I grew up overweight and stressed out by my body — these 4 Japanese principles helped me find my health again

https://www.insider.com/japanese-health-secrets-help-people-struggling-weight-loss-kaki-okumura-2023-3?amp
kaki okumura
The secret to a sustainable diet is not willpower, but finding a balance. Kaki Okumura
Kaki Okumura is a Japanese wellness writer and illustrator who lived in the US until she was 12.
Okumura struggled with being overweight and tried numerous dieting tactics, but none of them worked.
Her book "Wa: The Art of Balance" will be released in March and focuses on 4 Japanese practices that helped her.
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This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Kaki Okumura, the author of "Wa: The Art of Balance," a book set to be published on March 14. It's been edited for length and clarity.

I remember looking down at the family photo and feeling my heart sink. I couldn't help it. I was clearly the only one who was overweight.

I'm Japanese, but having been raised in the US until I was 12, I had found myself facing a health challenge that a lot of other Americans face: being overweight.

If my family had shared this trouble with me, I may not have felt so alone in my journey.
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I grew up overweight and stressed out by my body — these 4 Japanese principles helped me find my health again
Reena Koh Mar 5, 2023, 11:02 PM
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kaki okumura
The secret to a sustainable diet is not willpower, but finding a balance. Kaki Okumura
Kaki Okumura is a Japanese wellness writer and illustrator who lived in the US until she was 12.
Okumura struggled with being overweight and tried numerous dieting tactics, but none of them worked.
Her book "Wa: The Art of Balance" will be released in March and focuses on 4 Japanese practices that helped her.
Top editors give you the stories you want — delivered right to your inbox each weekday.

Email address

By clicking ‘Sign up’, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider as well as other partner offers and accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Kaki Okumura, the author of "Wa: The Art of Balance," a book set to be published on March 14. It's been edited for length and clarity.

I remember looking down at the family photo and feeling my heart sink. I couldn't help it. I was clearly the only one who was overweight.

I'm Japanese, but having been raised in the US until I was 12, I had found myself facing a health challenge that a lot of other Americans face: being overweight.

If my family had shared this trouble with me, I may not have felt so alone in my journey.

But my family just didn't struggle in the way I did, perhaps because most of them lived in Japan — a country that is a leader in longevity and has very low rates of obesity.

My parents were kind and never shamed me for my body, but I still couldn't help but feel an intense amount of pressure to change the way I looked. So I embarked on a number of dieting tactics — I tried everything from calorie restriction and intermittent fasting to low-carb. Some worked, with varying levels of success, but none were sustainable.

At least, not until I moved to Japan.

I always had an image in my mind that people in Japan ate very healthfully — that they didn't eat fried foods, meat, or ice cream — and most of their meals were composed of rice, fish, and steamed vegetables.
But after living there, I started to realize that Japan is just like any other developed country: they have snacks, they have fast food, and they certainly indulge in sweets. It was clear that Japanese people enjoyed these foods regularly too.

So what's the secret? It's in balance.

Since following these 4 principles, I have never struggled or worried about the way I ate.

1. Moderation
   One of the first things that people who visit Japan will say about the food is how small the portions are. When you go out to eat in Japan, you'll probably be able to finish it in one sitting, while in the US you're probably going to want a takeout box.
   
   But these moderate portions are one of the key reasons why people in Japan often eat whatever they want — and many without rigorous exercise routines. When you eat in moderation, nothing has to be off-limits, and you can relax about eating cake at birthdays or steak to celebrate a job promotion. Consequently, we feel less stressed about food.

I came to realize that sustainable healthy eating is not about willpower or self-discipline, but it's about being able to incorporate the foods we love, in moderation.
https://www.insider.com/japanese-health-secrets-help-people-struggling-weight-loss-kaki-okumura-2023-3?amp

1. Variety
   When you go to a Japanese restaurant in Japan, you often come across a meal set composed of rice, miso soup, a protein dish, and a few vegetable side dishes. The dishes can range from grilled fish and steamed spinach, to deep-fried chicken and a salad.