Dear Reader,

I’ve actually shared this piece “39 Things I Wish I'd Known About Losing Weight” before back in 2020, but I'm re-sharing again with some additional commentary 😊 Sometimes you discover new insights (or reinforce old ones) after time– I’ve found re-reading my writing has been helpful in re-examining my approach towards personal health.

Our bodies, lifestyles, and values change over time, so it only makes sense to reflect on your habits and see if they still align as well.

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39 things I wish I'd known about losing weight

Looking back, I wish I hadn't been so hard on myself. I eventually found a balance for myself and slimmed down to a healthy weight, but only found success in maintaining it when I found compassion for myself. If I could've heard it, these are 39 things I wish someone would've shared with me, for it would've made the journey a lot easier.

What I would've told my previous self about losing weight

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1. It’s okay to want to lose weight for looks. It doesn’t make you vain, it means you want to take care of yourself (you’ll fall in love with the process later anyways).

2. Every day counts, but also a single day doesn't matter.

3. Don’t diet. It’s not worth the stress, and it doesn’t even work.

4. Eat all the fruits you want. Japanese clementines are especially good snacks and desserts for the winter time. Watermelon for the summer.

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Number four is still very true today. I recently read advice that eating fruit makes you fat – bleh – and at first I worried I ate too much fruit, but then it reminded me how little joy there would be in that. I’m enjoying American oranges right now (so sweet and juicy!) and I’m doing alright.

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5. You’ll have to home cook. First you’ll look for ways around this, later you’ll look for ways to make more time for it.

6. Routine is good, it makes making helpful choices easier.

7. Eat desserts. It’s fine.

8. Just don’t eat desserts out of stress. Workouts are better at relieving stress.

9. But if you do stress eat, don’t sweat. I still love you.

10. Find ways to make vegetables taste delicious. Ask mom.

11. When you go grocery shopping, always buy a vegetable, even if you don’t know what to do with it. The internet will help you.

12. Rice cooker? Life saver.

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Why a list of 39 things? Of course 39 is an arbitrary number in one sense, but it's also been a kind of lucky number for me. The Japanese romanized ‘thank you’ is pronounced ‘sankyu’-- which sounds a lot like three (san) and nine (kyu) in Japanese.

39 things I’m thankful I know now.

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13. 70% diet, 30% exercise is true.

14. You’re probably exercising too much, and not sleeping enough. Get more sleep.

15. Frozen fruits and vegetables are your friends.

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Frozen fruits and vegetables are your best friends.

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16. Also a nice set of tupperware.

17. Take photos of the food you make. You should be proud.

18. Don’t get on a scale. It’s not you.

19. Forget cereal, muesli will treat you better. Have it with almond milk.

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I have almond milk because I’m slightly lactose intolerant, and too much dairy in the morning will give me a stomachache. It’s not because I don't have dairy– again, everything in moderation.

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20. A 10 minute run can turn your whole day around.

21. The 7 minute workout app is also pretty useful.

22. Block and report weight loss ads. Every time.

23. Women in bikinis telling you how to get a six pack are overrated. You’ll find happiness without one.

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Number 23 is one that I still constantly remind myself of. Old narratives take time to shake.

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24. Don’t eat with a laptop open. No phone either.

25. If you’re hungry, eat. If you’re unsure, drink water.

26. If you’re in the mood for something sweet, have it with green tea.

27. Or chamomile if it’s nighttime.

28. Don’t tell people about trying to lose weight. Everyone will have an opinion and it’s rarely helpful.

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I’ve learned to see 28 with a more nuanced perspective these days– I still wouldn’t personally tell someone, but depending on who, another person can be very helpful, motivating, and supportive. Just choose carefully.

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29. People will sometimes jokingly sabotage too. I still don’t really know why.

30. Focus more on eating more vegetables, not on cutting foods out.

31. Buy a vegetable-based cookbook. Spend at least $20 on it.

32. Self confidence is internal.

33. Connect with people who support you. Even strangers on the internet are fine.

34. Spend money on your health. None of it is wasteful.

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I resonate with 34 even more these days. Especially preventative care like eating well, exercise, and sleeping– I’m finding addressing a problem to be much more expensive, difficult, and tiring than preventing a problem.

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35. No, really. Workout clothes, kitchen supplies, fitness gadgets, subscriptions to things. It’s all fair game.

36. Trust your body’s intuition.

37. When in doubt: moderation, variety, joy. That’s all you need.

38. Well that, and lots of vegetables!

39. You might not believe it now, but you’ll look very different a year from now. You're doing great, just keep going.

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You're still doing great. Every day I'm proud of you.

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Warm regards,

Kaki

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Did you know

In old Japan, the Japanese kanji character for laughter (笑) was used to describe how a flower blossoms.

It’s a thoughtful metaphor– a flower blossoming is like nature’s laughter. A cheery and bright brief moment in time, but nonetheless impactful and uplifting to those around us 😊
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Book reviews 🥹❤️

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I told myself I wasn’t going to spend too much time reading reviews of my book in case it made me feel not-so-great about my writing, but my friend pointed out a few and reading them really made my day. The kind words mean so much to me.

If my writing helps one person somewhere out there, I feel that is enough and makes it worthwhile.

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