Saturday Soliloquy #9

I also began running while in Japan.  Running helped me control those anxious feelings.  I was able to lock them into thoughtlessness while I focused on breathing… I did not have an easy time running… as I was and had ever been relatively unhealthy and overweight.  However, while in Japan I shed many pounds and sizes.  My jeans, which fit pretty tightly upon my arrival, were hanging off of me when I returned to the USA.  How?  Why?  Many factors played into the weightloss.  One of the most important factors that impacted my weight was that activity was built into my whole day almost every day in Japan.  I rode my bike to the train station (about 15-20 minutes).  Then I walked little bits here and there between trains.  Then I walked about 25-30 minutes to school.  During the day at school there was often much walking going on (like to a grocery nearby to buy nashi).  And if we did anything after classes, we walked to get there.  To get home, I walked, walked a little and then biked.  That was 5 days each week.  Saturdays usually involved quite a bit of walking to go sight seeing, too.

Also, my okaasan was very controlling of the food.  She was shocked, I think, at how much I ate and limited my food consumption at home.  I ate breakfast and dinner there during the school week and, often, three meals on Saturdays and Sundays.  I often awoke feeling hungry in the night, but didn’t feel comfortable to go to the refrigerator to get anything to eat.  I definitely would not recommend THAT part of the weight loss.  Feeling hungry almost all the time just is NOT a comfortable feeling!

I think another factor that played into all of it was that the food was made differently.  Even breads and chocolate was less calorie dense.  That may also be part of why I was always hungry.  Who knows.

All told, I went from a snug size 16 to around a tight size 10 while I lived in Japan.  I liked the size I attained, but I didn’t like feeling hungry.  I sure would like to have activity built into my life that way again, but think it unlikely that I’ll ever get back to Japan.  I sure loved it while I was there, though!

Why?  Well, come back next week to read more and maybe find out a few reasons I loved it so well.