. I was raised not to snack because it was against for traditional Japanese manner. When I was young,I often broke the rule and went to hot dog shops or ice cream bars with my pals after school. But now I have returned to the way in which I was raised.
All East Asian foods I know are low calories, low fat, low sugar. Food shops also don't have those insane junk food and sweet departments. In Finland chocolate and candy industry takes a huge part of the food shops. Also so many have started to eat the American way here and obesity is growing. What I ate during my childhood was much more simpler yet nourishing. I cannot find any reastaurant with that kind of food here anymore 😢
Japan has higher standards and regulations when it comes to processing and packaging foods. There's a reason why you can eat raw eggs in Japan and be fine, but not in the US. And then there's the huge portions in the US. Our foods have way too much sugar, and therefore, we consume too much sugar, and sugar is extremely addictive. I'm lactose intolerant and cannot have too much dairy products. Let me tell you, I went to Italy for a week and forgot to pack my Lactaids, and I ate cheese with every meal, and had gelato at least once a day and was perfectly fine. In the US? All of those things would've came out on the other end like rocket fuel.
That's very interesting. My SO is lactose intolerant and I usually hate the taste of milk. I purchased grassmilk on a whim and we were both stunned, the taste was very mild and it didn't cause any digestive upset. It's unfortunate that farm animals in America lead such unnatural lives that the milk (and presumably meat) they produce is essentially altered.
Interesting video. As an American living in Japan for 14 years, here's my perspective. Japanese food is definitely not low in salt/sodium. A meal generally has less calories, either due to portion size or things like 和食 where most calories come from the rice and easy to separate, reduce, and control calorie intake. A big difference when compared to the US is more natural or whole food options. I feel processed food is consumed much more in the US with food additives. Additionally, and a big one, Japanese like non sweetened drinks and it's always a choice. US is either sweet soda, sweet tea, or water... But yep, public transport culture results in more walking and bicycling. This is another reason why so many old people still walk around in Japan (also lack of barrier free architecture) whereas in the US, people use electric wheelchairs, etc. when their mobility reduces rather than pushing through. This is a bittersweet aspect however. Thanks for making the video!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this topic! In the US, people tend to normalize obesity compared to being in Asia. Besides food and genetics, people may be more motivated to lose weight or control food portions due to stress from society.
Not only 'normalize' it - there's a whole movement called "body positive" and "healthy at any size" which tries to make obese (unhealthy overweight people) feel better about themselves.... and if you say anything like being obese isn't healthy, and a better diet and exercise could help, you get scolded and criticized for not being "inclusive" The US is backwards so much!
Hell nowadays they're almost glorifying obesity, because apparently it's mean to encourage healthy bodies since there are so many people who struggle with making healthy choices here. We're going the wrong way about it!
I'm naturally slim, but when I lived in Japan for 2 years, I put on weight. I noticed that is was due to the fact that I used to have a late dinner in Japan whereas in my country I don't usually have dinner, just a good lunch. Anyway.....I miss a lot japanese food. Japan will always live in my heart.
Completely agree the opinion of walking daily for keeping fit and losing weight. This is the best exercise to all people in all corners. Easy to do, no tools or devices are needed. Happy walking, everyone!
Hello, Aki-san! Thank you for sharing KOSO and healthy Japanese eating habits. I totally agree with portion control - portion size (and even the size of dinnerware) keeps increasing in the U.S. I am just starting to incorporate probiotics into my diet - my first batch of kombucha is fermenting in my kitchen. I really enjoy and benefit from your videos - thank you for making them.
The one most critical thing you've missed is the amount of sugar in the diet. Australian and US diets are loaded with it, Japanese significantly less. Thanks for the video. Cheers from Australia.
I'm ethnically Japanese and was born and have lived in the US my whole life and in my 33 years of life, I never became fat. My weight have stayed relatively the same, regardless of how much I ate or how much I exercised. I have been pregnant twice and even then my weight have been able to go back down to the original weight. I'm convinced that this is all due to my genetics and I'm grateful for that.
I can believe this because when I was in Japan I saw the Japanese eating all sorts of unhealthy things. The conbinis are full of junk food and lots of Japanese people eat all of it. I truly believe there is something in the genetics of Japanese people to make them able to eat more calories or something
Me too and I’m not Asian! I think a lot of it has to do with genetics but also the probiotic thing is very interesting. I was raised close to where my grandparents on the dairy, farm and farm, and a lot of foods were natural. I think the government is killing most of the beneficial bacteria’s in the food well, especially the milk food don’t taste the same out of the supermarket. Even the vegetables taste like junk in the US. I’ve lived here my entire life and there’s definitely a difference between stuff from the farm and even the meats even if you buy them out of the freezer can doesn’t matter they’re all jump organic don’t taste organic taste nothing no flavor.
Your family gave you better habits than average fat "hippo" in the US. It's not the country making you slim, it's the specific food you input into your body. I bet you don't eat as much garbage as your peers.
Thank you for the information. I really enjoy your videos. I was thinking that Japanese people must eat a lot less calories than Americans, so I looked for some information online and I found. That the stats are almost the same as the minimum calorie recommendations in the US. I have been restricting myself to a lot less than the minimum, and I was losing weight, but then I just stopped. So I am thinking it must also be the type of food. I will try the probiotic you recommend.
I am so happy to see that you hasve included social pressure in this video. As sad as this is , it is among the major reasons for the low obesity rates. Much like korea or France among other countries. I believe that the idea of telling people that they gained weight asnd the need to slim down also plays a major role as fat shaming seems to be a great motivator for weightloss
Well "fat shaming" as you call it, might be better than chronic illness. Also your loved ones pointing out to you that you gained weight isn't so terrible. Obesity creeps on you slowly. If we are aware of smaller changes, we might not have to deal with bigger ones, which are much harder to fix.
It wouldn't be bad if we could tell our friends "You have gained weight" the same way we can tell them "You look tired recently". It's often hard to notice the change yourself. Even changing the size of the clothes, you convince yourself it's just a different brand. And then one day you look at your holiday photos and you are horrified.
@@nusaibahibraheem8183however, many japanese women in particular are pushed to be underweight or borderline underweight. they can be called fat even while in the normal healthy range, I've seen it time and time again. there's literally countless street interviews of japanese women saying "I want to be this weight, or I would ideally maintain this weight and then acknowledging that weight is not healthy or the recommended amount. What he doesn't mention is Japan is in the top 5 countries world wide for eating disorders. The standard for being considered "fat" or "chubby" is different in japan because their average size is pretty small. so even someone who weighs above the average but is still within healthy range can be considered chubby or fat there. People who've never struggled with it won't understand, but as someone with anorexia who has been to japan, I've seen the way women specifically talk about and view themselves and the importance they place on achieving a very low weight. Also there's been studies on fat shaming and how it only negatively affects people who are overweight and does not help them lose it. Even if they do lose it, it's easy to spiral into an unhealthy mindset if you're being told you should hate yourself or be ashamed. The mindset of being ashamed of your body doesn't just suddenly disappear when they lose the weight. Yes japan is in a better place with obesity than many other countries, but it should not be at the cost of people's mental health. Being skinny dosen't matter when you're dead. And if you're losing weight at the cost of it worsening your mental health because you believe your body is worthless and shameful and therefore you are worthless and shameful, or possibly developing anorexia which has the highest mortality rate of all mental illnesses, well that isn't fixing any issues. That's replacing one issue with another. Swapping the possibility of chronic physical health issues with chronic mental health issues (which, statistically increases your likelihood to develop chronic physical health issues) is not the answer, and often that is what fat shaming will achieve.
I think a mix of the active/quality food based culture of Japan mixed with the work/life balance and lower stress of places like Sweden would create an incredibly healthy life. It’s hard to find that perfect mix in one place. Here in the US, where we should be a leader, we are very far behind in almost every category. Our obsession with cars, terrible food additives, low availability of quality food in places of low income, terrible work/life balance, high stress, brutally bad healthcare system. You are pretty much screwed as soon as you are born unless you actively seek out a better life and have the money to do so.
