How to Combat the “Autumn Appetite” | Guidable - Your Guide to a Sustainable, Wellbeing-centred Life in Japan

How to Combat the “Autumn Appetite”

By Aika Kaise Oct 8, 2018

Did you know Japanese people say autumn is the season for reading books, exercising, and eating?
Usually, many people lose their appetite in the summer because of the heat. After the lethargy of summer, people start to get their appetite back in the cooler months, and this sometimes causes weight gain. This article introduces the way how people in Japan get slim in autumn.

 

1. Eat Seasonal Vegetables

 

It is said vegetables, especially those in-season are effective for slimming down. This is because vegetables are low in calories, and those in-season contain lots of nutrients. The main vegetables in season in Autumn are pumpkins, carrots, and sweet potatoes.
First, pumpkins contain a lot of nutrients such as β carotene, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, calcium, and iron. They can be divided into 2 groups: western pumpkins and Japanese pumpkins. Compared to its western relative, Japanese pumpkins contain more vitamin C and vitamin E.

Carrots also contain β carotene and a variety of vitamins. Although they are sold all year round in Japan, the primary season is autumn. They feature in many dishes in Japan, such as curry rice, salad, and various side dishes.

Finally, sweet potatoes. They not only contain many nutrients but dietary fibers too. Dietary fibers work to make your digestive system clean and happy.

 

2. Exercise

 

As you know, exercise is also essential to lose weight. As mentioned in the introduction, Japanese people say autumn is the best season for sports. The temperature is at its optimum for exercise and so many people try to get moving after sweltering summer.

Although there are so many ways to get fit in autumn, the most highly recommended is jogging. It’s not too hot, not too chilly, and you can enjoy autumn leaves at the same time. If jogging is too much, a brisk walk is also great!

The second recommendation is cycling. What could be better than sightseeing by bike while enjoying the beautiful scenery?

If you would like to do something more active, swimming is a great one because you use your whole body to swim. You may get tired very soon if you do not do exercise usually, but it is very effective for slimming down. It is also fun to just walk in the swimming pool, something many Japanese people that often confuses non-Japanese. Although it is just walking, it is totally different from walking on a normal road, and uses a lot of energy to walk in a water.

 

3. Heat Up Your Body

 

Heating up the body is also an important issue when trying to get slimmer. If you cannot maintain optimum body temperature, you will not be able to lose weight. A low body temperature means a bad metabolism, and you need to take care if your body temperature is under 36.5 ℃. To warm up your body we recommended massage in the morning to loosen up the body.

It’s best to keep in mind the areas you need to make warm in your body are the neck, wrists, and ankles. There is a phrase Japanese people often say, and it is that ‘it is important to make all ‘Kubi’ warm in your body.’ In Japanese, the above 3 parts are all named ‘Kubi’, and neck is ‘Kubi’, wrists are ‘Te-Kubi’, and ankles are ‘Ashi-Kubi’. Making all your “Kubi” warm is an effective way of maintaining body temperature. Keeping your body warm ensure a good metabolism.

 

In conclusion, it’s easier to put on more weight due to overeating from an increase in appetite in the lazy months of summer. People’s bodies absorb foods more easily in autumn to recover from the tiredness suffered in summer. To avoid putting too much weight on, I would like to recommend the 3 methods mentioned in this article: eating vegetables in season, exercise, and keeping your body warm.
All of them are not so difficult to try, so how about giving them a go if you feel like you are eating too much these days?

Aika Kaise / Japan