Greetings from Tokyo Japan

StuAblett

Hi all, I've been using the MFP iPhone app since June 14th, which is just about 7 weeks now, on July 28th, I've lost 22 pounds, but I have a lot more to go, I want to be 185 pounds, and now I'm 278 pounds, so that is 93 pounds to go. Still it sounds a LOT better than 115 pounds to go :happy:

I live in Tokyo Japan, right downtown, with my wife and our two daughters. I've been here since 1990, so twenty years!
We run my wife's family business, a liquor shop, it is retail and open 7 days a week, I work from about noon until 1 AM most days except on Sunday when we only work from abut 6PM until 1 AM. The shop is full of snacks, and chocolate etc, this was my biggest problem, I'd be sitting alone in the shop from about 8PM until maybe midnight, when my mother-in-law would come down to close the shop.

By using MFP, I've been able to really get a handle on what I'm eating, I've cut out somethings from my diet, but nothing too radical, basically if is comes in a box or bag, I don't eat it anymore, way less processed food on the table, way healthier. All soda pop is not gone, I drink tea, my favorite is Mugicha (tea made from roasted wheat) I call it "Pre-Beer" and I really do enjoy it, no caffeine and no calories either.

I'm 46 years old and I think I've been on every diet you could name, I have yo-yoed all my life, but with this lifestyle change, I really don't see it as a diet, I see it as an attitude change on my part, so I really do think that this time, I'll be able to stick with it.

One week into this I had a very funny thing happen, right next door to the liquor shop is a take out Pizza Hut (talk about temptation!!) the size of the pizza here is smaller than in the US or Canada, but I could easily eat a medium pizza by myself, that is like a small pizza over there. A buddy of mine came by to work on his motorbike, he has known me for about 15 years, we often work on bikes and when it is his bike, he buys lunch, always pizza. He usually buys a large size pizza and we split it. The last time he came I told him there was no way I could eat half a large pizza, so he bought a medium, and I had only two slices and I was (amazingly!!!! ) full, he told me he could not eat it all, so I did stuff down a third piece........ and felt like a stuffed turkey, man I was miserable the rest of the day, I really should not have eaten that third piece :sad: I did learn that my stomach has certainly shrunk, this is a great thing, I now feel FULL when only eating a little bit.

Well enough about me, I'm just happy to be here!

Stu

missouri_rain

Hello and welcome, congrats on the first 22 lbs

jeweljade

That is so awesome to have someone from Japan on here. I was born and raised in Japan and currently live in the US with my husband. Good luck to you!

anikoswett

I'm also new to MFP. Welcome! And thanks for sharing your story! I agree that with the mentality that you've made a lifestyle change for the long-term, you will be able to stick to your new healthy habits and make permanent changes to your weight and health. I am amazed that the longer I go without certain unhealthy food, the less I crave it. And sometimes when I try it after not having it for several months or even years, I realize that it really isn't that good - and definitely not worth the calories.

Natalie7227

You are on an awesome journey and I would love to be on the journey with you. I'm 37 and today is Day #32, I have lost 8lbs so far and 6 inches. I feel so much better and yes I also believe no process food either, this is the way I eat now. Nothing in packages, they are so bad for you in so many ways.

I had sent you a friend request.

PixieGoddess

Not sure if my romanji is correct (does anyone ever? really?) but IIRASHAI!! :flowerforyou:

StuAblett

Thanks everyone for the warm welcome!

PixieGoddess, it is "IIRASHAI" that is more of a greeting from a store owner to a customer, I say it hundreds of times a day!

Natalie, I got your friend request, thanks!

metizzy2

Welcome ot MFP Stu! I like what you said about making this a way of life and not calling it a diet. A diet means that you can go off of it at anytime, but when making a lifelong change, it's exactly that..lifelong! And who wants to be on a diet for a lifetime?
Congratulations on your accomplishments! Keep up the good work!!!

PixieGoddess

Thanks everyone for the warm welcome!

PixieGoddess, it is "IIRASHAI" that is more of a greeting from a store owner to a customer, I say it hundreds of times a day!

Natalie, I got your friend request, thanks!

Oh well, it's the only one I learned in class! :laugh:

EileenB42

Hi Stu,
Thanks for sharing your story and congrats on the 22 pounds. thats a great start. I just joined MFP this morning. everyone here is so nice and friendly!

Eileen

gilesg

Greetings from Valencia in Spain. I also lived in Japan for 25 years, and loved it, but decided to move on a few years ago, hopefully into early retirement. Never happened, and I continue to work, although mainly from home these days, so the pounds tend to collect with the sedentary lifestyle. I've been entering my daily grub for the last couple of weeks, and recording the time spent pedalling the exercise bike, and I believe progress is being made. It would be nice to get back to my Merchant Navy weight - riding a ship is surprisingly good exercise, and of course the food was less than gourmet, so easy to eat less. Get married to a good cook, and you're in trouble.

All the best, Giles

alantin

ようこそ!
日本語は久しぶりだけどちょっと書いてみます。
この道は長くて、しやすくない誘惑との戦いだけど、このようなサイトは確かに助かるよ!
さらに、日本は健康にいい料理の天国だね。鮨とか。何ケ月間日本に住んでたのに、ピザとかは一回も食べたことはなかった。:laugh:
一緒に頑張りましょう! :flowerforyou:

Real old-timers here huh?
Welcome aboard! I'm sure the Japanese food is a real good help in dropping weight. I sure did lose weight over there even though it felt like I ate all the time! I miss the food too!

millerll

Konichiwa! Welcome to the party!