I’ve never bought anything that was promoted, but I instantly purchased the koso. I am sad to say thought that your promo code did not work. Please check with them, you deserve the commission. I will email them as well. Thank you! Love your channel!
As I live in Tokyo., I walk on a daily average of more than 10,000 steps to commute and live life. The food in Japan is not very healthy, but of course there are more healthy options. However, the most important factor is the pressure from the society. There is a huge discrimination against overweight people. Since I started living in Japan 3 years ago, these three factors have played a huge influence on my 32 kg weight loss.
Sounds to me like the so called "discrimination against fat people" has done you a big favor. Might even have saved your life. That's why we need to stop pretending that being fat is ok, it's not ok it's dangerous, we don't have a problem shaming people for smoking or taking drugs but actually unhealthy food kills more people in the west than both of those combined.
Great video! Thank you so much! I loved learning about the information that you shared. It is very informative, inspirational and motivating. Please keep up the wonderful work! Thank you again! Be well and be safe! ☺💖🙏
I love the portion tip because I apply it to myself and it does help maintain weight. But one thing I need to give up is snacks and soft drinks, although these are occasionally craved. I'll also implement more fermented food into our diet. Great tip. Thank you ❤️
I love you my Japanese people..i am proud of your culture and attitude...even though they fall ..they stand and run normal as nothing happened..please share more about your culture.thank you for this wonderful video
Hi, I love your videos! I’ve been watching them for a good year already and I think it’s very relaxing :) I do have some critic about this one though. I’m from Germany and a lot of your “western countries do it that way” doesn’t fit here. It seems like you were talking mainly about the USA when you were talking about western culture? It would be great if you could differentiate it a little, because people here in Germany love to walk as well :(
I thought about that too with Germany. I have family in Germany and when we visit we just walk everywhere, regardless of the weather. It's so nice! Sweden and other nordic countries are also places where people walk frequently (even when it's heckin cold!)
Just found this channel. Thank you so much!!! Have visited Japan twice within the last 6 months - love the health and walking aspect of Japanese culture.
I'm African of Indian decent, my American friends always joke I eat like a 🐦 ( I eat slow and little I agree) but I was simply brought up that way, I take my time and enjoy and watch what I eat. Never had obesity now @67yrs working on with no health issues. Give Thanks to the Gods.
I love the content of this video! 😊 And I agree with you but Japanese food is so yummy , it’s hard not to eat and eat and eat . They actually make French food very well; I just came back from Kyoto and was surprised by how well they make french dishes; they have a gift for making the dishes less greasy!
I'm glad that Japan stays extremely healthy and takes health very seriously despite that they have a toxic work culture that makes them die young because of overwork. I'm 250+ lbs. and American. I need to lose weight and change my eating habits!
Quit junk food, eat whole foods. Meaning, stop taking grocery items with labels! Take items that you'd find in nature, fruits, veggies and whole chicken, fish, or beef. Nothing ground pr modified in any way. No condiments etc with labels, use single ingredient spices. Drink water or unsweetened tea, nothing sweet or too caffeinated, definitely nothing in cans or bottles.
I think you look normal lol. My husband and I get the same comments. People seem to have forgotten that only a generation or two ago hardly anyone was overweight and fat has become the new normal in a lot of countries
Dear Matcha, your videos make my day!! Thank you for sharing your thoughts on different issues😊 You seem a very positive and energetic person👏 I was in Tokyo 2 times on a business trip and enjoyed greatly! Pity I did not have an opportunity to see more of Japan:) but what I saw and Japanese people I met - was wonderful☀️
Thank you for this information. I really want and need to lose a great deal of weight. I will try to incorporate some of these things into my daily life.
Thank you for this video. I live in a suburb of chicago where there is a heavy Asian population. I learned about eating plant based foods and portion sizes. I even bought a rice cooker. Diet is the most important way to manage weight.
Yikes! Koso is $99 a bottle. (There was no tax on my order - which I didn't go through with - and standard shipping is free). If you subscribe, it's $74.25 per order. Supposedly one bottle lasts 12 weeks, depending on how you consume it (for example, a half ounce daily). They need to offer either a sample bottle for much cheaper, maybe $30 or just smaller bottles (a size good for one month's daily use, maybe). I am not willing to gamble $99 on my first try. Even with the code, you're only saving $9.90. I think I will stick with other fermented foods, like sauerkraut or making my own pickled vegetables.
I feel like the major influence is eating unprocessed foods and not overeating. Basically healthy dining without consuming more calories than the body needs. Candy, sugar, all sweet drinks, chips, ecs are all bad. And what the guy in the video showed it seemed as if there was almost none of those things. Paired with tiny portion size being a cultural thing I figure if they have any of those things it'll be in the smallest packages.
First of all, It was a very interesting video for me! Secondly, I live in Hungary and unfortunately, obesity in the country is caused by poverty and improper nutrition. "Poverty?" many of us could ask... Unfortunately, many people prefer to buy white bread and pasta for a particular dish, because they are cheaper. Also, I see a lot of children who bring chips or some sugary soft drink from the store to school. (This is probably due to unconscious eating, which also affects many families). However, more and more people are changing their lifestyle, and I hope that this type of obesity will decrease here in Hungary in the future. :)
this is actually a big reason for obesity in the US as well! the cheapest foods are the unhealthiest, and poor people simply can't afford healthy food. it's criminal.
There's no excuse. Cabbage, greens, veggies are easy to get and are very cheap, you can aslo grow it. Poor nutritional education is the main cause, just like for entire Eastern Europe.
@@mikesamovarov4054 sorry to disagree. it depends on the country but a pack of spaghetti and a cheap sauce costs less than a green vegetable plus all the things you need additionally, bc you are not gonna eat plain cabbage, are you. but i agree that the education is another problem on top of it.
@@rusope1050 I don't think it has anything to do with education or poverty. People shun the health information because they don't want to change.They're addicted to junk food and don't want to give it up. They love the convenience of it too. Fast food is way more expensive than a bag of rice and some beans. I work in an organic grocery store and you should see how many "poor" people on foods stamps buy cookies, cakes and other garbage. Like Mike says cabbage is cheap. People don't want to make their own food, it's a convenience thing. And here in America people aren't even embarrassed to be obese because it's like the norm. Many factors are at play here.
I honestly changed both my diet and the size of my portions (smaller plates and bowls included). Makes such a big difference on weight loss combined with being physically active.
Dear Aki, I am super interested in the Koso-based drinks but unfortunately R's KOSO doesn't deliver to Germany or Europe in general. Can you recommend some other brands that I can research? I would love to incorporate a pre-/pro-/postbiotic drink to my morning routine just like you do. :)
I lost SO much weight in Japan. I lost about 40 pounds. I went from 200 pounds to 160 in three years. Why? I walked for 2-4 hours a day to get to and from my job. Portion sizes were much smaller and more filling (a Japanese L size meal at McDonald's is similar in size to an American M size meal). I ate lots of miso soup and pickles every day, especially gari (pickled ginger; I put it on almost EVERYTHING). The problem is, I ended up gaining all the weight back and more when I ended up returning to America. My goal next year is to eat in a similar way to my eating habits in Japan.
4:09 I do eat fermented food. A variety of them. Thank you for the tip on Koso! You could advise people from Tonga: an island in the Pacific ocean, where they eat a loooot! And are almost all obese.
Hi, Samurai Matcha, interesting! Smaller portions… and a variety of different little things to feel satisfied after the meal. Thank you for sharing and stay happy and healthy. Love, Monika❣
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I'm a European living in the US and I completely believe that not walking is one of the biggest reasons Americans are so big. When I first moved here, I chose to cycle 45 minutes to work and back again to stay slim, but then I moved to Los Angeles where that isn't possible. So I chose an apartment by the sea that will let me walk to many places I want to go to, and people think it's odd that I would rather walk 30 minutes along the ocean instead of drive for 5. If I don't try to walk, I can sometimes go a whole day without even walking 1,000 steps because I drive now and work in an office. I never had to "work" at staying slim until I had a car. I think "exercise culture" is so prevalent in the US because most people have no natural exercise. I've struggled a lot to keep my weight down since moving here, but so far I've managed to do okay! Portion control is the other factor. Whenever I eat out I try and just cut the meal in half and take half home to eat the next day. The meal sizes are just too big.
