July 14, 2016 • mccsokinawa.com
Yastremska/Bigstock.com
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rying to lose weight or start a diet is difficult nowadays. There’s a lot working against you. First, our lives revolve around cheap, highly accessible food that tastes really good. On top of that, many of us live lives that do not require very much activity. Our bodies have simply not evolved to catch up to this way of life—our homeostatic system (a system that partly functions to maintain our weight) is thrown off by something as simple as a trip to the candy machine. To top it all off, and possibly the worst part of all this, is the ineffective and often senseless diet advice we all get: juice cleanses, detoxing, metabolism-boosting meals, belly fat torching veggies.
inside
Diets today are modeled as short-term solutions—excluding one food group in favor of another or “miracle” ways of dropping 10 pounds. But diets require long term adherence, so the idea of completely excluding certain foods, or sticking only to “diet” or “healthy” foods, is not very sustainable. In fact, the entire idea of “good” and “bad” food is not sustainable. The healthiest and most sustainable form of dieting isn’t even a diet at all—it’s being flexible and mindful about your food choices and sources, instead of looking at nutrients in terms of good and bad. If you want a cookie now and then, have a cookie, just not all the cookies. There is no such
Far East Bodybuilding: Beasts of the East | 3 Philip Ricardo Jr. and Cathy LeFrancois | 3 Why Eat a Bitter Melon? | 5 Japanese Phrase of the Week | 5
“There is no such thing as bad food or good food, just bad diets.” thing as bad food or good food, just bad diets. Read on for more sustainable tips on healthy living in this issue and visit mccsokinawa.com/healthpromotion to see what they offer to help you make better choices for your health.
Pick of the Week: Mental Fitness | 7 Nutrition Consultations | 9 Off-Base Events | 11 Semper Fit Events | 11
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livingatlarge
Far East Bodybuilding: Beasts of the East
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he MCCS Far East Bodybuilding competition is known as one of Semper Fit’s biggest events of the year and after a four-year hiatus, it finally returned last year. This year, it’s bigger and better and the competition could not be more intense.
The best bodybuilders, physique and figure competitors in the Pacific will compete on August 7 at the Camp Foster Theater for the fitness event of the year. “The Far East show has always been the best show. We want this [Far East Bodybuilding] to be the best thing people have seen,”
says Glen Morris, event coordinator and retired pro bodybuilder. Purchase your ticket now at any staffed Semper Fit fitness center through August 5 or onsite for $20. Doors open at 3 p.m. and finals begin at 4 p.m. For more information, visit mccsokinawa.com/bodybuilding.
events&happenings
CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER | Jim Kassebaum MANAGING EDITOR | Caylee Reid ART DIRECTOR | Catherine Newquist CULTURAL RESEARCH SPECIALIST | Ayako Kawamitsu GRAPHIC ARTS MANAGER | Henry Ortega GRAPHIC DESIGNERS | Margie Shimabukuro, Lisa Miyagi, Kelli Davis, Hector Nieves EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | Mike Daley EDITOR | Ryan Anastoplus PHOTOGRAPHER | Thomas Alan Smilie AD/SPONSORSHIP MANAGER | Roy Forster AD SALES | Yoshihiro Shinzato, Aya Chilcote, Yoriko Yamashiro, Carina Fils-Julien, Lisa Hicks DISTRIBUTION | Gideon Juko, Kelli Kreider MARKETING ACCOUNTS MANAGER | Andrew Menges ACCOUNTS & RESEARCH | Jennifer Dowd, Marissa DeSmet, Ashley Herring, Katherine Melrose, Jenessa Reutov BROADCAST | Kathlene Millette, Gabriel Archer MARKETING INTERN | A'Lexus Johnson
Questions? Comments? Please e-mail OLW@okinawa.usmc-mccs.org. To advertise in Okinawa LivingWeekly, call 645-2245, fax 645-0975, or email sales@okinawa.usmc-mccs.org. MCCS is not responsible for designing and editing outside ads. No Department of Defense, U.S. Marine Corps or Marine Corps Community Services endorsement of commercial advertisers or sponsors implied.
