Being REBORN by successfully losing 20 kilos - RIZAP diet

I have been offered an interview for my company's newsletter. The Refresh Time series introduces different ways in which our employees choose to relax away from the job. Since it is a private content unrelated to our business, I introduce it here as a self-introduction.

The following is cited from the newsletter article.

We introduce Ms. Chisako Naito, who has succeeded in dieting to drop 20 kilos by working out and improving her eating habits and has now embraced a new lifestyle.

“REBORN”: toward a fresh start at her new workplace

Ms. Chisako Naito had never actually tried dieting, even though she had always thought of someday wanting to see a slimmer version of herself. She started hitting RIZAP’s personal training gym after the reorganization of the company.

In 2019, Ms. Naito, who was a member of Global Business at A company, was looking to move to A Global (anonymity) after a six-month preparatory period as part of the global business reorganization.

“I thought that I also wanted to be REBORN at the same time as the company’s own rebirth and as I move into a completely different job. After looking back at my life, I decided to try dieting, something that I had always thought of doing ‘someday.’”

Initially, her goal was to lose five kilos in two months, but once she saw that she was making good progress and was getting the hang of it, she decided to continue until she reached her ideal body weight. And she thought that while at it, why not try to compete in RIZAP’s “BODYMAKE GRAND PRIX”? She set her goal higher and kept on the diet while having fun.

“If you lose 5 kilos, you feel lighter, but if you lose 7 kilos, your silhouette changes even in places you can't see, such as your back. People around me started complimenting me that I was getting slimmer, so I started to see losing weight in a more positive way.”

After dropping 13 kilos in one go within six months, she eased her pace and gradually lost weight. At one point, she went down by 20 kilos from her original weight, but now she gained back weight to 17 kilos less her original weight, where she is at her best physical shape. She is also currently on a “body making” program aimed at achieving a balanced physique with the right amount of muscle, not just simply losing weight.

Her experience playing lacrosse actually helped her succeed in her first attempt!

She owes her huge success at her first-ever attempt to go on a diet to many reasons. The factors that helped her succeed were her positive disposition and hard work, her having trained under a professional coach, her having shared her journey with others, and by enjoying herself along the way.

At Japan National Lacrosse Championship Final. On the left is Ms. Naito.

The fact is, Ms. Naito was an active athlete during her university days, serving as the goalie (goalkeeper in football) for her university lacrosse club and was even chosen to join the Japan U-21 national team. Blessed with a height of 169 cm, she used it to her advantage as she spared no effort to clinch a spot in the national team. She demonstrated a high level of performance on account of her being a “genius of hard work,” which enabled her to continue in whatever she put her mind into, every day, with untiring zeal.

After graduating from university, she continued to play lacrosse in the club team, which went on to win second place nationally. She also served as a coach at her alma mater and as a staff engaged in strengthening the Japan Lacrosse Association. Before leaving Japan for the trainee program in the U.K., she handed her responsibilities over to her juniors, but she continued to be tournament in Germany. Although at present she is only involved in a support role, her continued involvement with lacrosse is also a demonstration of Ms. Naito’s persistence and tenacity to continue doing something to the end.

It was also significant that she had the courage to tell the people around her that she was trying to lose weight. Ms. Naito started the RIZAP program in January 2019. At that time, she often went out to eat and drink with friends, so she thought that to be able to pull through with her dieting while continuing to go out with her friends, she had to tell them about her situation.

“Many people go on a diet out of an inferiority complex, so there are a lot who secretly engage in dieting without telling others. But, if possible, it would be easier if you tell people around you because they could help and encourage you, too. I enjoyed figuring out and choosing what food I can eat at Izakaya restaurants.”

She was able to continue pursuing her goal with a cheerful disposition by gaining the understanding and support of the people around her. She did this by throwing home parties serving low-carb dishes for her friends, by joining "Diet Gourmet Festivals,” and by even ordering diabetic meals on international flights when she went on overseas business trips.

She eats breakfast while relaxing in the bathtub!

Her trainer's advice was to take it easy and have fun along the way.

“With RIZAP, you are supposed to begin your day with breakfast and soaking in the bath for more than 20 minutes, but it was not my habit to eat breakfast and I would usually just take a shower in the morning, so I was unsure if I could do it. When I said, “I can’t do it!” my trainer suggested, “why not eat breakfast in the bathtub?” He might have said it as a joke, but when I actually tried it, it gave me a luxurious feeling, like I was drinking sake in a hot spring [laughs].”

The tableware she uses for breakfast in her bathtub are gifts from friends who supports her dieting. The bright colors add cheer.

She applied the proven methods of many people before her and made them a part of her own lifestyle. Also, there was a friendly atmosphere to mutually enhance one another at RIZAP’s personal gym, where she spoke with other members and was inspired to see their bodies becoming more sculpted every week. To avoid getting tired of the training, she also actively engaged with the trainers, and has recently even started streaming videos of her weight training sessions on YouTube.