I have lived in the US all my life and I fully agree with you. Walking or biking in most areas is downright dangerous (traffic!) and that is just wrong. Portions also are out of control here. It's difficult to roll back decades of the mindset where you eat and eat and eat. Funny how so many of us in the US think we are exercisers but we are not!
@@caspiansfriend Are there many cycle paths in the USA? Like alongside freeways and highways?
I don't even own a car but I still have a problem maintaining a healthy weight. If I don't exercies and limit my food, my weigth goes to 105 kg very fast.
Exactly. If you take half of your food home, you now have two meals for the price of one. #Genius❤❤
@shara3114 Gee, that's sad. In my city, in Australia, we have cycle paths built along the major freeways. There is a fence and plants in between the freeway and the cycle path, presumably to freshen the air for the cyclists. Over the past 30 years, the footpaths in residential areas have been widened to accommodate cyclists and pedestrians. There are even lanes marked out on most of the paths and signs to remind cyclists and skateboarders to give way to pedestrians.
There’s one very common thing between Japanese, Korean, French and Mediterranean people: their food culture and habits. If you take a closer look into their habits, you’ll see that:
- Eating time is almost like a ritual;
- They’re usually “present” during the meals, they take their time while eating;
- They eat a lot of different and tasty foods in each meal, but in small portions;
- It’s not a common habit among them to eat while working or walking, for example;
- They value the quality and freshness of their foods a lot.
Smart🎉
Turkic too!
That is true! Also, since Spain is hot, they eat less bread than an average German or Ukrainian. Instead, you eat more fish and salad. If you want to turn your diet around, move to Mediterranean countries. You’ll forget about stuffing yourself with cheap calories, and will eat light instead.
@@BrickTemplar Just don't go to Napels, they will fry everything.
I agree 100%. American portion sizes are too large, and we often eat unhealthy food. For example, many American children eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch, cookies or crackers, candy (fruit snacks), and juice or sports drinks. This is a lot of carbs, sugar, and little fiber, protein, and no vegetables. However in Japan, many people eat soups with vegetables and protein, or bento boxes with vegetables and protein. Also in America, we eat a lot of unhealthy snacks, so it's easy to see why Americans are often overweight.
Peanut butter is very high in protein... and it was much more common to our diet until about 20yrs or so back when bourgeois hypochondriacs started insisting that all of their own kids were allergic just so they could force it out of everyone else's diets.
Not every American
It's a sad truth 😩 Plus it doesn't help that instead of promoting health like we used to, now we're promoting being fat because apparently promoting healthy bodies is "fat shaming" 🙄
So I’m Dutch and I visited the US last summer. The food was the biggest culture shock imo. The portion sizes were normal, but your salads are huge and there are very large options. There’s barely any healthy drink options and fast food chains and the drinks are very very large. You have low fat dairy products but you proceed it to pair it with cereal that is made out of 90% sugar.
@@itsbeyondme5560 it's majority dummy !!
I live in the UK and I walk 45 minutes to work - or cycle - and then again back home every day. The path goes through a park, trees and a canal with bridges, no cars and most of my morning commute includes hearing the sound of wind in the leaves, spotting squirrels and robins and greeting dogs on their morning walk. Best decision ever. Not only my body feels grateful, but also my mind is in a better place just because I have those moments. Highly recommend, especially if rent is a lot more expensive when you live closer to the city centre. And you can do so many more things with your money when you do not have to pay for petrol or a car.
Me too.😀
I used to do the same. I was size 30” waist and as fit as a flea. Then I retired and gained 2.5 lb a year. 12 years later I was 30 lb heavier and waist 36”. Purposeful walking, especially twice a day, is great exercise. You have to take care when you give it up though.
@@peterrat100 Can you tell me 'why give it up'? I am planning for my later years and hope that exercise will always be part of my life. But maybe it's not always possible?
@@BelloBudo007 I never enjoyed exercise for its own sake, but when it had a purpose, i.e. a lovely walk through the woods rather than a frustrating drive on busy roads, I was happy to do it. It became part of my routine. When I retired my routine changed and the walking stopped. If you like to do exercise this probably won’t happen to you.
@@peterrat100 When I retired we entered in covid lockdown. Two of our friends, who are diabetic started a one hour day walking, and got free of medication. They are feeling better in every sense. I was feeling exhausted for a long time, but then I realised that it is a pity to waist the freedom one has won, and took the good decision to re-start. Indeed, walking or any exercise is crucial for life. Body and mind.
I’m a Brazilian living in US. Here you just can’t walk if you live in a suburb . The way they planned the cities is ridiculous. If you are in a parking lot surrounded by shops, you can’t even cross from one shop to another , or going to a restaurant without driving. I really don’t understand why they do that when the population is so fat. Sometimes I think that the urban planners have a deal with the health insurance company. Ps: I love your Chanel.❤
Eu percebi isso qdo visitei o Texas... me chamou a atenção porque logo pensei que para mim seria difícil morar num lugar assim porque alem de ter medo de dirigir eu amo fazer tudo a pé. Aqui em Sp Aphaville lembra muito o layout dos bairros dos Eua.
Its actually very widely speculated and considerer that ford lobbied the government powers to zone and micromanage the united states structure so that people would NEED to buy cars in order to manage an ordinary life. It was very intentional. But it was the auto industry ;)
I agree. I moved to USA several years ago and noticed a lot of people I know here don’t walk anywhere. My husband (he is American) even drives to our local shop which is across the road - only tales 3 minutes to walk it. I find that very strange. I noticed a lot of Americans also drive from one store to the other when they are next to each other when there isn’t even a road in between so it’s safe to walk. I never went to the gym in my own country because I walked a lot (even though I had a car to get to work). Now I live in USA I bought a treadmill for home because it’s not always easy to get excercise in on a daily basis due to the road setup.
Cities were always crowded in the USA. We had gridlock in NYC when we only had horses and carriages! But, people walked everywhere in the cities. This I know, because I grew up in NYC. And, the cities developed mass transit to move the millions around, but you had to walk to the mass transit, and again when you emerged at your destination. And, people walked as a pastime, for the fun of it, or to the many parks in the city. No, it was the development of the suburb that literally drove people to stop walking. And, this was possible because of the affordability of a car, and the vast size of the country. People wanted fresh air, their own home and out of the city. And, they got it. The problems that eventually developed, pollution, lack of potable water, inability to walk to stores, schools, shopping, doctors, etc., developed as the suburbs grew, and spread out, and grow and spread they did. And, little to no mass transit was built to carry the masses to the cities where they still worked. We built highways that criss cross this country in a beautiful grid of roads that almost connects one place to every other place. So, we can and do take great pleasure in being able to drive coast to coast, 3,000 miles, on the southern route, northern route and straight across the middle. If you look at a map of the east coast of the United States, at night, you will see that there exists one huge megatropolis from Boston down through Washington, D.C. and into Virginia. And, then greed drove developers to build in places that never should have been developed, as time went by. But, to answer the question, this is not why people in the United States are fat. That can be traced to dietary changes starting in the late sixties and seventies, the acceptance of fast food as an alternative to actually cooking at home, and technology which encourages us to be quiescent, especially children.
Hate the suburb layout too so bad for not being able to walk
Another great video! Portion control has always been an issue for me. I've also been told that Japanese learn early in childhood the 80/20 rule: eat until only 80% full. I grew up learning the clean plate club: others are starving, must clean your plate; still unlearning this. Portions kept increasing...
I feel that, additionally the portion sizes that are served at restaurants or canteens are extremely big. As a small person I can only eat half of it and still be full. I learned to bring a container with me, so the other half doesn't go to waste, but it still feels weird to not finish the meal.
