Weight loss tips from a former sumo girl

Have you ever wondered how sumo wrestlers get so big? Japanese sumo wrestlers may be the world’s best experts on how to gain weight. They are dedicated to gaining as much weight as possible because the heavier the fighter, the more likely he is to beat his opponent.

If you want to lose weight, it would be wise to learn from the sumo wrestler what not to do. That’s how an average 165 lbs. man turns into a formidable 400 lbs. contender.

Sumo Tip #1: Skipping breakfast won’t make you lose weight.

Part of the answer to why skipping meals doesn’t help us lose weight can be learned from how a Japanese sumo wrestler spends his day. He lives in a dormitory-style sumo training center with other athletes like him and wakes up around 6:00 am For the next four to five hours he trains and exercises without eating.

Most overweight people do not eat breakfast. I was one of them, until I realized that I was turning into “Sumo Girl”. Skipping breakfast makes one more likely to overeat later in the day. It also causes a 5% drop in metabolism. No wonder I was so sleepy!

We have a wood stove in our house and we enjoy the warmth it radiates on a cold winter night. However, I have yet to see it give off heat without us first adding the fuel it needs: wood. It is the same with our bodies. We cannot expect our bodies to burn fat unless we eat. “But I’ve been eating, that’s my problem,” I often hear. The problem is not the act of eating itself. You need to eat. God designed your body that way. It has more to do with WHAT and WHEN you are eating.

Sumo Tip #2: Exercise alone will not make you lose weight. You must change your eating habits.

Considering the sumo wrestler exercises so much, you’d think he’d be skinny, but his eating habits ensure he keeps packing on the weight no matter how hard he trains for competition.

Sumo Tip #3: Going to sleep after eating makes you fat. To lose weight, don’t eat within three hours of bedtime.

The sumo wrestler’s first meal of the day is around noon, after which he takes a three to four hour nap. His trainers want him to conserve as much energy as possible so that most of the calories he eats are stored as fat.

Sumo Tip #4: Infrequent meals equals weight gain. Instead, eat smaller amounts every three to four hours.

To gain the big belly sumos are famous for, eat just two meals a day.

Some women have told me, “It shouldn’t be that heavy. I only eat twice a day.” So do sumo wrestlers. You’d think they’re non-stop eating machines to get that big. But no, they only eat two meals a day, two big meals a day.

Sumo Tip #5: Portion sizes count.

Even though he only eats twice a day, these huge meals would feed five or more average people!

Sumo Tip #6: If you want to lose weight, stop eating when you are no longer hungry, NOT when you feel “full.”

To train your stomach to eat those huge portions, eat past the point where you’re no longer hungry. She continually ignores his “full signal”. He decides to stop eating just at the moment when you are no longer hungry. He doesn’t wait until he feels “full” and uncomfortable.

Sumo Tip #7: Don’t be a “boring eater.”

The sumo wrestler’s diet is surprisingly healthy and low in fat. He eats the same dish at every meal: chanko-nabe, a meat stew with rice and vegetables. This traditional Sumo dish is eaten with very little variation every day, twice a day.

It is important to add variety to our eating plans. This is not just to avoid boredom at the table. When you eat a variety of different foods, you’re more likely to get the wide range of nutrients your body needs. You also won’t have that horrible feeling of deprivation from being on a diet and will be tempted to run into the arms of the nearest Keebler cookie leprechaun.

To avoid becoming “Sumo Girl” remember:

o Skipping breakfast will not make you lose weight. You must have breakfast.

o Exercise alone will not make you lose weight. Eating habits must change.

o Going to sleep after eating makes you fat. Do not eat within three hours of bedtime.

o Infrequent eating equals weight gain. Eat smaller amounts every three to four hours.

o Portion sizes do count. Use a measuring cup and food scale until you can “watch it.”

o Stop eating when you are no longer hungry, not when you are “full.”

o Don’t be a “boring eater.” Variety is the spice of life!