This article explores the ancient Japanese secret for weight loss, which emphasizes balance and moderation in diet and lifestyle. The traditional Japanese diet includes whole grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes, fish, and lean meats in small portions throughout the day. Benefits of this diet include reducing risk of obesity, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels and certain types of cancer. Eating habits include eating small portions throughout the day and chewing slowly to savor each bite while engaging in regular physical activity such as walking or jogging every day as well as participating in other forms of exercise. The secret ingredient is shokuiku which focuses on teaching people how to make healthy choices when it comes to food selection by emphasizing balance , variety , moderation , seasonality , locality , sustainability , mindfulness , nutrition , flavor appreciation , cooking methods & techniques. Unhealthy processed foods can be replaced with healthier options such as whole grains, fresh fruits & vegetables, lean proteins and fermented foods.