@@naraseth That's so true! Once I started packing up half of my meal, I lost weight. But I'm a big tall woman: 5'9 (175.26 cm), over 250lbs (113+kg), and have big bone frame and I get hangry. The struggle is real, lol 😆
I hear you. My grandmother would literally (I wish I was kidding) lick the pots and pans clean in order to not waste anything. And it wasn't just at home either, I remember them not letting us leave the table in school unless we'd eaten everything on our plate. The result now is that not only do I feel the need to completely empty my plate, but I feel bad about saying "no, thank you" if there is still food left on the table that nobody else wants.
I remember going with my (now) ex to visit his family in Kobe a couple of years back. I was alone with his mother one day and she decided to make me shabu shabu (my favorite food) as a treat. I was the only one eating and I remember that I kept staring at the plates of food that she had lined up on the table as she was preparing my food. I was very full, but I kept telling myself "only one plate left, only one plate left" and I somehow managed to squeeze it all down. At this point she stands up, collects all the plates and goes out into the kitchen. Without saying a word, she returns with 5 more plates of food and I almost started crying because I really couldn't eat anymore, haha. I told my ex about this and he just laughed at me and said "you don't have to eat it. If you don't eat it, she'll just save the food for me or my father to eat". Still, I had such a hard time telling her "no". During the whole time I was there, I would always clear the plate and as a result, his mother kept making my portions bigger and bigger because she thought that she wasn't making enough for me since I wouldn't leave even a breadcrumb on the plate.
I can laugh at it now but this really is such a bad habit that many of us have learned. Like you, I'm still trying to unlearn it.
Agree with this. By changing my serving dish to a breakfast bowl instead of a large plate means I now eat the appropriate portion of food for me. And yes still dealing with the mentality of not leaving an empty plate. But once you have the habit, I enjoy not being full. Cos let’s be honest, it’s painful.
I ALWAYS clean my plate, the portion is not huge though.
Walking and bike riding is definitely the biggest factor! The fact that Japan has a low crime rate giving this kind of commute feasible makes these simple UNDERRATED exercises wonderful.
UNDERRATED for you because that's not part of your everyday way of life. I swear, anyone under 40 years old today's clearly moronic using these "internet" bred terms without even knowing its True meaning.
Low testosterone
@@cozycomfy1819 would you like to elaborate?
lol no its not the biggest factor. Societal Pressure is great and also small portion sizes. Here in Germany people walk and ride bikes alot too yet are fat because of silly woke " healthy at all sizes " bullshit and big portions
@@Dan-sw8tg True, these days everyone has to be protected and everyone is a victim. People don't want to have any sense of agency in their lives. They prefer to hear that they are beautiful with fat deposits hanging from the stomach in super tight leggins because "It's not their fault" and doing something about it would be "succumbing to social pressure" rather than take responsibility for their body and lose a couple of kilograms introducing 2-3 simple habits.
My own theory is it's mainly from the food itself but also from walking so much. The first time I visited Japan 10 years ago, I lost 15 kilos (no, that's not a typo; 15) in one month. During that time, everyone thought that I must be starving but the truth was actually the exact opposite; I was indulging myself in so many different Japanese foods and fruits (fruit tastes much better in Japan than in my home country so I always eat a lot of it when I'm in Japan, even though it's much more expensive). I was also doing a lot of walking since I felt that it was simply easier to just walk everywhere I wanted to go instead of taking the bus or subway.
While 15 kilos in a month is a lot (and it's a record I haven't been able to break since), I have heard from many others that they have lost weight any time they come to Japan as well and it's from the food alone since admittedly few people walk as much as I do (I love walking so I can easily walk 20-30 km in a day).
I have also heard the opposite; that Japanese people that go abroad tend to put on weight from eating western food and not moving around as much as they would in Japan.
So yeah, my guess is that it's simply a combination of the food and simply being more active than us westerners.
I was right there with you. When I lived in Japan I lost alot of fat and got really fit through merely getting around and eating seasonally. I love the infrastructure in Japan making it very easy to walk everywhere. Here in the US in a rural suburb I am forced to drive everywhere and there are no convenient places to walk. My nearest park is a half hour drive and no sidewalks.
You lost 15kg, what was ur starting weight? 120kg or 80kg and how tall are you?
@@siedliko yes
@@Aurora_Norway2000 fak off with ur stupid reply. "yes"
15kg in one month...? how big were you to begin with?
I must add one significant factor. As a foreigner who has lived in Japan for 14 years and have children attending Japanese schools, I remember vividly how I was surprised when I was told that "children don't eat snacks in the kindergarten, they only have lunch" when my daughter started kindergarten back in 2010. I thought, "is this ok or even healthy that a 4 year old has only lunch, and nothing at, say, 10 o'clock?" Aparently they thought it's fine, and we had to obey. And it was the same in elementary school, junior high and even high school when children spend long hours in school. So the Japanese people get used to having only the 3 main meals, and nothing in between. In my country (Iran) each school has a kiosk where children can buy various unhealthy snacks. Also, in Iran celebrations are associated with eating. In Iranian schools children can bring cake to school on their birthday to share with their friends, whereas in Japanese schools it is evidently forbidden.
Snacks are only required on processed foods garbage diet, because of insulin issues. Eat keto or low carb whole foods, and you won't need snacks anymore.
When I went to school in the 50s and 60s it was 3 meals a day, no snacks.
@@mikesamovarov4054 japanese don’t eat keto or low carb yet don’t need snacks as you see. This keto propaganda is getting old.
It is taxing on the body to not have sustainable blood sugar levels that are obtained through low and medium glycemic foods. In America our pancreas is overworked due to long spacing between meals (adrenals take over during hypoglycemia) and massive blood sugar spikes when a meal is finally enjoyed.
In the U.S. when I went to school we only got lunch. No snacks, but still many in the U.S. managed to become obese.
This makes sense. My fitness trainers told me it’s 80% what & how much is eaten and 20% exercise. Also, I had my DNA tested (for fun) and it showed that I have obesity genes, they said my lifestyle is the only reason I’m not overweight. I haven’t eaten the standard American diet (SAD) in about 25 years & have been exercising regularly for about 37 years.
Eating smaller food amounts, chewing slower, walking when possible and, taking smaller bites are some of the ideas I've taken from your video!
When I was in Japan, I ate a fattier diet than I do here in the US (I usually eat pretty healthy here). I also didn’t exercise like I do in the states. Despite my worsened diet and lack of typical exercise, I actually LOST fat! I suspect it was largely due to how much walking I did while in Japan.
Where I am in the US (Tennessee), you have to drive everywhere. I’m Japan, I walked just about everywhere. It was amazing!!!
Walking is exercising.
Portions definitely
Doh.. 😂 You gain fat from carbs, not fat! Were you raised by wolves to miss grade school info?! 😂
More fat and less carbs is how you lose weight. No carbs is best. Carnivore is awesome.
Probably the lack of corn syrup in Japanese food as well. It stops you feeling full and you eat more
Portion sizes, better diet, and lots of walking. Nailed it.
Here in the United States we are also surrounded by many foods that are high in sugar and carbs. I went to a sports bar the other day and the healthiest thing on the menu was a fried chicken salad. The salad was very large and covered in cheese and dressing. Also, I think restaurants justify their higher prices by giving you larger portions. In many restaurants your drink choices are either 5 different kinds of soda or water.
Yeah that's true. There's sweets in Japan but even things like pastries and sweet cakes etc, are not that sweet. Most Japanese do not drink a lot of soda (or pop, depending on where you're from... fizzy drink?)
Also most processed foods in America are loaded with hidden sugar and/or corn syrups
That’s sad that your most healthy salad is considered as unhealthy food for others 😂
@@pixelseagull3126 uh... he said the healthiest thing at THAT sports bar was the fried chicken salad. it doesn't reflect the entire culture. get some reading comprehension plz
Also, your portions are huge.
@@helpfulcommenter k man. I’m sorry. Can you suggest a text about healthy American eating culture?
I'm glad that you included perfectionism. A friend of mine lived in Japan for several years and spoke to me of the pressures and suicide rates. So many of the other reasons for being slim are very helpful to hear.
yes I think it's also worth mentioning that japan is one of the countries with the highest prevalence of eating disorders, top 5 I'm pretty sure. as well as not having as many options or resources for treatment and help for those disorders, and the amount of stigma around mental health issues in japan.
