The Japanese diet is the reason that Japan has the largest number of centenarians in the world. But it is less well known that Japanese women have the lowest obesity rates (only 2.9%) in the modern world.
In Japan, women do not get fat. Author Naomi Moriyama shares with his readers the main elements of the Japanese approach to food, stating that her book is "not a diet plan, but a completely new way to fall in love with food."
The basics of the Japanese diet
The emphasis is on small portions of fresh products (preferably seasonal). Losing weight is recommended to focus on the quality of food and eat little by little to appreciate the aromas of food and feel satisfaction from less food. In addition, great emphasis is placed on the presentation, which presents the food beautiful and attractive.
Dairy products and bakery products are not part of the diet, while beef and chicken are included in the food, they are considered more seasoning than main food.
As a dessert, it is preferable to use fresh fruits, but if there is a more high-calorie dessert in the diet, then in very small quantities.
Breakfast in Japan is considered the main course of the day and is often the most plentiful meal. Naomi Moriyama serves a Japanese breakfast consisting of miso soup, rice, eggs or fish, vegetables, fruits, and green tea.
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Moriyama outlines the seven foundations of Japanese dishes that form the basis of this dietary nutrition plan:
- Fish such as mackerel and salmon species.
- Vegetables, including daikon radish and seaweed.
- Rice (preferably brown).
- Soy and soy products (tofu, miso, soy sauce, edamame).
- Noodles (soba, udon, ramen, somen).
- Fruits like Fuji apples, tangerines and persimmons.
- Tea (preferably green).
Example diet plan: breakfast - miso soup, 1 cup white rice, 1 egg, nori seaweed, green tea; lunch - teriyaki fish, greens, green tea; snack - Fuji apple. Dinner - chicken, rice, miso soup, seaweed with tofu; snack - mandarin.
Exercise recommendations
A Japanese diet alone is not enough to be like a Japanese woman, it is also necessary to adhere to some habits. The Japanese achieve a high level of physical activity through simple actions, such as walking, walking up stairs and using a bicycle to carry out errands, rather than public transport or a car.
The advantages of such a diet
- No calorie counting.
- Encourages freshly prepared meals based on natural products.
- Provides a clear guide on how to cook Japanese food, which is the basis of the diet.
- It offers a balanced breakfast daily, which will reduce the likelihood of craving food or overeating later in the day.
- Well suited for those who like to experiment with different tastes and dishes.
- It is interesting for those people who would like to learn more about the Japanese food culture and their history.
Cons of such a diet
- Very limited range of products.
- Some may be frightened by the prospect of such a dramatic change in the way they eat compared to a Western diet.
- It takes more time to prepare food.
- It can be difficult to get all the recommended ingredients.
- Lack of specific nutrition planning recommendations. It is necessary to control the portion sizes.
- A certain percentage of people may feel unwell due to the high carbohydrate content of rice and noodles, which is usually based on refined wheat flour.
Eating healthy is the key to a slim figure.
This is a healthy and balanced approach to food, especially if brown rice is chosen as the main source of complex carbohydrates in the diet and if generous portions of vegetables and fruits are included in the daily diet.
Nevertheless, it is important to remember that there is no magic in Japanese cuisine, and for the diet to be successful, it will be necessary to control the size of the servings and limit the number of foods rich in calories in the diet. For those who want faster results, to cook less, especially exotic dishes, there is another diet option.
13 day Japanese diet
This diet is not called so because it is associated with Japanese cuisine, but because it was developed by Japanese experts. The Japanese diet is 13 days, during which time the metabolism is regulated, and the body adapts to a different norm of work.
This diet significantly improves health and reduces weight. The authors promise that after following the Japanese diet for 13 days, the result will last from two to three years.
This diet does not allow alcoholic beverages, bakery products, all sources of salt, sugar and other products except those on the menu.
For best results, it is forbidden to make any changes to the menu of the Japanese salt-free diet for 13 days. If you strictly follow the recommendations, you can lose up to 8 kilograms or even more, depending on the initial weight and age. Reviews of the results of the Japanese diet for 13 days promise not only a good minus in weight, but also the departure of extra pounds irrevocably.
Do not repeat the Japanese diet more than once a year, as this can lead to an imbalance in metabolism. Warning: this is a low-calorie diet. Consult your doctor before starting a low-calorie diet. Pure distilled water can be drunk in unlimited quantities.
13 Day Japanese Diet: Everyday Menu
Day 1. Coffee for breakfast (black, without milk, cream and sugar, 1 cup). For lunch, a couple of eggs (boiled), a salad with olive oil from cabbage, a glass of tomato juice (without salt). For dinner, steamed fish (you can boiled or baked).
Day 2. Breakfast: coffee (black, without additives, 1 cup), a piece of bread. Lunch: fish (steamed or boiled), vegetables or cabbage (with dressing from olive oil). Dinner: a piece of boiled beef (weighing 100 grams), a cup of yogurt of minimal fat content.
