7-Day Japanese Meal Plan For Weight Loss
Japan is famous for a number of reasons, including cherry blossoms, its rich culture, cutting-edge technology, food, manga, and many more. But the biggest reason why Japan has often caught the eyes of zillions of people around the globe is the health and vitality of Japanese people.
It is no lie that we have all been amazed by the youthful-looking skin and slim bodies of Japanese women time and again. Along with their beautiful skin and curvy bodies, the average life expectancy of Japanese people also exceeds the average of most countries. And not forget, Japan is a country with the lowest obesity rate in the world.
So, what is the secret behind the fitness and longevity of Japanese people?
Well, the secret is in the Japanese diet plan!
What Do the Japanese Eat?
If you are keen on knowing why are Asians so healthy, then you first need to understand their eating habits precisely.
The traditional Japanese diet plan often sticks to the “soup and three” rule. Meaning, they eat one protein-rich dish and two side dishes along with one bowl of soup.
Japanese people often prefer seasonal foods served in the form of several small dishes called “side dishes.” Furthermore, their food is minimally processed, which emphasizes the natural flavors of the dish.
The fundamentals of traditional Japanese cuisine, also known as “washoku,” are mentioned below. Simply put, it is the basis of a healthy Japanese diet plan.
- Food that is minimally processed with no excess sauces, flavors, salt or seasonings
- Consuming a variety of pickled vegetables and fermented foods
- Eating whole food that is seasonal, fresh, natural, and of local origin
- No added sugars or extracted fats
- Consuming seafood mainly as a source of animal protein
- Daily intake of green or herbal tea in a healthy amount
- Mindful eating in small portions
Another significant factor upon which Japan places a lot of importance is the presentation or visual appeal of the food. Their philosophy towards food consumption is based on the ‘eating with the eyes’ principle. It means the food must be appealing to the eyes, and the whole food experience is meant to be truly pleasurable and satisfactory.
How To Follow the Traditional Japanese Diet?
Japanese food consumption habits are not designed to mainly focus on weight loss, but their mindful combinations and smart eating tactics serve as a great health plan.
These meals not just help the Japanese people to stay in shape but have also been proven to increase vitality and longevity. What more can one ask for?
If you too want to follow the traditional Japanese diet to lose weight or simply to stay at your healthiest best, then there isn’t really much you are required to do.
All you have to do is to make some constructive lifestyle changes where you substitute your staple foods with fresh Japanese staple foods.
Typically, the Japanese diet consists of the “soup and three” meal plan, cooked using ingredients such as:
- Soup: fresh veggies, tofu, seaweed, noodles, seafood
- Side dish: vegetables (boiled, grilled, raw, pickled or fennel), greens or fruits
- Main dish: seafood, fish, natto, poultry or dairy
- Staple food: ramen, rice, or noodles
- Beverage (unsweetened): cold or hot green tea, or herbal tea
You can enjoy your regular three meals during the day cooked using these aforementioned Japanese staples. Keep in mind that you eat slowly, in small portions, while appreciating the flavors of the food. This trick will help you feel content and satisfy your hunger with less food.
In Japanese culture, they savor the meal in small portions with chopsticks until they are 80% full. They don’t stuff their tummies with food, and they don’t munch on snacks between meals either. Instead, they keep themselves hydrated by consuming at least 8 cups of water in between meals throughout the day.
If you are looking to follow a Japanese weight loss diet, then you are also supposed to adopt these healthy lifestyle habits to get the best health benefits!
Japanese Diet Health Benefits
High in Nutrients:
Made with fresh fruits, vegetables, and seafood, the Japanese diet is rich in many of the precious nutrients required by our body. These include iron, magnesium, potassium and a number of vitamins.
Improves Digestion:
As fermented food is an important part of the Japanese diet plan, the meals are naturally rich in probiotics. These probiotics come from the lactic acid fermentation of food.
Thus, the Japanese diet also improves digestion and absorption of nutrients by supporting the healthy gut microbiome of the body. Good digestion also means no bloated tummy!
Helps You Lose Weight:
The Japanese diet is a well-balanced diet that is proven to maintain a healthy weight and fight obesity. The all-natural, fresh, preservative free, minimally processed ingredients used in this diet ensure limited consumption of calories or fat.
Protects Against Chronic Diseases:
The vitamin and nutrient rich palette of Japanese cuisine is observed to substantially reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, the minimal consumption of salt and sugar is also a vital factor that contributes towards good heart health.