Switching to a more traditional Japanese diet and eating with chopsticks has significantly improved the amount of food that I eat. I usually find myself getting full before I’m even done with my plate, whereas before I wasn’t giving myself enough time to feel full before starting to eat more.
From an african perspective , I note few similarities. I come from a community that's usually tall and lean , slim . But I think like any modern society , genetics have taken a back seat to the influence of the current environnement of unhealth foods and habits. So we see what limited physical activity and acces to 'modern food ' are doing to us. Something like attitude to food can also play a role . In my culture , it used to be and still at some extend , not well regarded to talk about food , to enjoy food .We don't even have a typical cuisine. Food is regarded as a necessity rather than something to 'enjoy' or find comfort in or be proud of. There's still no culture of 'street food' compared to other african countries , which is something I appreciate , but lots of tourists don't like when they tour . Eating on the street is something that can raise curious 'stares' or seen as lack of self respect , so we know that the person eating on the street isn't local. Snaking is something for kids . Adult usually stick to 3 main meals per day. It's unusual to snack or eat in between the main meals of the of the day . So when am asked why we're lean , I have come to realize that maybe that's something that play into this. Plus , we can't forget that processed food isn't yet widespread in our continent urban settings . People still have access to organic foods whetever the size of wallets.
Japanese aren't lean, they're just skinny. With not much muscle mass. It is called "skinny fat".
@Xena
I am an Indian. I totally agree with your view.
1. Earlier food was necessity. No one ate untill hungry, which means they have digested the previous food. Now, we eat on time which overloads stomach.
2. Snacking does not exist untill companies wanted to make money.
3. Standing and gobbling, a.k.a fast food, was not part of culture. Still looked down upon many places in India.
4. Exercise was not gym, but washing dishes and doing laundry.
I see and understand the problem, so making tiny changes in my home regularly. One home at a time to build a healthy world.
I certainly agree with you! Traditionally in my culture, people eat light breakfast and head to the farm where they work till lunch time. There was no room for snacking, just drinking water in between meals. They come back from farm late afternoon and eat dinner and that was it. To lose weight and maintain good health, any type of meal restrictions like one meal a day or intermittent fasting will have to be practiced. .
@@bindyasaravanan number 4 I absolutely agree: nowadays people buy a lot of electric appliances like robot vacuum or food processor to spare some time that they need for going on gym to get some excercices 😆making perfect pizza dough which is constantly kneading for 10 minutes with own hands is quite physically demanding 😊people should just start to make good quality food on their own at home and it will make a huge difference for their health in every aspect👍
What a lovely video! Thanks for sharing!
I actually incorporated one thing, that I found in japanese eating habits and what really astonished me: a typical japanese breakfast has a variety of different foods incorporated in small dishes. There is everything the body needs: some carbonhydrates, some proteins, some fat, cobined with vegetables and fermented foods. And if you put everything in front of you in small plates and stuff, your mind thinks: "there is enough food, I can relax". With this mindset you don't rush through your meal like a man starved (because your brain "fears" that someone is going to take your food away), so you don't eat more than you need. Plus you have the positive impact on your brain: the brain loves variety and when it sees the many small dishes, you feel happy. I didn't realize that, until I tried this method of combinining different kinds of foods in small dishes for my breakfast. I can't really say, if I lost weight in the proesses (because I didn't weight myself), but I definetly feel more energized, healthy and happier than before.
I think its the life style from childhood, saw one of the Japanese school video where kids are engaged in managing their class, lunch etc. So they develop discipline from childhood, growing up they have this engraved, but in other countries there are less activities except for sport, this makes kids lazy to do minor tasks, and with addition to having fastfoods often and processed foods they practice unhealthy lifestyle from early age. Its always best to stick to traditional food often and occasionally engage in food of your choice
I love Japanese People and Culture .. Watching From Philipphines with Love ❤
It’s most definitely the diet. I vacationed there and I had vacation mentality and thought “I’m just going to eat and enjoy all this cuisine, I’m on vacation, I don’t care”, and I did. I came home thinking I must have gained 10 lbs. I actually LOST 5. After all that eating! Plus the walking too. We did walk everywhere. I think it helps that everything is fresh made. It’s not processed.
Watch a Japanese cooking show for a while. They may serve three and four dishes, small amounts, big variety of different vegetables, many fermented, and very few snacks. Even their choice of snacks is relatively healthy. Desserts can be quite small, almost never lavish or highly sweetened. Even their fast food, Japanese style, is relatively healthy. This is all about portion control and their native diet.
yes. When I visited Japan last year, I thoght I was going to gain weight like I did everytime going abroad. Maybe the only country I've been in before where I hadn't gained anything was Switzerland. But Japan suprised me so well- even though the usual tourist guide is focused on sweets and sweet drinks- the case for me was astonishing. I was eating ramen everyday, sometimes twice. But also Japanese simple combo meals like rice, miso soup, side dishes with veggies, and a whole variety of meats. My mom always said noodles and and rice are preccesed wheat, drained of its natural goods. The problem in the west when eating carbs is there are a lot of carbs in your meal, and when there's animal products, they are very fatty.
Whenever you'd want some veggie form it's always a huge salad that is very expensive- or no veggies at all.
A big factor for me was that the meals were so balanced: a little rice, some soup, some veggies. Gives you such an easy opportunity to eat balanced food- and this is actually more satisfying like that- so you are less prone to cravings.
Another effect for me- was the price of the food. Eating out where I live is very very expensive, so anytime I do that it's "we're in a 100%". It cost me a lot of money so I have to finish it, even when I'm full to a stomacache.
And speaking of digestion- I usually take additional fiber, and everytime else abroad I had to take twice my usual amount in order to have good bowel movement and not get consipated for the entire trip. The case in Japan was exactly the opposite! I had regular movements, plus no need toilet paper. never had such an easy experience.
Also, for some reason I didn't like Japanese sweets and pastry at all. When I came home I stopped liking sweets as well. I just like meat now and good meals. way less junk cravings. Thank you Japan for showing me how food consumption can be both healthy and satisfying.
I live in Southern California and we have a car culture. In many places, there is no way to get where we need to go without driving. Our necessary shopping (like food and household goods) is frequently located far away and there is sometimes not even any infrastructure for people to walk or bike to get there. I like that you noticed that we have an exercise culture. We compartmentalize our exercise rather than making it a part of our daily life. For example, we might go to the gym to work out for a hour or two but then we drive to the store and park as close as possible so we don't have to walk as far.
Ha
Too bad. Maybe you can bike instead?
@@valentina47734 A person would have a death wish if they biked down the majority of roads in CA cities. Google Earth I-5 that runs the length of CA, OR and WA and you’ll get a good picture of what we deal with. 😊
@@zuzupetals6025 I am so bad at researching Google Earth but I can see there is lots of freeways , highways, etc. Isn't there infrastructure for bikers, mopeds, even pedestrians?
@@valentina47734 no ma’am… very infrequently and it’s usually in a smaller town where bike lanes are installed. It’s a “car culture”here. ☹️
I love Japanese culture and habits, it's great that you don't have to put such effort in getting healthy or slim because it is already part of your lifestyle. Since Japanese always walk their way to work or school, you must have a very sturdy and good quality of shoes there 😁 Thank you Aki for sharing such great video! More power to you and your channel ❤️❤️☺️
Fascinating! Thank you for sharing. ❤️ I am the happiest person in the world. I grow my own food in my backyard garden, make my own compost to properly feed the soil which feeds the plants I will eat from. I eat plenty of beans and rice in addition to my home grown fruits and vegetables and eat poultry, fish and meats sparingly. I make pasta, sauces and breads from scratch and am happy that I can control the sugars and salts in my foods (I use more spices than salts).
I grow my own ginger and culinary herbs and use these to make tea.
I'm healthy and happy.
I think this is why I can relate and LOVE your videos. 😊
Thank you for sharing. I'm learning!
Your videos are a stress cure. Keep up the good work!