Philip Ricardo Jr. & Cathy LeFrancios
Top: Aya Chilcote, bottom: Courtesy of Philip Ricardo Jr. and Cathy LeFrancois
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ere’s your chance to meet Philip Ricardo Jr. and Cathy LeFrancios. On August 5, 6 and 7 they will visit fans for autographs and photos. Philip Ricardo Jr. is one of the top natural bodybuilders of all time. He is a retired U.S. Marine and 15time All Natural Pro Bodybuilder Champion. His titles include four Natural Universe wins and two Natural Olympias. Cathy LeFrancios is known for having one of the most complete, aesthetic and symmetrical physiques in the sport today, and is one of the top female bodybuilders in the world. She won her pro card in 1995 and rose through the ranks quickly, becoming Ms. International in 2003 and taking fourth in Ms. Olympia the same year.
meet& greet AUGUST 5 Camp Foster Gunners Gym 11 a.m.–1 p.m. AUGUST 6 Camp Hansen House of Pain 10:30 a.m.–noon MCAS Futenma Semper Fit Gym 3–4:30 p.m. AUGUST 7 Camp Foster Theater 3–4 p.m. This publication printed with
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japanese phrase of the week
Let's go to the gym. Jimu ni ikimashou.
Clockwise from the top left: Dean Drobot/bigstock.com, koi88/bigstock.com
For details about FREE Japanese language classes, please call Marine & Family Programs-Resources at 645-2104/2106.
whyisthat?
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Why Eat a Bitter Melon?
ôyâ. At first glance it may look like a mutant cousin of the cucumber—possibly at first taste, too. In fact, it looks like a cucumber that has been dipped in toxic waste and transformed into the muscular superhero fruit that it is. But there is no denying that the adjective to best describe it is bitter—not something we usually prefer. Certainly nothing to glorify. We like sweet; we like savory. We recoil at bitter. And yet, Okinawa goes crazy for this green god—even going so far as to have a “gôyâ day” (it’s May 8, for the record, because five in Japanese is “go” and eight is “ya”), when many JAs will give away gôyâ for free to celebrate. So, the question is why? Gôyâ is like naptime or running. It’s one of those things that you don’t appreciate at first, or when you’re younger. But as you grow older and wiser, you may find that you love it; gôyâ tends to
grow on people. You start out forcing it down for the nutrition, and then you get the “runner’s high” of gôyâ, and discover that, when cut, gutted, boiled and tossed in a salad, it’s more than palatable—it’s delicious. If you still need some convincing, gôyâ is chockfull of vitamins
B6, B12, C and flavonoids (a type of antioxidant). Many people have credited gôyâ as one of the reasons Okinawa has so many centenarians. Perhaps that’s enough of a reason to dedicate an entire day to the mighty melon, or at least give it a try.
If you have any burning questions about Japanese culture, please send them to OLW@okinawa.usmc-mccs.org.
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surround yourself with positivity A
Want to meet like-minded people with similar interests and goals? Volunteer! Contact the Volunteer Program Coordinator at 645-3749 or volunteernow@okinawa.usmc-mccs.org
pickoftheweek Mental Fitness
s students in grade school, we were taught about healthy living. We learn to balance out the right amount of protein, carbohydrate and fat in our diets, get our daily vitamins and minerals, eat fruits and vegetables and exercise for at least 30 minutes a day. But we know that’s not how it goes all the time. We sometimes have that morning breakfast of a donut with a quadruple-shot espresso, or a large double whopper meal with a Coke. When we hear the words “healthy living,” eating healthy and exercising may be the first things that come to mind. But healthy living is not just about eating healthy and exercising. Along with keeping our physical body healthy, “healthy living” is about being mentally and emotionally healthy. Mental and emotional fitness is an important aspect to fitness that often gets overlooked. Becoming mentally and emotionally healthy can sometimes mean simply building
positive relationships. Surrounding ourselves with positive people who want to obtain high achievements and success gives us motivation as well. However, if we surround ourselves with people who only want to do the bare minimum, we begin to follow suit. We need to surround ourselves with others who have high goals and
standards, take a break from work and go on that Caribbean cruise, live life and have fun. Healthy living isn’t limited to what we eat, drink or our exercise habits—it includes every other aspect of our lives. —A'Lexus Johnson Marketing Intern
Clockwise from left:Wavebreak Media Ltd/bigstock.com, f9photos/bigstock.com, Caylee Reid
photooftheweek
Hiking is another way to stay mentally and physically healthy. The Mt. Fuji hiking season officially opened July 1. Visit mccsokinawa.com/tours for more details.
