In one of the five blue zones in the world, in Okinawa, the 80% stomach method is applied to eat consciously and not gain weight. But what is it exactly?
Whether it's a large meal or an excess of gluttony, we have all had the experience, at least once, of eating large quantities of food and exceeding the threshold of satiety. Very quickly, the inconveniences that this overeating causes are felt: sluggishness, bloating, stomach aches, and in the long term, potential weight gain. To remedy this and adopt a healthier diet, the inhabitants of Okinawa are fans of the “80% belly” method.
The Japanese method “Hara Hachi Bu”
This technique has been practiced since 1930 on Okinawa, a Japanese island known for being a blue zone, that is to say a place where the longevity of the inhabitants is above the world average. The method consists of stopping eating when the stomach is 80% full instead of going until the sensation of satiety, which for Dr. Vicente Mera, head of the internal medicine and anti-aging center at the SHA Wellness Clinic in Spain, “wears out the body through the oxidation of cells, accompanied by long digestion”.
Author of the book “Joven a cualquier edad”, “Young at all ages” in French, Dr. Vicente Mera also reports in his work about the method: “It's self-imposed calorie restriction: a simple and effective philosophy that allows them to indulge in a few excesses outside of meals without gaining weight.”
NO to diets, YES to WW!
How to adopt this method?
The question we can naturally ask ourselves is how do we know that we are 80% full? To do this, you must adopt a conscious diet which is based on several pillars, including the three below:
- Eating while focusing on foodwithout looking at your smartphone or television for example;
- Favor foods that promote satiety and are low in calories, such as green beans, spinach, tofu, quinoa, etc.;
- Pay attention to the first signals of satiety sent by the brain: reduced pleasure in eating, weariness, desire to leave the table, etc.