I look forward to trying Koso. Thank you for introducing this product. I’d like to see you sponsored by more subscription boxes and maybe have a Samurai Matcha box made with items you love.
Here in the UK it’s often hard not to take the bus or go by train to various places because it’s so convenient. There seems to be a culture of rewarding your children with a £1 to go buy sweets at the shop if they’ve been good, and thus forming addiction from an early age. Also, there is not really a healthy option at any restaurants. Even if it is a ‘salad’, it will still be unhealthy. Traditional Japanese food is very healthy, and thus adding to the lack of obesity in Japan. In addition, there are SO many pubs in the UK, and fathers take their children to the pub to get drunk on their 18th birthday. The country drinks so much alcohol, yet another reason obesity is so high.
Thanks for this video!
I love Japanese food and culture. Lovely country and people.💛
❤❤
Thanks ! I don't need to lose weight, but I have been taking probiotics for years. Also don't eat fast food. The Japanese diet and the Mediterranean diet are 2 of the best on the planet !!!
I'm a Filipino Thank You for sharing. I love Japanese people. ♥️🇵🇭🇯🇵
Thank you so much! I feel inspired to eat slower and with chopsticks. I have done this in the past and very much enjoyed the experience. I'm not overweight and eat only plant-based foods, but often read the news or watch a movie online while eating. I know it's a bad habit so I will work on it. I have learned much from observing how Japanese people treat the pleasure of eating.
Thanks! Very informative! Now I heard about Koso from you first time in my life. Amazing product.
Please, continue your work. The ideas you express in videos are very healthy,positive,inspiring for humanity and every individual.
Best wishes to you and your followers from Russia!
I feel lucky to live in NYC where most people walk and take the train. I noticed there are far fewer obese people here than I have seen in other places in the US. I hope more places around the country can invest in train systems and walkable areas.
Dirty unsafe NYC.
These insights are very good. I also wanted to shed some light on weight loss from an American perspective. I lived in Japan three separate times for a total of 5 years and was able to lose weight but, only when i tried. My best friend gained about 40lbs during her 6 years in Japan because she was eating a lot of sugary breads and Japanese snack foods and pizza… it can be done if you mimic the American diet despite how much you walk. My mom visited and we ate quite a few things but she never overdid it and she wasn’t use to walking so much… she said she lost about 7lbs in the 2 weeks she was there. 🎉
I’ve gained 10lbs on a 3 week vacay in Japan where i walked everywhere but i went out of my way to eat all the things i missed. 😅
I find it easier to stay slimmer in America due to the fact that our supermarket food quality just isn’t as good… don’t get me started on the fruit comparison. 🍇 🍈 🍓
So the takeaway Ive gotten is adopt the Japanese mindset: walk as part of your daily routine. Eat til 80% full- mostly veggies, fish, and a little rice with tea. 🍵 Think about how much it takes for you to be not hungry and don’t go over that. what’s the minimum your body needs? do that for a while and see how you feel and increase accordingly. Eat sugar only as an occasional treat and make it small. (the cakes there aren’t even half as sweet as here in the states.) 🍰
and if you want to burn fat- (from a western mindset as per my trainer bf- build muscle and do hit aerobic workouts in a balance most days and get sleep to lower cortisol) As someone who used to be a flight attendant- i can’t tell you guys how much cortisol messed with my mind from lack of sleep and all the cravings it gave me. ✈️
I hope this helps someone ❤ Also, i’d like to try this probiotic drink as part of the health equation. 🇯🇵 cheers for the awesome content! 🍹
I am learning Sumi-e painting and have started collecting Japanese art. Last week I tried Japanese food and loved that too. Thank you for another really interesting. I am a big fan of yours!
Meant to say, interesting video.
Nutrition is absolutely everything! The old saying in English that "you are what you eat" is literally true.
The Japanese diet is just the best taste-wise in the world, it's also the healthiest... IMHO :)
Congratulations on the video! So helpful! Thank you 🙏🏽
This is so true! I think it's also the environment as well! and discipline and culture! when I grew up in Japan I always had great health. When I came back to Australia after 10 years I started to get unhealthy. Moved to London lost weight again... not sure what it is but when I'm back in Japan again I loose weight, beautiful skin ( I think onsen helps ) and become healthy! it's the food and also discipline. Also you may want to look into epigenetics. The environmental factors has lot to do with health as well. Japan has very good discipline, healthy lifestyle and outlook is very important in Japan and people tend to naturally adopt to the norm. I think this is what I have experienced in Japan.
After watching your video, I began eating only two meals per day, while continuing to exercise/walk/workout. I’ve lost weight and I’ve learned to enjoy the sensation of slight hunger.
I'm glad you're featuring these products...I got a 1 year subscription to Sakuraco and enjoying snacks as I watch! I'm now looking at Koso and they deliver to Canada. 👍
Thank you for this video. I need to lose weight, I live in America and am obese. This is some of the inspiration that I was looking for!
I really love your videos so far 😌 it makes me want to adopt a Japanese-like type of living 💙✨
I absolutely agree on your research and thoughts. As I can compare myself, here are some of my observations and thoughts an this topic:
Portion size is one thing but also WHAT people eat/drink has a lot of impact. After having lived in Japan for many years, I have been shocked walking into a Western supermarket after a long time and seeing that 80% of the products offered are sugary, fatty or fast food types of food. And most people actually buy it (just take a look at their shopping carts). I feel that Japanese people cook much(!) more by themselves (despite being busy, so this is no excuse) and on top of that take care to eat well balanced as well. I’m working in a Western country now and at work I’m the only one bringing my own lunch (self-cooked) and not buying an unhealthy option, eating out or even skipping lunch and going for cookies and snacks later on. In Japan I always had lunch with my colleagues and almost everyone brought his/her own self-cooked lunch (O-bentou). Another completely underrated factor are drinks! Japanese people drink coffee, tea or water most of the time and as main beverages. Barely sugary juice, energy drinks or any type of fizzy drinks. A lot of (sorry, but it’s the truth - especially bigger) Western people drink sugary, fizzy drinks and therefore take in a lot (!) of calories just with drinks. So already with drinks only a huge calorie difference is created between Japanese and Western people on a daily base.
I totally agree on the point of walking but I think it just adds to the good eating/drinking habits of Japanese people which is most crucial for keeping weight.
I walk every day as my main form of exercise, because here in US suburbs it's either that or drive to a park if you ever hope to walk at all. I mostly just step out of my house, and walk in my neighborhood. It's weird because hardly anyone else does it, but I know it's important to channel my inner Japanese and be healthy :)
Koso is blowing my mind-will try!
I am 52 year old Japanese female keeping my BMI 18 and my waist 58cm.
I do not eat farmented food like natto, miso,pickles and I have never taken KOSO.
I am not sure what keeps me fit but I guess no snacking is the key.
I was raised not to snack because it was against for traditional Japanese manner.
When I was young,I often broke the rule and went to hot dog shops or ice cream bars with my pals after school.
But now I have returned to the way in which I was raised.
That' great! no snacking is one of the big reason as well!
All East Asian foods I know are low calories, low fat, low sugar. Food shops also don't have those insane junk food and sweet departments. In Finland chocolate and candy industry takes a huge part of the food shops. Also so many have started to eat the American way here and obesity is growing. What I ate during my childhood was much more simpler yet nourishing. I cannot find any reastaurant with that kind of food here anymore 😢
Japan has higher standards and regulations when it comes to processing and packaging foods. There's a reason why you can eat raw eggs in Japan and be fine, but not in the US. And then there's the huge portions in the US. Our foods have way too much sugar, and therefore, we consume too much sugar, and sugar is extremely addictive. I'm lactose intolerant and cannot have too much dairy products. Let me tell you, I went to Italy for a week and forgot to pack my Lactaids, and I ate cheese with every meal, and had gelato at least once a day and was perfectly fine. In the US? All of those things would've came out on the other end like rocket fuel.
That's very interesting. My SO is lactose intolerant and I usually hate the taste of milk. I purchased grassmilk on a whim and we were both stunned, the taste was very mild and it didn't cause any digestive upset. It's unfortunate that farm animals in America lead such unnatural lives that the milk (and presumably meat) they produce is essentially altered.
