This exercise is super lazy but some people are swearing by it!
I honestly can’t think of an easier way to lose a few pounds while shrinking the belly and waistline. All you’re basically doing is stand there and breathe.
And it takes just 2 minutes a day.
Sounds crazy? I know.
But when it comes to creativity, the Japanese are crazy!
Okay, this is not some funny guy from a Japanese game show. His name is Miki Ryosuke and he’s a former actor who created this breathing exercise purely by accident.
Miki was practicing a breathing technique to cope with his back pain when he realized he was losing quite a bit of weight. In just 7 weeks, he had lost almost 29 pounds and shed 5 inches off his waist. This all happened naturally and effortlessly too.
Since then, he has fine-tuned the technique and the “Long Breath Diet” was born.
To be honest, I have no idea why he’s using that name but don’t worry, this breathing exercise has nothing to do with dieting.
In fact, this program consists of 2 simple movements only and is very easy to follow.
But since this video is in Japanese and doesn’t come with subtitles, I have broken it down into step-by-step instructions below.
First Exercise
This is the first part of the program and anyone can do it.
Step 1
- Place your left foot at the front pointing slightly to your left.
- Place your right foot at the back pointing diagonally to your right at 45 degrees angle.
- Keep your buttocks tightened.
Step 2
- Lean your body slightly backward as shown above.
- Place approx. 90% of your body weight onto your back foot.
- Tighten your buttocks, core and leg muscles.
Step 3
- Slowly raise both arms above your head.
- While you’re raising your hands, take a deep breath by inhaling slowly through your nose for 3 seconds.
Step 4
- As you lower your arms in a circular motion, slowly but strongly exhale the air through your mouth for 7 seconds. You should be hearing a woo sound as you breathe out.
- While exhaling, squeeze every muscle on your body including your arms, chest and abs.
- When your arms are lowered to the sides, keep flexing your muscles while you extract all the air out of your lungs.
Now, simply repeat the same steps for 6 times each day.
Second Exercise
This is the second part of the entire program. I must say this one is even easier and lazier than the first.
Step 1
- Stand up straight.
- Tighten your core muscles and buttocks.
- Place your right hand on your abdomen and your left hand onto your lower back.
Step 2
- Keep the same posture and your back straight
- Suck in your tummy
- Slowly breathe in through your nose for 3 seconds
Step 3
- Keep your tummy sucked in
- Exhale through your mouth for 7 seconds
Repeat the same steps for a total of 6 times and you’re done.
According to Miki, his Long Breath Diet method only takes 2-3 minutes to complete but you will have to do it every day to see results.
Still feeling skeptical?
Well, you’re not alone.
There is a reason why I called this a lazy exercise because that’s exactly how I saw it. I just couldn’t imagine how anyone can lose weight without breaking a sweat or eating healthy.
But apparently, most European doctors support the idea of using breathing exercises for weight loss. There is a scientific explanation to back it up too.
According to a study by the UNSW in Australia, 80% of the fat that leaves your body is expelled through your lungs. Fat is made up of oxygen, carbon and hydrogen. So when the oxygen you breathe in reaches the fat cells, it breaks them down into water and carbon which will eventually be carried to your lungs to be expelled.
In other words, the more oxygen you breathe in, the more fat you will burn.
What are people saying about this Japanese breathing method?
As expected, a lot of people are poking fun at Miki’s breathing technique especially from the comments section in a similar video curated by Bright Side.
However, there are some who have tried the exercise and claimed it works!
One particular comment caught my eyes and it was posted on the original video but is in Japanese. So I translated it and it goes something like this:
This is the final report. I’ve been doing this for almost a year, but the conclusion is that it produced a great result. Weight has reduced by 15 kg from the start. The waist also reduced by 20 cm. In the second half of the year, I couldn’t do it once a day due to my busy work schedule, but I gradually lost weight too. As Mr. Miki himself said, the purpose of this exercise is to build muscles and build a body that is hard to gain weight, and weight loss due to exercise should be considered as an incidental to body modification. Now I have a body that is harder to put on weight even if I eat more, which is my ultimate goal. The changes in my body have surprised my wife too. For those who are critical without even trying or who are frustrated by wanting quicker results, please continue the exercise for half a year and at least three times a day. You should see a significant effect. If you are criticizing it without implementing it, please try it first and then complain.