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more details
Left: Davizro Photography/bigstock.com Right: stokkete/Bigstock.com
Learn more about MCCS Health Promotion by visiting mccsokinawa.com/ healthpromotion.
spotlight Nutrition Consultations
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hile dieting and exercise go hand in hand, some may argue that good nutrition is even more important than exercise. After all, you can’t outrun a bad diet. But learning the appropriate amounts of what to eat (or not eat) isn’t as instinctual as you may think. That’s
one of the reasons nutritionists exist, but to learn their knowledge or seek their advice can be costly. However, MCCS Health Promotion offers nutrition consultations for FREE. Their nutrition expert is available for individual nutrition consults, weight-management tips and unit
nutrition briefs (by request). For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 645-3910. Visit mccsokinawa.com/wellness to learn more about healthy living and all the resources MCCS provides absolutely FREE.
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tours+
adventure begins here Urashima Dinner Theater* July 15, 5:30–9:30 p.m. Adults $68 with half lobster, $52 without lobster, Children (6–12) $38, (3–5) $34, (under 3) FREE* *No meal Savor the varied flavors of Okinawan cuisine while being entertained by traditional music and dancers. Choose from the Okinawan or American menu when you purchase your tickets. The tour price includes dinner and show. Forest Adventure* July 16, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Adults $49, Children (7–17) $34 Zip through the Okinawan woodlands. Test your courage on the Zip Slide ride, the Amazon Rope Bridge, the Tibetan Bridge or any of the other exciting courses.
Japanese Tea Ceremony July 22, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Adults $35, Children (3–11) $28 (under 3) FREE Experience a traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony. Learn the steps to making tea, and eat Japanese sweets in a very traditional manner. After tea, have lunch and go shopping on Kokusai Street. Battle Sites Tour July 23, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Adult $28, Children (3–11) $18 (under 3) FREE Visit the Battle of Okinawa Historical Society Museum, explore the Japanese Naval Underground Headquarters and end the day at Peace Memorial Park.
*Bring yen for additional food, drinks and/or purchases. For more information, contact MCCS Tours+: Camp Foster 646-3502 | Camp Hansen 623-6344 | Camp Kinser 637-2744
off-baseevents get out and explore
Eisa Night July 16, 7:30 p.m. Koza Music Town, Okinawa City FREE
Proud sponsor of MCCS Youth Sports
Athletics/Adult Sports
zummolo/bigstock.com, Thomas Alan Smilie
645-3521/3522
Aquatics 645-3180 Courtney Ironworks 622-9261/7297 Futenma Semper Fit 636-2672 Gunners Fitness Center 645-3985/2235 Hansen House of Pain 623-5558/4831 Health Promotion 645-3484/3910 Kinser Fitness Center 637-1869/1114 Schwab Power Dome 625-2654/2442 Taiyo Golf Club 622-2004 Tsunami SCUBA 645-9500 Youth Sports 645-3533/3534
Ocean Expo Summer Festival July 16, noon–9 p.m. Ocean Expo Park, Motobu Town FREE
Kirairo Marché (Handcrafted) Festival July 16-17, 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Navel Kadena, Kadena Town FREE
upcoming semperfitevents Flag Football Tournament July 22–24 Camp Foster Gunners Fitness Center Register at any MCCS Fitness Center by 1 p.m. on July 18 for $105. The tournament rules and schedule will be emailed to each participant. This event is open to participants island-wide. Awards will be given to top three teams. Details: 645-3003/4866.
Open Racquetball Tournament August 13 Camp Courtney Ironworks Fitness Center Register at any MCCS Fitness Center by 1 p.m. on August 8 for $10 or onsite for $15. A mandatory participant’s brief will be at 9 a.m. on the day of the event. This event is open to participants island-wide. Awards will be given to top three finishers. Details: 622-7297.
classof theweek Warrior Training Functional Fitness focuses on building a body capable of doing real life activities in real life positions. This outdoor class develops and improves core strength, speed, agility, balance and proprioception. Camp Schwab Power Dome Fitness Center For a full class schedule and times, visit mccsokinawa.com/groupfitness.