The Most Effective Meal Plan for Weight Loss – Japanese Diet

The Healthiest Diet to Lose Weight

If you want to lose weight healthily and keep it off, then a Japanese diet is the way to go. Aiming simply to lose weight despite the method you use leads to rebounding and ends up being ineffective. If you are serious about losing weight, you should make a long-term plan which gets your body in shape in a healthy way. Japanese food is one of the effective diets you can follow and has recently become a worldwide phenomenon. It is the healthiest meal plan for weight loss with an extremely high success rate.

Japanese Food as a World Heritage

In December 2013, Japanese food has been listed as an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization). Particularly acclaimed was the excellent nutritional balance of fresh foods with a wide variety of ingredients and its ability to express the changing of the four seasons.

If you look at the world's healthiest country ranking by WHO (World Health Organization), Japan has ranked in the top 5 for the last 50 years! Being extremely low fat, low calorie, and high protein, changing your daily diet to a Japanese style will bring a positive effect on your body.

5 Benefits of Eating Japanese Food

1. Successful Weight Reduction
2. Relieve Constipation
3. Prevent Lifestyle Diseases
4. Improve Dental Problems
5. Nutritious and Balanced Diet for Beautiful Skin

1. Successful Weight Reduction

The first thing to keep in mind when making a weight loss program is calorie intake. A traditional Japanese meal set which consists of rice, miso soup, and dishes such as grilled fish, boiled vegetables, seaweed, and soybeans is low in calories and high in protein, yet still satisfying. It is a whole-foods-based diet with minimal amounts of animal protein, added sugars, and fat, so you can avoid high-calorie, processed foods.

2. Relieve Constipation

Japanese diet generally contains a sufficient amount of vegetables and is rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Fiber is particularly an important nutrient for dieters as it helps regulate the intestinal environment. Japanese food is a weight-loss-friendly meal as you can consciously consume these essential nutrients without being aware of it.

3. Prevent Lifestyle Diseases

Too much fat intake can lead to excessive consumption of saturated fatty acids such as meat and butter. If you continue this eating habit, your cholesterol levels and triglycerides will eventually rise. Cholesterol and triglycerides interfere with smooth blood flow and make the bloodthirsty, which causes a variety of diseases including arteriosclerosis, so you must take an early improvement. This is where the Japanese diet rich in fish and seafood comes in as a countermeasure.

Seafood, especially bluefish, is high in unsaturated fatty acids and activates brain cells due to its high levels of DHA, in addition to thinning the blood. Not only does it prevent the intake of too much fat, but it also works on other organs while supplying protein, so be sure to include it in your menu.

4. Improve Dental Problems

Sugar and processed foods can cause tooth decay. Japanese cuisine which focuses on raw and crunchy foods encourages the behavior of chewing. Chewing food is an important activity that helps your body produce saliva to aid in digestion and promote tooth and bone development. Chewing also stimulates your satiety center which helps you feel satisfied at an earlier stage of your meal, and as a result, you won't overeat more than you need to.

5. Nutritious and Balanced Diet for Beautiful Skin

Japanese food contains a large number of ingredients and is a great source of fiber, minerals, and vitamins. Adding a side dish to your daily diet, especially one with plenty of vegetables, will balance your nutrition without strain. Keep an eye on your nutritional balance to maintain your skin condition and your health.

How to Start the Japanese Diet?

If you are newcomers, switching all your meals to Japanese style won't be easy, so start with replacing one of your daily meals with Japanese food.

The Basis of the Japanese Diet "1 Soup + 3 Dishes"

The basis of a Japanese diet is a balance of one soup and three dishes.

• 1 Staple Food: Supplies carbohydrates as a source of energy.
• 1 Soup: Rehydrates your body.
• 3 Dishes: Make up for the lack of nutrients in the staple food and soup.

3 Tips for "1 Soup + 3 Dishes"

1. Be Efficient in Meal Prep and Last Long
2. Use Low-Calorie Ingredients
3. Avoid Deep-Fried Foods for Dinner

1. Be Efficient in Meal Prep and Last Long

One main dish and two side dishes may seem like a lot of work. When you're short on time, choose a simple menu such as grilled fish as the main dish. You can use commercial products such as tofu or seaweed for side dishes, or a salad with raw vegetables can be an alternative. If you are not comfortable making side dishes every day, prepare them in advance or use the freezing technique.

2. Use Low-Calorie Ingredients

An advantage of the Japanese diet is bulking low-calorie foods that increase the volume of your meals. Try to include okara (tofu), konnyaku (konjac), and mushrooms which are all low in calories. For example, incorporate mushroom soup and tofu side dishes, as well as miso soup with lots of vegetables.

3. Avoid Deep-Fried Foods for Dinner

It will be better if you keep a balance of three daily meals. Breakfast acts as a source of energy. Even if you eat high-calorie foods in the morning, they are less likely to turn into fat because of the long period of activity that follows. On the other hand, try to avoid fried foods and take a light meal for dinner. You can cut down on calories by selecting raw or boiled ingredients rather than fried or stir-fried foods.

Get Your Health and Weight Loss Fixed with Japanese Diet

Japanese food is an easy way to start a healthy diet that doesn't require a sudden decrease in quantity or food bias. If your weight reduction has been unsuccessful in the past, why don't you try this delicious and healthy Japanese meal plan for weight loss?