There is a Japanese word, Hara hachi bu. It means “eat until 80 percent full.”
If you’re trying to lose weight it is a wonderful philosophy to abide by.
Be forewarned, however, it isn’t easy to follow. This is because it takes the brain 20 minutes from the time the stomach is full until the brain believes the stomach it is satiated.
The result: Most of us keep eating even though our body doesn’t need the food.
The philosophy–or, perhaps, the strategy–of Hara hachi bu has implications well beyond dieting.
How many of us are chasing a bigger house, a nicer car, the latest technological gadget or maybe even a new, more attractive partner because we think it’ll make us happier?
As Lao Tzu once said, “He who knows he has enough is rich.”
He was right: Enough is enough.
One of the things we must all unlearn is the idea that more is always better.
It isn’t.
Less can be more.
Less food can make us feel and look better, and less time slaving away after materialistic things can leave more time for the things that really matter.
If you’re ready to say “enough is enough”, trying saying “Hara hachi bu.” It’s good practice at the dinner table … and in life.
