How Many Meals Per Day?

[orca]

Okay maybe a silly question but I wanna know how often do people eat their meals in Japan? I know of 3 meals per day but do they have snacks in between, at what times and what do they snack on in general?
I think Japanese women are stunning, they look so light and flawless, I know some of it could be genetic but I think it's also alot to do with diet and lifestyle so wanna adopt as much of it as I can in the hope I too can look that slim ...jus a few more pounds to go

Alot of people do 3meals per day+snacks yet alot of people who are into fitness go gym etc swear by 5smaller meals per day, I usually eat 3meals per day+snacks, at morning midday and evening.
Given their incredible physiques i'm curious to know at what hrs people eat in Japan, because although I now know alot of What is eaten i'm still not sure When it's eaten, nex step will b to learn how to cook it.


Also i've been using chopsticks to eat for the past week and its working, I eat slower and in small amounts and i'm fuller and consuming less food without feeling i'm eating less. Strange thing about chopsticks and me is that i've never really had to learn how to use them I just could. I've only used them a few times before when given with a chinese takeaway and I could always naturally pickup food with them and eat, so at least thats a hurdle less, i've a friend who spent ages tryin to use them with me yesterday when round for dinner, anyone else had difficulty or ease when first using them? it'd b interesting to kno lol.

[TitansWrath]

Long ago I used to eat once a day since college with some snacks. Currently I just have 2 meals each day.

[nobora]

But the women over like walk almost everywhere so i think that keeps them in shape

[spoonybard]

As a diabetic, I have six meals a day, but three of those are actually snacks, and I exercise most days buy running on an inclining treadmill, and practicing Muay Thai, and the majority of the food I eat is healthy, such as grains, almonds, granola, fruit, rice and meat with most of the fat removed.

Sometimes, we have different kinds of soup with noodles, and I'm talking about stuff that we actually make, not the soup/noodles you get from some packet or can. Finally, most of the fruits and vegetables we eat are the ones that grow outside. I'm not saying it's impossible for anybody else, I'm just pointing out what I do, and the most I've ever weighed was 117 lbs.

[cosmicenema]

Just a quick note: it isn't just the women in Japan that are insanly healthy. They have the longest lifespanes for a reason.

A Nation Of Longevity | Lifestyle | Trends in Japan | Web Japan

[orca]

Thanks for the replies, I think i'm gonna stick with the 3meals and have just fruit/veg as snacks, I do workout alot I go gym 3-4times per week and workout for 2hrs each time also love going for long walks in the park, it relaxes me. I'd thought of going for 5small meals but I think i'd be more comfortable with 3 and the healthier snacks in between.

My main challenge now is what I eat and gonna try and tackle that, the portion amount is already getting under control from using the chopsticks. Thanks for the link cosmic, I learn somethin new everday and today I learnt Monaco is on parr with Japan on life expectencies which I definitely would not have thought for some reason, maybe i'll look into their diet too lol

[Columbine]

Originally Posted by orca

Strange thing about chopsticks and me is that i've never really had to learn how to use them I just could. I've only used them a few times before when given with a chinese takeaway and I could always naturally pickup food with them and eat, so at least thats a hurdle less, i've a friend who spent ages tryin to use them with me yesterday when round for dinner, anyone else had difficulty or ease when first using them? it'd b interesting to kno lol.

Same; I think I learnt to use chopsticks when I was so young that I don't remember it. Guess years of saturday night chinese takeaway paid off! I certainly surprised a lot of people in Japan. Although, apparently I do use them differently; I put a finger between the sticks.

[cosmicenema]

Interestingly I spent most of last 2008 loosing 120 lbs. Today I tend to eat about 5 meals a day with each meal being similar sizes and some snacks. I've found it helps me but it's really a personal preference, not a miracle cure.

The key is the type and quality of food. I try to make sure that at least half the food I eat by weight is vegitables. I don't weigh the food but it's pretty easy to cook this way.

Good luck! It's entirely possible to completely reshape your body. Don't stop researching and don't stop trying new things to see what works for you. The Japanese typically eat a lot more vegitables and a lot less meat than americans.

[spoonybard]

Originally Posted by Columbine

Same; I think I learnt to use chopsticks when I was so young that I don't remember it. Guess years of saturday night chinese takeaway paid off! I certainly surprised a lot of people in Japan. Although, apparently I do use them differently; I put a finger between the sticks.

Ah. As for chopsticks, I don't use them often, but when I started using them at the age of seventeen, I never had problems with them. It might have something to do with observing how Asians in general use them.

[orca]

I tend to rest one chopstick on my middle finger and pickup food with the index finger, dunno if thats the way its done but it's the way I end up doing it naturally without thinking about it, if I try to conciously pickup food with chopsticks it fails lol

I want my body to be lean, i'm bigboned and my lower body is 'chunky' compared to the rest of it, I have big calves 'thick' thighs and wide hips. I'm happy with my upper body, I have slim arms small waist and like my shoulders, it's just my lower body I want slimmer I like my curves and don't want to lose them jus wish my thighs weren't so large! but unfortunately am told it's unlikely i'll be able to do spot reduction when it comes to leaning out.
I do eat lots of fruit and veg but also just as much and more of unhealthy foods, I just can't resist a bag of fish&chips followed by a custard&chocolate spongecake dessert mmmm! I also love a good curry and pour hot sauce over just about everything, I love the way it burns my mouth and even put some on my toast when nobody's looking I eat large portions too but the chopsticks are helping with that.
I need a huge overhaul in eating habits but that'll come gradually, drastic changes in diet don't usually work in the longterm as it's more a lifestyle change so am gonna try and slowly blend things into my daily eating habits to try and have a longer lasting result