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Optimal Health Daily - Fitness and Nutrition

3232: The Two Okinawan Diet Rules (or How I'm Getting Leaner During the Holidays) by Leo Babauta of Zen Habits

Optimal Health Daily - Fitness and Nutrition

Optimal Living Daily LLC

Nutrition, Fitness, Health & Fitness

4.5677 Ratings

🗓️ 22 December 2025

⏱️ 10 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3232: Leo Babauta shares two timeless dietary habits from Okinawa that helped him stay lean, even through the indulgent holiday season. By eating only until 80% full and focusing on whole, plant-based foods, he demonstrates how sustainable, mindful choices can lead to real results without strict dieting. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://zenhabits.net/the-two-okinawan-diet-rules-or-how-im-getting-lean/ Quotes to ponder: "Eat to 80% full. The Okinawans call this rule 'Hara Hachi Bu', and if you haven’t tried it, you should." "They eat way more veggies than most people as well as whole grains, tofu, fish and other legumes." "The key is to just get active. Exercise regularly if you can, play sports, toss a ball around with your family." Episode references: Michael Pollan’s Food Rules: https://www.amazon.com/Food-Rules-Eaters-Michael-Pollan/dp/014311638X Okinawan Diet (research overview): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7071223/ The Blue Zones by Dan Buettner: https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Zones-Lessons-Longest-Lived-People/dp/1426207557 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

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0:27.7

This is Optimal Health Daily. The two Okinawan diet rules, or how I'm getting leaner during the holidays by Leo Babouda of zenhabits.net.

0:40.7

And I'm Dr. Neal, your host and narrator. Welcome back to another week of Optimal Health Daily.

0:46.3

This is where I read to you from some of the best health and fitness blogs on the web,

0:50.3

kind of like an ongoing audiobook, and always with a bit of my commentary at the end. And we have a

0:56.0

bunch of shows covering a bunch of different topics. Check them all out by searching for optimal

1:01.1

living daily wherever you're hearing this. Let's get right to today's post as we optimize your life.

1:11.2

The two Okinawan diet rules, or how I'm getting leaner during the holidays, by Leo Babouda of

1:18.1

Zenhabits.net. Like many people, I tend to overeat during the holidays, from Thanksgiving

1:24.7

through New Year's. It's kind of part of the tradition to consume

1:28.2

huge amounts of food, you know. And like many others, I also tend to gain weight during the holidays.

1:34.2

Some people can gain five or more pounds, though for most, it's usually only a couple of pounds.

1:39.8

Not this time around. On Thanksgiving, while I enjoyed time with my family and while everyone

1:45.1

else pigged out, I ate moderately and wisely, and I felt great about it. I also got a great

1:52.8

workout in the morning after, heavy dead lifts followed by two brutal 10-minute weight circuits,

1:59.2

and finished with 15 minutes of hard intervals.

2:03.0

This will be the healthiest holiday season ever for me.

2:06.7

I'm also starting a meal plan and exercise routine that will have me drop some fat

2:11.2

while gaining muscle by New Year's, I promise.

2:14.4

I'll publish more about this plan after I see the results.

2:17.1

I've already dropped three pounds.

...

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