She welcomed the increase in daily life rules with a positive attitude. Since she started her "body making” program, she has spent a lot more time in the kitchen to follow the dietary restrictions, such as by baking low-carb steamed bread or “living on hot pot dishes.”

“I learned a lot about food products that I didn’t know before, like okara (soi pulp) powder and protein. Although restrictions can be inconvenient, they can actually be fun because trying to figure out how to live your life enjoyably and comfortably under those restrictions provides opportunities for growth. For me, this coronavirus pandemic feels like I am living in a country called “Coronavirus.” Like before I lived in Japan, then I lived in England, and now I live in “Coronavirus country.” Although the rules are different, I want to enjoy my life.”

Finding ways to save time by “living on hot pot dishes.” She prepares food for one day and divides it into three meals (from left; curry hot pot, soy milk and miso hot pot with mackerel, hot pot with plenty of mushroom, hotpot with pork, vegetables, and tofu).

Transforming into a lifestyle of self-management and self-care

We asked Ms. Naito again what she thinks are the good things that came out of her having challenged herself to enroll in the “body making” program.

“My physical condition has improved a lot. I wake up better in the morning, and my hay fever symptoms have improved. My sensitivity to cold has also eased, and even my back pain has subsided. When I was overweight, I felt sleepy throughout the day, but now that’s gone, too.”

Also, looking different, she feels that people’s perception of her has changed, too.

“I started to talk about wellness and beauty with my friends, and I realized that people are actually interested in talking about these topics. Until then, maybe it seemed that I was not interested, so others did not talk about it, too. For example, a friend invited me to take eyebrow makeup lessons with her, and a colleague with whom I have not spoken much before turned out to be a health enthusiast and asked me a lot about “body making.” I feel that my world has become bigger.”

She did not stop at simply losing weight for a season, but she made further gains by changing her lifestyle standards.

“‘Body making’ is ultimately about self-managing four things: diet, exercise, sleep, and mental health. In the past, I acted sporadically and whimsically, and I was not conscious about taking control of myself. But, through ‘body making,’ I learned to manage myself and I began to be proactive about other things, too, like avoiding illness, cleaning my apartment, etc. to prevent things from going out of hand. We live with our body our entire life, so daily maintenance and care will continue to be essential.”

The way she works has also changed. She used to work frantically to get as much done as possible in one day, being so overwhelmed at times. Today, she prepares ahead of time and works at an adequate pace to be able to perform at a higher level.

Her home training space. She continues to perform routine exercises using her spin bike, foam roller, and other gears.

Sharing her insights with others

Ms. Naito shares her “body making” experiences and the methods she found effective on her YouTube channel.

This is the link to her YouTube channel.

“Since I worked so hard to learn something, I want to tell others how I did it. I think I am basically an ordinary person, so what I want to say is, “an ordinary person like me can get results by working hard using this method.” I feel that it would be a shame if I don’t share the experiences I have worked so hard to gain.”

She had always believed in sharing the things she learned to others. During her university days, she was dubbed the "Blogging Queen" because she blogged about lacrosse and her activities as a U-21 player.

Today, it’s second nature for her to constantly share her experiences and insights with her colleagues, including talking to team members about her experiences in sales. Even in English, for which her TOEIC score was only 270 when she was in university, she has grown to acquire business-level proficiency after years of hard work and now hosts study groups as a global human resource.

“Maybe this kind of personality is a good fit for my job right now. In our company's corporate sales, we don’t just offer existing services as they are, but usually have to create and tailor them to meet the needs of clients. We make proposals by studying both our own products and the business environment and through dialog with our clients about potential solutions based on what’s going on in the industry, so that’s why it’s really important to have the ability to ‘share while learning’.”

Ms. Naito’s challenge and advice for everyone

Her body feeling lighter, she found herself increasingly enjoying mounting climbing, which has also become a regular monthly activity for her. The oldest member of her climbing club is 74 years old. She wants to stay healthy and be able to enjoy mounting climbing even when she reaches that age. Having finished her first half-marathon after she got in shape was a memorable experience, so she intends to run a full marathon in the future.

Completed first half marathon

After mastering English and succeeding at “body making,” she has not decided yet on her next challenge, but she wants to continue sharing her learning experiences with everyone, no matter what she does.

Finally, Ms. Naito gave the following message for A company colleagues.

"If you have something you want to do, you should openly declare it regardless of your current level and try to create an environment where you can enjoy it. For sure, people around you will cheer for you. If you don't have someone to help you, you can tell me! I’ll be happy to work with you in achieving your goals! If you like, please subscribe to my YouTube channel.”

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