The FastDay Forum

I live on a subtropical island, which means it's crazy humid and everything tends to go a bit moldy. The first house I lived in here was brilliant--it was built in a way that minimized the mold. Why all houses aren't built this way is a question I'd love a local to answer, but to my point. The year I moved to my current house was also a year of a hideous commute (40 minutes each way in crazy traffic), and incidentally, probably when I really put on the weight the most recent time (I commuted by bike before that). Also the house, while beautiful on the outside, didn't have any anti-mold measures, ending in what I like to call the Mold Incident of 2009. On top of being tired from my commute, I had to try to clean all the clothes in the house, find and throw away all the leather (recently found a belt I had missed at the time. oh my. !!) At some point, after getting the house in decent shape and cleaning at least the clothes I wear regularly, I just gave up, leaving a closet of winter clothes and things that didn't fit behind.

Well, I decided this weekend's job would be to clean the last closet and all the clothes there. It's been fun trying things on that I haven't worn since 1992. Not everything fits, but alot does. Right now I'm wearing the little sundress I bought when travelling through Eastern Europe in the summer of 1996. I'm very excited that the linen jacket I defended my thesis in now fits! The skirt, however... let's just say my waist has a ways to shrink...

The next job will be to pack up the stuff that's too big. I'm not sure what to do with it--giving it to charity would be pointless here as these things are unlikely to fit any Japanese woman. I'll probably take it to the UK or US (it's nice to have an empty suitcase to fill with new stuff I get while I'm in the West).

[janeg]

That sounds like a fun weekend MaryAnn! I don't have old clothes! I am terrible and have very little and wear it until it falls apart. This stood us in good stead when we moved form the sandpit to Honk Kong and the tiny apartments there! And the humidity! Gosh it was something else. We weren't there long enough (a year) for it to do too much damage! And, like Japan, all the ladies are tiny! My beloved is about a mile high and a kilometer wide with feet like barges and shopping for him was a nightmare- they just laughed! With me, they just said they didn;t sell fat clothes
Glad you're getting the wear of previous clothes and the associated good memories

Hi MaryAnn and Janeg

It's fascinating hearing about how 5:2 works for others in different countries. Didn't fancy the mould though. Still if a wardrobe turn out has such great results in realising how much weight has shifted that's really encouraging.

Hadn't thought much about the size of people elsewhere, obviously genetic as regards height, bone structure etc. But how do you reckon diet comes into it? How Westernized is diet in Japan these days?

Well done Maryann what a great feeling rummaging through the 'other' wardrobe (pity about the mould) but trying + fitting into clothes you haven't seen for years, hope you find a solution to the charity dilemma sounds good about UK or USA + empty case on return to fill back up you definitely have earned treat. Good luck Sue

What an interesting, historical adventure. Enjoy the shopping!

That's an interesting question, Pammy. I think the Japanese and Okinawan diets are meant to be very healthy (though all that white rice!) but some of the size thing must be down to genetics. Okinawans in particular are quite short on average--I work with quite a few women under 5' tall. As for Westernization of the diet: Okinawa was occupied by the US from 1945 to 1972, so the US influence here is stronger than in mainland Japan. McDonalds is popular and there a Mr. Donut on every corner. The famed Okinawan longevity has disappeared in Okinawan men (probably due to smoking) and metabo (short for metabolic disorder), as they call it, is on the rise.