Wednesday, October 01, 2008

Yes, we have no bananas (or asses) today.

(yes...I know...It is actually Thursday here....but since Blogger was causing me fits and not letting me post anything that I wanted, I just said "pfffffllltttt" and went to bed. Just pretend that it's Wednesday, okay...and anyway...like the title says...."no ass" today! Sorry...explanation to follow!!)



A banana crisis?!?!?!

Yes....thanks to the new fad diet... THE BANANA DIET...many grocery stores are reporting that their bananas are running low or actually sold out daily.

According to one report....

Claims that a banana a day keeps the weight away has led to a shortage of the appealing fruit in Japan, reports CBS station KYW-TV in Philadelphia.The 'Morning Banana Diet' claims that having a banana and room temperature water for breakfast jumpstarts weight loss regardless of what you eat for the rest of the day.Following the launch of the diet in March, a many Japanese television programs hailed method leading to a sharp increase in sales of bananas. Many groceries in the country reportedly sell out by the afternoon.

On TV about a week ago, they followed one famous geinojin, ("entertainer") as she followed this particular diet. And by "followed" I mean she had a video camera following her from the time she woke up to the time she went to bed for about 2 months. She is an opera singer...and not a thin one (as they sometimes tend not to be)....and very rarely did she eat a home cooked meal...most of her meals were from restaurants, take-out, or picked up from convenience stores.

Every morning she would wake up and eat her one banana and drink her glass of tepid water. Then, as she went about her day we could watch as she ate pretty much whatever she wanted...and believe me...I can see why she had such a round figure to begin with.

Amazingly enough, she was steadily losing the weight. I think that at the end of the 2 months, she had lost about 7 kilos....(around 15 pounds). The weight loss is great...I wish we could all lose it like that...but....what did she learn? Did she change her eating habits at all? Was she careful about what she put into her body? Was she healthier than when she started? My guess the answers would be NO, NO and NO. But, she lost the weight and that is all that matters, I suppose. I also wonder how long that weight will stay off....I hope they do a report on her in a few months.

So now....even the little grocery store that I go to almost everyday is experiencing a rush on bananas. Where I could buy a small bunch for about 120 yen ( a little more than a dollar) a few weeks ago, that same bunch of 5 bananas is now over 200 yen!! On Sunday, I went to one of the bigger supermarket chains here in the city and by 3:00 in the afternoon....no bananas....not...a...one. I asked one of the staff about it and he just shook his head and chuckled...."Banana diet....", he said, laughing.

I'm not a big banana eater.....but my boys and the K-man are. Thank goodness the nashi (Oh My God Delicious apple-pears) are in season and we can have those in the morning instead. We are just waiting for the fad to run its course....I'm giving it another month or two...then we will be back to 'bananas with our breakfast at the Kuroiwa House'.

Here's something that I have realized that kind of surprised me....when I run into people who haven't seen me for a long time and they comment about the weight loss, they make the assumption that I am on the "banana diet"....because Lord knows, many people are....and that assumption makes me a bit pissy. "No...I'm on a healthy diet, but thanks anyway", I tell them....doing a bit of a superior dance (in my head) as I walk away!

***************************

A new kind of math equation.....

1 hairstyle in dire need of a haircut + a rainy, windy day =

a "something about Mary" kind of hairstyle.

Good Lord I wish the cleaning lady would come and make my room more presentable! Organized chaos, folks, organized chaos!!!

5K Ass Update....will be posted sometime this weekend. I have a wedding to go to on Saturday and honeys, I'm gonna look gooooood! I have a really nice dress I bought from Spiegel about a hundred years ago but never wore because it was waaaaaay too small and now.....you betcha...it fits. I will try to get a good picture and post it! The wedding is of one of my students who graduated about 12 years ago....many of her friends from high school will be there and I am really looking forward to seeing everyone and celebrating with them. Plus....I'm dressing up....high heels and all. So...now..I have some time before my class and I need to go and practice walking in those heels, 'cause friends, it has been a loooooong time since I have worn shoes like this!! I hope I don't hurt myself!! :-D


14 comments:

Helena said...

I read about the banana crisis in the papers! I've got a book called "Japanese Women Don't Get Old or Fat" which is about the healthy Japanese diet and lifestyle. When I bought it I pictured myself eating miso soup, fish and rice for breakfast but for some reason it didn't appeal in reality. Maybe the Japanese should read that book instead of eating bananas...

smalltownme said...

Hmmm. I don't see how the banana thing would work if they don't change the rest of the diet too.

I hope you'll have a picture of yourself at the wedding.

shrink on the couch said...

And the Japanese, as a rule, are way thinner than we Americans, right? Then again, the whole world is way skinnier than we fat Americans.

I don't see how the banana plus water works either. I usually do cereal plus banana for breakfast and no fat loss here. Guess its the skim milk, huh?

Hope you post pictures of your skinny new self in your dress for the wedding. Have fun and tell us about Japanese wedding traditions.

Mrs. G. said...

Good luck with those heels.

Nancy said...

I eat a banana a day, maybe I need to start with the tepid water.

Whoot! I love high heels ... pictures, pictures, pictures!

Janet said...

can't wait to see pictures from the wedding!

Hula Girl at Heart said...

You're right, the banana thing will blow over soon. Each craze always does. Congratulations on fitting into the Spiegel dress!!! Can't wait to see the pics. And good luck with those heels. I'm a disaster in heels.

Jenn @ Juggling Life said...

Can't wait for the pics.

San Diego Momma said...

The banana diet reminds me of when the "cucumber diet" was popular here in California. Of course, with that one, you ate nothing but cucumbers, pineapple and chili peppers, so I'm liking the banana for breakfast, then anything you want all day diet better.

Have fun at the wedding. Post a pic of that ass!

jan in nagasaki said...

and last year it was the NATTO diet and there was no natto to be found.....this year there is a sign at the bananas that one person can only buy one bunch.

it's just one damn thing after another here....

Anonymous said...

Bananas...........bashmanas....you..loook...mahvelous,..dahling!!!! (ok, maybe a little work with the hair thing going on there.)

Karen MEG said...

Bananas are a staple around here too; I must keep us continually stocked.

Yay for fitting into that outfit and good luck with the heels... have a blast at the wedding and of course, pictures please.

BTW, you crack me up with your "something about mary" line... giggling....

Anonymous said...

Can't wait to see the pic of you looking HAAAWWWWTTTTTT. Seems like weight loss changes a persons attitude inside and out.
Shellie

Mary Alice said...

Wow bananas huh? First I have heard of this.