That's less about Japan having high standards and more about the USA having garbage standards.
Interesting video. As an American living in Japan for 14 years, here's my perspective.
Japanese food is definitely not low in salt/sodium. A meal generally has less calories, either due to portion size or things like 和食 where most calories come from the rice and easy to separate, reduce, and control calorie intake.
A big difference when compared to the US is more natural or whole food options. I feel processed food is consumed much more in the US with food additives. Additionally, and a big one, Japanese like non sweetened drinks and it's always a choice. US is either sweet soda, sweet tea, or water...
But yep, public transport culture results in more walking and bicycling. This is another reason why so many old people still walk around in Japan (also lack of barrier free architecture) whereas in the US, people use electric wheelchairs, etc. when their mobility reduces rather than pushing through. This is a bittersweet aspect however.
Thanks for making the video!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this topic! In the US, people tend to normalize obesity compared to being in Asia. Besides food and genetics, people may be more motivated to lose weight or control food portions due to stress from society.
Not only 'normalize' it - there's a whole movement called "body positive" and "healthy at any size" which tries to make obese (unhealthy overweight people) feel better about themselves.... and if you say anything like being obese isn't healthy, and a better diet and exercise could help, you get scolded and criticized for not being "inclusive"
The US is backwards so much!
Hell nowadays they're almost glorifying obesity, because apparently it's mean to encourage healthy bodies since there are so many people who struggle with making healthy choices here. We're going the wrong way about it!
This is inspiring to me! Thank you for shedding some light on this. I want to incorporate a Japanese diet from here on out...and walking more! 😅
I'm naturally slim, but when I lived in Japan for 2 years, I put on weight. I noticed that is was due to the fact that I used to have a late dinner in Japan whereas in my country I don't usually have dinner, just a good lunch. Anyway.....I miss a lot japanese food. Japan will always live in my heart.
Completely agree the opinion of walking daily for keeping fit and losing weight. This is the best exercise to all people in all corners. Easy to do, no tools or devices are needed. Happy walking, everyone!
Hello, Aki-san! Thank you for sharing KOSO and healthy Japanese eating habits. I totally agree with portion control - portion size (and even the size of dinnerware) keeps increasing in the U.S. I am just starting to incorporate probiotics into my diet - my first batch of kombucha is fermenting in my kitchen. I really enjoy and benefit from your videos - thank you for making them.
The one most critical thing you've missed is the amount of sugar in the diet. Australian and US diets are loaded with it, Japanese significantly less.
Thanks for the video. Cheers from Australia.
I'm ethnically Japanese and was born and have lived in the US my whole life and in my 33 years of life, I never became fat. My weight have stayed relatively the same, regardless of how much I ate or how much I exercised. I have been pregnant twice and even then my weight have been able to go back down to the original weight. I'm convinced that this is all due to my genetics and I'm grateful for that.
I can believe this because when I was in Japan I saw the Japanese eating all sorts of unhealthy things. The conbinis are full of junk food and lots of Japanese people eat all of it. I truly believe there is something in the genetics of Japanese people to make them able to eat more calories or something
Me too and I’m not Asian! I think a lot of it has to do with genetics but also the probiotic thing is very interesting. I was raised close to where my grandparents on the dairy, farm and farm, and a lot of foods were natural. I think the government is killing most of the beneficial bacteria’s in the food well, especially the milk food don’t taste the same out of the supermarket. Even the vegetables taste like junk in the US. I’ve lived here my entire life and there’s definitely a difference between stuff from the farm and even the meats even if you buy them out of the freezer can doesn’t matter they’re all jump organic don’t taste organic taste nothing no flavor.
Your family gave you better habits than average fat "hippo" in the US. It's not the country making you slim, it's the specific food you input into your body. I bet you don't eat as much garbage as your peers.
Brilliant, humble, calming, concise and fun descriptions! Thank you!
Very interesting information, thank you 🙏🏼… I’ve always new that your diet and walking, played a big part!!!!
Thank you for the information. I really enjoy your videos. I was thinking that Japanese people must eat a lot less calories than Americans, so I looked for some information online and I found. That the stats are almost the same as the minimum calorie recommendations in the US. I have been restricting myself to a lot less than the minimum, and I was losing weight, but then I just stopped. So I am thinking it must also be the type of food. I will try the probiotic you recommend.
Hi Aki! Thank you so much for the great video! Let's keep your gut healthy😄
Many positives to adopt from this video. Thank you for uploading. 🙏
Drinking lots of Green Tea also contributes to staying slim!!!!! :)
One of the most realist, and yet positive fact checking realities of physical health differences between cultures. THANK YOU.
I am so happy to see that you hasve included social pressure in this video. As sad as this is , it is among the major reasons for the low obesity rates. Much like korea or France among other countries. I believe that the idea of telling people that they gained weight asnd the need to slim down also plays a major role as fat shaming seems to be a great motivator for weightloss
Well "fat shaming" as you call it, might be better than chronic illness. Also your loved ones pointing out to you that you gained weight isn't so terrible. Obesity creeps on you slowly. If we are aware of smaller changes, we might not have to deal with bigger ones, which are much harder to fix.
Telling someone they're fat and fat shaming are not the same thing.
It wouldn't be bad if we could tell our friends "You have gained weight" the same way we can tell them "You look tired recently". It's often hard to notice the change yourself. Even changing the size of the clothes, you convince yourself it's just a different brand. And then one day you look at your holiday photos and you are horrified.
@@nusaibahibraheem8183however, many japanese women in particular are pushed to be underweight or borderline underweight. they can be called fat even while in the normal healthy range, I've seen it time and time again. there's literally countless street interviews of japanese women saying "I want to be this weight, or I would ideally maintain this weight and then acknowledging that weight is not healthy or the recommended amount. What he doesn't mention is Japan is in the top 5 countries world wide for eating disorders. The standard for being considered "fat" or "chubby" is different in japan because their average size is pretty small. so even someone who weighs above the average but is still within healthy range can be considered chubby or fat there. People who've never struggled with it won't understand, but as someone with anorexia who has been to japan, I've seen the way women specifically talk about and view themselves and the importance they place on achieving a very low weight. Also there's been studies on fat shaming and how it only negatively affects people who are overweight and does not help them lose it. Even if they do lose it, it's easy to spiral into an unhealthy mindset if you're being told you should hate yourself or be ashamed. The mindset of being ashamed of your body doesn't just suddenly disappear when they lose the weight. Yes japan is in a better place with obesity than many other countries, but it should not be at the cost of people's mental health. Being skinny dosen't matter when you're dead. And if you're losing weight at the cost of it worsening your mental health because you believe your body is worthless and shameful and therefore you are worthless and shameful, or possibly developing anorexia which has the highest mortality rate of all mental illnesses, well that isn't fixing any issues. That's replacing one issue with another. Swapping the possibility of chronic physical health issues with chronic mental health issues (which, statistically increases your likelihood to develop chronic physical health issues) is not the answer, and often that is what fat shaming will achieve.
Amazing! What a lovely video! Thanks for sharing!
I think a mix of the active/quality food based culture of Japan mixed with the work/life balance and lower stress of places like Sweden would create an incredibly healthy life. It’s hard to find that perfect mix in one place. Here in the US, where we should be a leader, we are very far behind in almost every category. Our obsession with cars, terrible food additives, low availability of quality food in places of low income, terrible work/life balance, high stress, brutally bad healthcare system. You are pretty much screwed as soon as you are born unless you actively seek out a better life and have the money to do so.
I’ve never bought anything that was promoted, but I instantly purchased the koso. I am sad to say thought that your promo code did not work. Please check with them, you deserve the commission. I will email them as well. Thank you! Love your channel!
“The average American adult, teenager, and child consumes about 17 teaspoons of added sugar a day,”
I love Japanese culture and Japanese people. One day, I will visit Japan. ❤❤❤
As I live in Tokyo., I walk on a daily average of more than 10,000 steps to commute and live life. The food in Japan is not very healthy, but of course there are more healthy options. However, the most important factor is the pressure from the society. There is a huge discrimination against overweight people. Since I started living in Japan 3 years ago, these three factors have played a huge influence on my 32 kg weight loss.