Day 3. Breakfast: coffee (black, without milk, cream and sugar, 1 cup), a piece of bread. Lunch: zucchini or zucchini stewed with a minimum of oil (only olive). Dinner: a couple of eggs (cooked), a piece of boiled beef (200 grams), a cabbage salad seasoned with oil (olive).
Day 4. Breakfast: coffee (black, without milk, cream and sugar, 1 cup). Lunch: boiled egg, carrots (boiled with olive oil, 3 pieces), 50 g of unsalted cheese. Dinner: any permitted fruit, 200 grams.
Day 5. Breakfast: carrots (grated raw with lemon juice, 1 piece). Lunch: fish (you can boiled, baked or steam), tomato juice without salt (1 cup). Dinner: fruit (200 grams).
Day 6. Breakfast: coffee (black, without milk, cream and sugar, 1 cup). Lunch: chicken (boiled or steamed, 500 grams), fresh salad or raw carrots. Dinner: a couple of eggs (chicken, boiled), a cup of raw carrots (grated), seasoned with oil (olive).
Day 7. Breakfast: tea (preferably green, sugar free, 1 cup). Lunch: beef (steamed or boiled, 200 grams), fruits. Dinner: you can repeat any dinner dish from previous days, with the exception of the dishes of the third day.
Day 8. Breakfast: coffee (black, without milk, cream and sugar, 1 cup). Lunch: chicken (steamed or boiled, 500 grams), fresh salad or raw carrots. Dinner: a couple of eggs (cooked), a cup of carrots (raw, grated), seasoned with oil (olive).
Day 9. Breakfast: carrot (raw, grated, seasoned with lemon juice). Lunch: a large piece of baked or boiled fish, a glass of juice (tomato, without salt). Dinner: fruit.
Day 10. Breakfast: coffee (black, without milk, cream and sugar, 1 cup). Lunch: boiled egg, boiled carrots (three pieces), with oil (olive) dressing, 50 g unsalted cheese. Dinner: fruit.
Day 11. Breakfast: coffee (black, without milk, cream and sugar, 1 cup), a piece of bread. Lunch: zucchini or zucchini, stewed or steamed, with a minimum of vegetable oil. Dinner: eggs (boiled, 2 pieces), beef (boiled or steamed, 200 grams), coleslaw, seasoned with oil (olive).
Day 12. Breakfast: coffee (black, without milk, cream and sugar, 1 cup), a piece of bread. Lunch: fish (baked or boiled), vegetables or cabbage (with dressing from vegetable oil). Dinner: beef (100 grams, boiled or steamed), a cup of yogurt.
Day 13. Breakfast: coffee (black, without milk, cream and sugar, 1 cup). Lunch: a couple of eggs (boiled), coleslaw (raw or boiled) with dressing from vegetable oil, tomato juice (without salt, one glass). Dinner: fish (baked, steamed or boiled).
Salads are always seasoned with olive oil, a minimal amount. Since you need to eat cabbage almost every day so that it is not tired, you can replace it with lettuce leaves or Chinese cabbage.
Morning coffee can be replaced with a glass of grapefruit juice, preferably freshly squeezed, but if this is not possible, then it should be sugar free. It is advisable to walk 30 minutes a day. Judging by the reviews from the photo about the Japanese diet for 13 days, with strict observance of the menu during this time it will take up to 8 kilograms.
Diet benefits
In contrast to Europe and North America in the Japanese islands, a very small percentage of the population is overweight, and even more so from obesity, despite the fact that Japan is in no way inferior in terms of living to the most developed countries.
The main reason for this, according to nutritionists, is that the Japanese eat mostly low-calorie foods (especially those low in carbohydrates and fats). It is on this method of nutrition that the Japanese diet for 13 days is based - very effective, but specific in terms of our eating habits.
Unlike a number of other diets, the Japanese diet is not one of the fastest in weight loss, but is well balanced, and its cessation allows the body to maintain acquired good habits and new weight even up to several years. Along with weight loss, a person following the Japanese diet for 13 days will receive a better metabolism due to the achieved cleansing effect.
After the first week, it is normal to lose 3.5-4 kg and after 13 days - 7-8 kg. The minimum duration of the Japanese diet is 13 days, and the maximum is 13 weeks. Like most other weight loss programs, the Japanese diet requires a number of restrictions: food should not include pure carbohydrates (e.g. sugar, confectionery, alcohol, etc.), as well as all sources of salt.
Reviews of the Japanese diet for 13 days promise a relatively quick result. There are shorter diets, but Japanese is one of those in which the achieved weight loss is supported most easily and for a long time.
The diet is well balanced, but due to the restrictions introduced, it is better to take additional multivitamins, especially if you decide to continue it after 13 days (the menu should be observed in the same order!).
Cons of the Japanese diet
Longer adherence to the Japanese diet for 13 days can lead to a certain imbalance in the body. Before starting, it is best to consult a doctor. She also has contraindications. The Japanese diet for 13 days is contraindicated in pregnancy, lactation, problems with the gastrointestinal tract, and diabetes. The diet is very difficult for people who like to eat sweets.