I lived near Tokyo for three years, and really liked it. Unfortunately, I hate seafood, so eating out was a challenge! Thank God for noodles!

StuAblett

Konichiwa! Welcome to the party!

I lived near Tokyo for three years, and really liked it. Unfortunately, I hate seafood, so eating out was a challenge! Thank God for noodles!

Thanks!

I'm not big on some stuff here, like Natto, ugh, when one of my daughters eats it I have to leave the room, YUCK.

Lots of other things I have become very fond of.

Cheers!

StuAblett

Hi Stu,
Thanks for sharing your story and congrats on the 22 pounds. thats a great start. I just joined MFP this morning. everyone here is so nice and friendly!

Eileen

Yes, I'm finding the friendliness too!

Cheers!

StuAblett

Greetings from Valencia in Spain. I also lived in Japan for 25 years, and loved it, but decided to move on a few years ago, hopefully into early retirement. Never happened, and I continue to work, although mainly from home these days, so the pounds tend to collect with the sedentary lifestyle. I've been entering my daily grub for the last couple of weeks, and recording the time spent pedalling the exercise bike, and I believe progress is being made. It would be nice to get back to my Merchant Navy weight - riding a ship is surprisingly good exercise, and of course the food was less than gourmet, so easy to eat less. Get married to a good cook, and you're in trouble.

All the best, Giles

Thanks Giles!

My wife is a good cook too!

StuAblett

ようこそ!
日本語は久しぶりだけどちょっと書いてみます。
この道は長くて、しやすくない誘惑との戦いだけど、このようなサイトは確かに助かるよ!
さらに、日本は健康にいい料理の天国だね。鮨とか。何ケ月間日本に住んでたのに、ピザとかは一回も食べたことはなかった。:laugh:
一緒に頑張りましょう! :flowerforyou:

Real old-timers here huh?
Welcome aboard! I'm sure the Japanese food is a real good help in dropping weight. I sure did lose weight over there even though it felt like I ate all the time! I miss the food too!

Hey, who you calling old :bigsmile:

Your written Japanese is better than mine, I speak it well, but I've never had the needed free time to study it :ohwell:

Cheers!

alantin

Hey, who you calling old :bigsmile:

Your written Japanese is better than mine, I speak it well, but I've never had the needed free time to study it :ohwell:

Cheers!

Thanks!
Actually, its just typed Japanese for me..
I can't even write hiragana with my hand! :embarassed:
I've put a lot of effort in studying the language but I have spent a relatively short time in the country so my spoken Japanese is another story. It usually gets more fluent while there but the last trip was over a year ago so now I'm having trouble finding words.
Actually having to use the language for everything all the time does do wonders! :laugh:

How is Toukyou right now? Tsuyu must be pretty bad by now..

StuAblett

Hey, who you calling old :bigsmile:

Your written Japanese is better than mine, I speak it well, but I've never had the needed free time to study it :ohwell:

Cheers!

Thanks!
Actually, its just typed Japanese for me..
I can't even write hiragana with my hand! :embarassed:
I've put a lot of effort in studying the language but I have spent a relatively short time in the country so my spoken Japanese is another story. It usually gets more fluent while there but the last trip was over a year ago so now I'm having trouble finding words.
Actually having to use the language for everything all the time does do wonders! :laugh:

How is Toukyou right now? Tsuyu must be pretty bad by now..

Tsuyu is over, it did last into July this year and boy did it rain this year, now it is HOT and HUMID, the time of the year I just loathe :sick: Being obese and having to live in this crappy weather is harsh, I can't change the weather, so I'm working to get thin :happy:

Today it was raining on and off, which sucks, as I could not get my regular bike ride in, only sneaked in a few deliveries, so my mileage is really low today, I'll have to make it up tomorrow.

Cheers!

StuAblett

Welcome ot MFP Stu! I like what you said about making this a way of life and not calling it a diet. A diet means that you can go off of it at anytime, but when making a lifelong change, it's exactly that..lifelong! And who wants to be on a diet for a lifetime?
Congratulations on your accomplishments! Keep up the good work!!!

Metizzy2 sorry I did not mean to leave you out, thanks for the welcome and the kind words!

Stu

alantin

Tsuyu is over, it did last into July this year and boy did it rain this year, now it is HOT and HUMID, the time of the year I just loathe :sick: Being obese and having to live in this crappy weather is harsh, I can't change the weather, so I'm working to get thin :happy:

Today it was raining on and off, which sucks, as I could not get my regular bike ride in, only sneaked in a few deliveries, so my mileage is really low today, I'll have to make it up tomorrow.

Cheers!

Whoa! You're up early! (edit: Sorry. Its the other way around. 6 hours ahead! So confusing! :blushing: )
LoL
I didn't believe there was such a thing as too hot before experiencing that in Japan! I was in Kyushu when it hit last year. Then, going up to Oosaka, It just followed after me.. Boy, I was happy to get out of the country then! LoL :laugh:
A co-worker is coming to Toukyou for a vacation in a couple of weeks. I suppose she's still going to get the rough side of the hot and humid.

StuAblett

@alantin

yeah, it will be hot and humid for your co-worker, but at least the rain should have stopped by then. Also that time of year there are lots of local festivals, "Bonodori" the summer dancing festival.