32 kg!? bro thats crazy, congrats man!
Sounds to me like the so called "discrimination against fat people" has done you a big favor. Might even have saved your life. That's why we need to stop pretending that being fat is ok, it's not ok it's dangerous, we don't have a problem shaming people for smoking or taking drugs but actually unhealthy food kills more people in the west than both of those combined.
Great video! Thank you so much! I loved learning about the information that you shared. It is very informative, inspirational and motivating. Please keep up the wonderful work! Thank you again! Be well and be safe! ☺💖🙏
I love the portion tip because I apply it to myself and it does help maintain weight. But one thing I need to give up is snacks and soft drinks, although these are occasionally craved. I'll also implement more fermented food into our diet. Great tip. Thank you ❤️
I love you my Japanese people..i am proud of your culture and attitude...even though they fall ..they stand and run normal as nothing happened..please share more about your culture.thank you for this wonderful video
Hi, I love your videos! I’ve been watching them for a good year already and I think it’s very relaxing :)
I do have some critic about this one though. I’m from Germany and a lot of your “western countries do it that way” doesn’t fit here. It seems like you were talking mainly about the USA when you were talking about western culture? It would be great if you could differentiate it a little, because people here in Germany love to walk as well :(
I thought about that too with Germany. I have family in Germany and when we visit we just walk everywhere, regardless of the weather. It's so nice! Sweden and other nordic countries are also places where people walk frequently (even when it's heckin cold!)
Just found this channel. Thank you so much!!! Have visited Japan twice within the last 6 months - love the health and walking aspect of Japanese culture.
Thank you for such a thoughtful and informative video. I will definitely have to try the drink!
I'm African of Indian decent, my American friends always joke I eat like a 🐦 ( I eat slow and little I agree) but I was simply brought up that way, I take my time and enjoy and watch what I eat. Never had obesity now @67yrs working on with no health issues. Give Thanks to the Gods.
I love the content of this video! 😊 And I agree with you but Japanese food is so yummy , it’s hard not to eat and eat and eat . They actually make French food very well; I just came back from Kyoto and was surprised by how well they make french dishes; they have a gift for making the dishes less greasy!
That is such a complementary work. We all have somethings to learn from this eating habits I suppose. Thanks for sharing!
I'm glad that Japan stays extremely healthy and takes health very seriously despite that they have a toxic work culture that makes them die young because of overwork.
I'm 250+ lbs. and American. I need to lose weight and change my eating habits!
Quit junk food, eat whole foods. Meaning, stop taking grocery items with labels! Take items that you'd find in nature, fruits, veggies and whole chicken, fish, or beef. Nothing ground pr modified in any way. No condiments etc with labels, use single ingredient spices. Drink water or unsweetened tea, nothing sweet or too caffeinated, definitely nothing in cans or bottles.
Thank you! I am going to follow your information....
I think you look normal lol. My husband and I get the same comments. People seem to have forgotten that only a generation or two ago hardly anyone was overweight and fat has become the new normal in a lot of countries
Dear Matcha, your videos make my day!! Thank you for sharing your thoughts on different issues😊 You seem a very positive and energetic person👏 I was in Tokyo 2 times on a business trip and enjoyed greatly! Pity I did not have an opportunity to see more of Japan:) but what I saw and Japanese people I met - was wonderful☀️
Eating with chopsticks really slows Down the Speed of eating. I really like it and eat most of the time with chopsticks 💙
Thank you for this information. I really want and need to lose a great deal of weight. I will try to incorporate some of these things into my daily life.
Great video, very informative and i loved that you talked about many variables that could be the reason as to why Japanese people are thin! Very nice
Thank you for this video. I live in a suburb of chicago where there is a heavy Asian population. I learned about eating plant based foods and portion sizes. I even bought a rice cooker. Diet is the most important way to manage weight.
Yikes! Koso is $99 a bottle. (There was no tax on my order - which I didn't go through with - and standard shipping is free). If you subscribe, it's $74.25 per order. Supposedly one bottle lasts 12 weeks, depending on how you consume it (for example, a half ounce daily). They need to offer either a sample bottle for much cheaper, maybe $30 or just smaller bottles (a size good for one month's daily use, maybe). I am not willing to gamble $99 on my first try. Even with the code, you're only saving $9.90. I think I will stick with other fermented foods, like sauerkraut or making my own pickled vegetables.
I feel like the major influence is eating unprocessed foods and not overeating. Basically healthy dining without consuming more calories than the body needs.
Candy, sugar, all sweet drinks, chips, ecs are all bad. And what the guy in the video showed it seemed as if there was almost none of those things. Paired with tiny portion size being a cultural thing I figure if they have any of those things it'll be in the smallest packages.
I’ve been wanting to adopt the Japanese diet for some time. I love the food. So glad I found your channel.
First of all, It was a very interesting video for me!
Secondly, I live in Hungary and unfortunately, obesity in the country is caused by poverty and improper nutrition.
"Poverty?" many of us could ask... Unfortunately, many people prefer to buy white bread and pasta for a particular dish, because they are cheaper.
Also, I see a lot of children who bring chips or some sugary soft drink from the store to school. (This is probably due to unconscious eating, which also affects many families).
However, more and more people are changing their lifestyle, and I hope that this type of obesity will decrease here in Hungary in the future. :)
this is actually a big reason for obesity in the US as well! the cheapest foods are the unhealthiest, and poor people simply can't afford healthy food. it's criminal.
There's no excuse. Cabbage, greens, veggies are easy to get and are very cheap, you can aslo grow it. Poor nutritional education is the main cause, just like for entire Eastern Europe.
@@mikesamovarov4054 sorry to disagree. it depends on the country but a pack of spaghetti and a cheap sauce costs less than a green vegetable plus all the things you need additionally, bc you are not gonna eat plain cabbage, are you. but i agree that the education is another problem on top of it.
@@rusope1050 I don't think it has anything to do with education or poverty. People shun the health information because they don't want to change.They're addicted to junk food and don't want to give it up. They love the convenience of it too. Fast food is way more expensive than a bag of rice and some beans. I work in an organic grocery store and you should see how many "poor" people on foods stamps buy cookies, cakes and other garbage. Like Mike says cabbage is cheap. People don't want to make their own food, it's a convenience thing. And here in America people aren't even embarrassed to be obese because it's like the norm. Many factors are at play here.
@@rusope1050 Vegetables are cheaper than processed food.
I honestly changed both my diet and the size of my portions (smaller plates and bowls included). Makes such a big difference on weight loss combined with being physically active.
Very interesting (I must increase my consumption of fermented food, mainly cheese and red wine).
Ok! I’m switching to chopsticks!😂. Seriously, love all your videos. This one was particularly interesting.
Dear Aki, I am super interested in the Koso-based drinks but unfortunately R's KOSO doesn't deliver to Germany or Europe in general. Can you recommend some other brands that I can research? I would love to incorporate a pre-/pro-/postbiotic drink to my morning routine just like you do. :)
I lost SO much weight in Japan. I lost about 40 pounds. I went from 200 pounds to 160 in three years. Why?
I walked for 2-4 hours a day to get to and from my job. Portion sizes were much smaller and more filling (a Japanese L size meal at McDonald's is similar in size to an American M size meal). I ate lots of miso soup and pickles every day, especially gari (pickled ginger; I put it on almost EVERYTHING).
The problem is, I ended up gaining all the weight back and more when I ended up returning to America.
My goal next year is to eat in a similar way to my eating habits in Japan.
4:09 I do eat fermented food. A variety of them. Thank you for the tip on Koso! You could advise people from Tonga: an island in the Pacific ocean, where they eat a loooot! And are almost all obese.
Hi, Samurai Matcha, interesting! Smaller portions… and a variety of different little things to feel satisfied after the meal. Thank you for sharing and stay happy and healthy. Love, Monika❣