Hara Hachi Bu – The Japanese Secret to Staying Slim
….and I do it too!
The majority of Americans are fat. As in – 71.6% of us over age 20 are either overweight or obese!?? (According to the CDC). That’s over 2/3 of our entire country struggling with weight! Aside from the effects it can have on a person’s self-esteem, it can also impede quality & enjoyment of life and of course physical health. In other words, being overweight can permeate every area of life, and that’s just not a fun way to live.
Why are we so fat?
The TYPES of food & the AMOUNT we eat
Ugh…. Why are we so fat. The age old question, right? The source of our weight struggles can’t be boiled down to one single reason. A very large part for sure involves the types of foods we eat. Namely large amounts of highly-processed, refined sugar and refined-carbohydrates. You know, food-in-a-box with a list of ingredients 3 inches long, that you can’t pronounce, instead of eating simple, real, whole foods that we cook ourselves.
Another big contributing factor is the amount we eat. If you’ve ever been to Cheesecake Factory or a Vegas Buffet – you know what I’m talking about! Or Disneyland. Disneyland is like watching an entire cross-section of America in action. ‘Nuff said.
It’s the TYPE of food we eat and the AMOUNT we are eating, that translates to weight struggles.
We offer 3 sizes: Regular, Large & The American
My sister and I still crack up at this story. We were in Paris a few years ago, and per the usual – had been out all day. Spotting an ice cream shop, we marched in to get a cone. Looking at their menu, they offered 3 different scoop sizes : Regular, Large and “The American” – meaning, the mac-daddy, hugest scoop of ice cream you’ve ever seen. Ever. Except it wasn’t.
The American was literally one tiny scoop the size of a golf ball. We were too embarrassed to ask for “The American” with 3 scoops, so instead both ordered a “Regular” which was about the size of a medium gumball. And you know what? It was perfectly satisfying! Not kidding! Light bulb moment….less can be more! Yes, I just said that.
Hara Hachi Bu: Eat until 80% Full
Hara Hachi Bu is a Confucian-inspired adage practiced in Okinawa Japan, that says: Eat only until 80 percent full or until no longer hungry. Contrast that with our Eat Until Full mindset. It’s a small semantic nuance that can make a big difference in your weight and in how you feel – plus it’s something you can easily implement right now!
I read about Hara Hachi Bu 7-8 years ago on a flight home from Hong Kong. I can never remember the exact name (I had to google it to be honest), but the concept of eating until 80% full really made an impact on me and I’ve been practicing it ever since. It’s really not that hard – seriously!
Why it works:
Due to a slight delay in the connection between our brain and our stomach, our brain doesn’t immediately register that our stomach is full until 10-20 minutes later.
Our brain doesn’t immediately register that our stomach is full.
That’s why when we eat fast and gobble down our
whole plate in no-time, we feel uncomfortably stuffed
20-minutes later.
Been there. By eating to a perceived 80%, we’re actually “full” – our brain just hasn’t yet acknowledged it. Minutes later, we feel perfectly satisfied as the brain catches up to the stomach.
Think of how many cumulative calories are saved, stopping at 80% each and every meal. The other benefit is that honestly, you will feel better. Lighter & more energized.
A standard Dinner plate was 10″ but has recently increased to 12″! The natural tendency is to “fill the plate.” Use a (smaller) Salad plate instead.
Ready to Try it?
4 Things that work for me:
1. Swap a Dinner Plate for a (smaller) Salad Plate.
I use a Salad plate instead of our dinner plates, and bought smaller cereal bowls. In doing so, I find myself naturally dishing-up much less and the smaller plate makes me feel like I have a big plate of food ;-).
2. Slow Your Roll (eat slower).
Eating faster results in eating more & feeling stuffed. I really make it a point to slow down, enjoy what I’m eating & allow my brain and stomach the time it needs to say “Ummm, you’re full – Step awaaayyy from the table.”
3. Instagram will STILL be there after dinner.
Turn off the TV, computer, leave the iPhone in the other room. I make Oliver do it too. He fusses, but he loves me so he does it ;-). Focus on just lovin’ your meal & the opportunity to reconnect with the hubs. I find that when we put away the electronics, we eat slower, eat less and enjoy the experience way more!
4. Play Mind-Games.
When someone says “You can’t do that.”…. do you automatically want to do it even more? Me TOO – welcome to the story of my life.
Here’s what I do:
+ If dishing up a smaller portion feels annoying at first – just tell yourself “I can always have more if I want.” Knowing you can if you want, helps assuage the annoyance factor.
+ When you reach 80% fullness but feel tempted to keep going – tell yourself, “Wait 20-minutes and if you’re still hungry, you can have more.” Rarely if EVER, will I still be hungry 20-minutes later.
It’s all psychological but knowing that I can if I want, really makes a huge difference for me. It feels liberating, and like the choice is mine. Not that I have a rebellious streak or anything…..
It’s NOT a diet! It’s re-training ourselves to eat mindfully and listen to our bodies. It really DOES work!
Try it for 2-weeks (short term goals are way more doable!) – tell me how you feel after!
Integrate Hara Hachi Bu with healthy recipes made with real, whole foods. The combination of eating less and eating healthier meals will really make a difference in how you feel as well as the waistline. Promise! 😉
Healthy Recipes to Try:
Low-Carb Chicken Caprese Salad
Watermelon, Feta & Fresh Mint Salad
Warm Blueberry Quinoa Bake (Breakfast or Brunch)
Strawberry-Vanilla Overnight Oats
Figure-Friendly Acai Bowl
