Twenty years ago, when the issue of obesity as a rising health concern was brought up, people would automatically look to the West as the main area of concern.

It was the Americans, with their Texas size portions and penchant for dairy products who were fat, not the Chinese, who had more culture and portion control when it came time to chow down.  Unfortunately, western eating culture has the tendency to rub off on growing economies and now China is also experiencing bit of an expanding waist line the the golden arches and the jumbo sized drink gain a toehold on the salivary glands of its people.

Given the traditional Chinese diet’s many healthful benefits, it would be better if their way of cooking and eating would began to rub off on us westerners instead. Because of the way the food is prepared, using fresh gently cooked ingredients, served, in many different variations and small portions, and eaten using chop sticks, the Chinese Diet  is actually a good way to shed some pounds without having to work out.

Here are 10 rules to follow to eat food, feel healthier, and lose weight the Chinese way:

1. Eat slowly until full
Instead of looking it up in the calorie index book, consider the food you are eating to be nourishing. Eat it slowly (this is where chopsticks come in handy) and savor it, stopping when you are full.

2. Rice is not carbo-cide
While less carbs is what many diets like to preach, think about this: Rice has been around for 30 centuries and is the staple diet for billions of people, most of whom are pretty trim. Burgers have been around for about one century, and most of the millions that make it their staple are considered obese. Now tell me: is rice really “carbohydrate loading”.

3. Congee for breakfast
The traditional Chinese breakfast is a rice base liquid porridge known as congee. It is taken warm and can be either sweet or savory according to taste. Having it in the morning can be very cleansing and help prevent dehydration.

4. Veggie filled portions
Go to a Chinese kitchen and you will find plates of food loaded up with way more vegetables than meat. Filling up on more antioxidant rich veggies and less cooked meat will always help you feel better and more energized.

5. Variation is the key
Having lots of different foods coming to you and taking a small portion of each is good way to sate your appetite sooner. Also the Chinese way of incorporating the five basic flavors (sweet, sour, salty, pungent, and bitter) with varied dishes also helps stop the cravings for fats and sweets that we westerners have so much trouble with.

6. Treat each meal as an occasion
Instead of buzzing through drive-thru or grabbing something that you can easily microwave, you should try treating each meal as something to be enjoyed around the table with friends and family.

7. Living Food for a living body
Understand that living organisms need real food, Chinese cooking employs fresh food that is in season and uses the traditional pickling process to preserve food instead of adding preservatives or processing it.

8. Eat food with known health benefits
Traditional Chinese Medicine utilizes plants and herbs to remedy health problems and to boost the immune system. Chinese cuisine also likes to incorporate health boosting foods like ginger, chilies and garlic into the dishes make the food not only taste good, but keep you healthy.

9. Green Tea
Packed with antioxidants and full of cleansing and antiseptic properties, green tea is the healthy caffeinated beverage of choice. Drinking it throughout the day can help indigestion, oral hygiene and prevent many different types of cancer.

10. Food at Body Temperature
The traditional Chinese diet like to be in temperature harmony with the body. Instead of drinking ice cold drinks or eating piping hot stews, the Chinese prefer food and drink to be warm but never too hot and in perfect harmony with the body.

You have to wonder what sort of magical elixir the Japanese people have found.  Despite the high rate of smoking and the availability of beer in street vending machines, the Japanese are one of the healthiest nations in the world enjoying one of the lowest obesity rates for an industrialized country and having some of the longest lifespans. You got to wonder what it is that they are doing that is making them so healthy.

First Off: Rice and Fish
To say that Rice is Japan’s main carbohydrate would be like saying fish need water.  Rice is consumed with every meal, and speaking of fish, the Japanese consume on average almost 150 pounds of fish per person every year. Fish is one of the leanest proteins and packed with good fatty acids that promote health and longevity. Rice is packed with fiber for digestive health and it is a carbohydrate that your body can easily break down and turn into instant energy. This fish and rice staple diet as far better for the body than the traditional western fare of meat and potatoes.

Do not forget the soy…
Aside from plenty of rice and fish, the Japanese also include a lot of soy products in their daily diet. From tofu to soy sauce, the Japanese consume about 200 grams of soy in one form or another on a daily basis. One of their favorite ways to get their soy fix is to enjoy a nice bowl of miso soup. Miso is fermented soy product and the soup that is made from it is both light on your taste buds and easy on your stomach.

Say No to Sugar
Aside from eating a lot of rice, fish and soy products, the other key to the Japanese sense of health and wellbeing is in what they tend not to put into their bodies. Sugar fiends, the Japanese are definitely not, consuming only on average of 20 kilos (about 60 pounds) of sugar a year, which is nothing when compared to the whopping 71 kilos  (were talking 150 pounds here) that we Americans ingest.

Anyone who has given up soda for month and has felt the results knows the effects of refined sugar on the body.  It is no wonder that the Japanese people are skinnier and have far lower incidences of heart disease and cancer. Besides sugar, the Japanese also stay away from fried foods, preferring their foods to be lightly cooked and less stuffing. Dairy products are also not on your typical Japanese menu.

Smaller Portions, eaten slowly
Japanese meals generally contain a lot of variety and are served in small portions that are eaten slowly with the use of chopsticks. Eating smaller portions slowly helps with digestion and also has you feeling fuller while eating less. Instead of woofing down your big greasy burger and bucket of deep fried potato sticks in two minutes flat, following it up with a mega sized soda and then feeling the caloric crush later, take your time eating a nicely prepared bento box.

Variety is the key
While they eat a lot of rice, fish and soy, the Japanese diet is far from boring. You just need to look at a sushi menu to see that.  In fact, in week span, the typical Japanese eater will have eaten three times as many different varieties of vegetables, fruits, and meal than the typical American eater. Variety ensures that you are getting nature’s full spectrum of nutrition and keeps you interested in both  what you are eating and how you are eating it.

The Japanese Breakfast
If you are looking for a good way to start your day try starting it off with a traditional Japanese breakfast: Steamed Rice, Tofu, Miso Soup, Spring Onion omelet or fish, either grilled or raw, followed up by green tea. While this is not your typical pancakes and sausage type of fare, this lightweight diet gives you the protein and carbs you need to start your day without weighing you down. It will also help stimulate your metabolism and help you find your ideal weight.