Unique Issues, Unique Goals

[Wani]

Alright, so here's where I stand.

I moved out to a small, Japanese community eight months ago and since then I have gained quite a bit of weight.

This has been due to the excessive amount of food I'm expected to eat on a daily basis as well as the hypersensitivity of being observed exercising by my neighbors. 

 

When you eat lunch as schools here, you are expected to eat EVERYTHING. If you don't do your part, you're looked down upon. I swear that they eat twice the amount of food considered normal at meals. I believe this has led to my excess in weight. 

 

I also fear working out in my own home. My walls are paper thin, and the gossip spreads through this town like wildfire. People are excessively interested in what you do because you're foreign. It creates paranoia.

 

I want to be fit, a lean mean fighting machine, but I'm not sure how with these social obligations.

 

Help?

[Daithi]

To hell with them, work out. If the news spreads want to know what the news will be? "The Forgiener is working out, He must have self respect" Seriously who cares if they gossip that you're looking after yourself they'll probably respect it.

 

As for the food. I'd say eat less in the Morning and night, Suffer the huge meals during the day and don't snack.

[andygates]

Morning runs!

 

And maybe track down a gym or athletic club? 

[OtakuBosatsu]

I feel you about the small-town Japanese mindset since my wife comes from one. But you're just gonna have to grow thicker skin and do what you have to do under their gaze.  Trust me, it's mostly out of curiosity and not out of malice.  Gaijin are exotic to them because they don't live in the big cities like Tokyo where gaijin are everywhere.  But in rural areas, populations are mostly homogenous.  When we visit my in-laws, I really feel that I am the only gaijin there.  But I just suck it up and do what I do anyway.  They're gonna look at me out of sheer curiosity no matter what I do so I might as well do what I have to do.  If I have to go for a brisk walk in the morning, followed by jumping jacks and push-ups near the bridge leading to the temple, followed by yoga back in the house, I'll do it.  When the neighbors pass by I pause long enough to slightly bow and they bow back.  What are they going to say? Most likely: "Oh the gaijin husband of Kobayashi-san's daughter was exercising near the bridge today.  He stopped and bowed as I passed by.  Seems like a nice gaijin."

 

 

When it comes to working out in your home: unless you are disturbing the neighbors and the other people who live with you (e.g. you scream loudly every time you lift ) just do what you have to do and don't worry about what they will think.  I really don't think they will think ill of you for working out.  Maybe they'll talk about you but that's only because you're exotic to them - they'll talk about you no matter what you do so you might as well do what you have to do.  It's not like you're doing anything shameful. 

 

 

Now for the food.  Who prepares your lunch and do you bring it with you in a bento or do you buy it from the cafeteria?  If you prepare your own lunch and bring it with you, you can control your portions.  And bringing a bento to school is pretty normal.

[Wani]

Thanks for the exercise advice! I'll try and keep it in mind.

 

As for the lunch, I change schools everyday so it's someone different each time. But at each school, both the staff and students eat the prepared school lunch and all of the food must be eaten because we send it back stacked for the cleaning facility. I also eat with my students so I am expected to set an example.

[terrormortus]

Huh, that is a tough one. Maybe eat a very light breakfast so by the time dinner comes you are hungry enough to eat all of the food?