And we are getting closer to summer

End of may.
It is not as hot as last year but one can tell that summer is around the corner.

While living in Japan I have learned a great deal about tons of things. I wonder if it is the mountains around me that triggers that. One of the topic that I got really into while being is healthy living and lifestyle.

While surfing on the net I found another blogger, Angela, who really undertands the concept. She is well rounded and a true inspiration. If you want to check a really good blog about healthy living check out her's at: http://ohsheglows.com/

Their are many many many (do I have to say it again?) diets available out there. It might sound silly but the truth is you never can go wrong with eating natural food. The closer one is to the food chain without the processing, the healthier your food is. That is a concept that Japanese understood very well.

Yes, Japanese are obsessed with their weight. But that is another topic that I will tackle on another day. That being said, they have more chances being at heir healthy weight simply by the way they look at food. Unless there is an event, it is the norm for a Japanese to eat to 80% of their capacity. To me at first, that was ridiculous. Why would I stop eating when I CAN still taste some of that wonderful food?! What is wrong with these people?! hahaha...

Well I realized that in Japan what you CAN do is not necessarely what you SHOULD do. That concept goes beyond food but for today let's stick to nutrition. The whole point is to taste and savour your meal. Idea that is also practiced by the French. ( You can check out the book ''French women dont get fat'' by Mireille Guilliano. http://www.mireilleguiliano.com/books.htm)
The main idea is to enjoy your meal without the after effect of being so stuffed that you end up with the ''itis'' aka food coma. Totally goes against everything most of us have learned. But once you try to reduce the quantity intake...I can guarantee that you start feeling so much lighter.

In addition, although Japanese cuisine is mainly based on white rice, they eat so little of it as well as coupled with veggies that it doesnt disturb their metabolism. Desert?....quasi inexistent. Japanese deserts resides in pieces (not the whole thing, pieces) of fruits. In general they cannot handle our decadent triple chocolate brownies, carrot cake with cream cheese frosting...you get the idea. To their taste buds there is way too much sugar and butter. And they are probably not wrong.

So, I have a sweet tooth. Yes, mea culpa. Since I have been living in Japan it has been (one of) my goal to introduce people around me the immoral world of our cuisine (particularly deserts) with a healthy (or healthier) twist. And that way I get to eat without the guilt trip. So far so good.

That is all for today!
Beautiful day outside and I am out for a run!

Update...

Already March!
Well what happened?...
Just like the natural cycle of nature, I guess I simply curled up under my kotatsu (heated table) and fell asleep for 3 months. You think I am kidding...come to Japan!

In this country, there is always a way of doing everything and anything. There is a time to eat certain food, a time to be wearing certain clothes, a time to have outbursts of energy. I could go on all day. Winter is the time for nabe (japanese pot dish), kotatsu, influenza and electric blanket. Also the time to say outloud in a long complaining and whiny tone in the hallways at work, at the supermarket, while going to your car etc..(as if nobody already knew!): SAMUUUUUUUUUUUI!!!!!! Literally translated: IT'S FREEZING!

So unless you are a winter sports type of person, winter in Japan is definately the dead season. Nothing happens. You dont see or hear from friends for a really long time. You actually dont want to get out of your house as soon as you get in there. But after 3...maybe 4 months of hardships than something call spring knocks at your door. And just as the environment wakes up, people start to be lively again. Kids are running around again. It is a new fiscal year. Students start a new school year. Flowers are blooming. Finally!

So here I am at the start of it all for the second time...And pretty soon the picture on this blog will be perfect for the occasion. Yeay for sakura the best time in Japan, in my humble opinion along with all the festivals in August.