Helps You Live a Longer Life:
Japanese food is rich in antioxidants, coming from staples such as leafy greens, seafood, green tea, and seaweed. These antioxidants protect the damaging effect of free radicals on cellular level, in-turn helping us live a fitter, healthier, longer, and more youthful life.
7-Day Japanese Weight Loss Meal Plan
Day 1
| Breakfast | Tea, coffee or seaweed soup and fresh seasonal salad |
| Lunch | Smoked salmon, steamed vegetables, noodles cooked in vegetable broth, and seasonal salad |
| Dinner | Pickled vegetables, edamame, miso soup, and grilled squids |
Day 2
| Breakfast | Fresh seasonal fruits, ramen soup, and boiled rice |
| Lunch | Fresh tomato juice, grilled tuna, and grilled vegetables |
| Dinner | Steamed fish, pickled vegetables, noppe soup, and seaweed salad |
Day 3
| Breakfast | Seasonal fruits and black tea or coffee |
| Lunch | Boiled carrots, sushi, pickled ginger, and lemon juice |
| Dinner | Vegetable tempura, shiitake mushroom soup, and steamed vegetables |
Day 4
| Breakfast | Green tea, 1 cup white rice, nori seaweed strips, one egg and a green apple |
| Lunch | Rice, green tea, rice and teriyaki fish |
| Dinner | Miso soup, sea vegetables with tofu, chicken and rice |
Day 5
| Breakfast | Black coffee, olive sucked with romaine salad lettuce |
| Lunch | Boiled, broiled or steamed fish, kale salad, boiled vegetables, soba noodles (in dashi based broth) |
| Dinner | Edamame, vegetables marinated in vinegar, udon noodle soup, salmon or tuna sashimi |
Day 6
| Breakfast | Steamed rice, seaweed salad, miso soup, and natto |
| Lunch | Calm soup, marinated tofu, rice balls wrapped in seaweed, and vegetable salad (cooked) |
| Dinner | Fish cake, miso soup, seaweed salad, pickled ginger, and edamame |
Day 7
| Breakfast | Boiled eggs, pickled vegetables, shrimp, and udon-noodle soup |
| Lunch | Steamed vegetables, rice cakes, seared scallops, and shiitake-mushroom soup |
| Dinner | Miso soup, sushi, vegetable tempura, and steamed rice |
Things to Keep in Mind While on the Japanese Diet
When on a traditional Japanese diet, you should limit the consumption of some foods, such as dairy. This diet plan also allows consumption of eggs, red meat, and poultry in very small amounts.
You are also required to refrain from eating foods with excess sauces, seasonings, cooking oils, and fats. The Japanese diet also emphasizes on the limited to no intake of processed, sugary and backed foods.
Can I Lose Weight on a Japanese Diet?
The answer is yes. As we mentioned earlier, the Japanese diet is more of a healthy lifestyle than just a diet plan. As a part of this diet, you consume fresh, healthy, and minimally processed Japanese food staples that are rich in many nutrients and vitamins. Thus, you get benefits such as good digestion and metabolism, which in-turn aid weight loss. Furthermore, this diet plan is also shown to reduce the risk of chronic diseases in the long run.
This pilot study also proves that the Japanese diet is beneficial in terms of reducing body weight and improving metabolic disorders.
What Is the Japanese Secret to Weight Loss?
To simply put it, a balanced diet combined with a healthy daily routine is the real Japanese secret to weight loss and longevity. Japanese people eat in small portions and walk miles for their commute.
Their traditional eating habits work on the “soup and three” rule, where all the ingredients used for preparation are fresh, organic, and minimally processed. Their diet is high in green vegetables, fruits, rice, seafood, seaweed, soy, and healthy beverages (green or herbal tea). All these ingredients provide high nutritional value to the body without extra calories or fat.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, the Japanese weight loss diet is the best lifestyle choice you can make in order to not only lose weight but also live longer and healthier. A nutrient-rich diet such as this will help you provide numerous health benefits in the long run.
Furthermore, if you are looking for an easy solution to a healthier gut to support your healthy diet, then you can try this power-packed Optima supplement from our store.
You can also look forward to our diet plan for healthy gut. After all, a healthy gut means a healthy digestive system, which is the basis for weight loss and a healthy life!
