This Japanese Weight-Loss Trick Doesn’t Require Diet or Exercise

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Most fast, easy tips for weight loss involve one of two things: an expensive gym membership or a strict diet that leaves your tummy rumbling in a matter of hours. Tired of doing both—and not seeing results you bargained for? The Japanese long-breath diet might help you finally shed those extra pounds.

It may be called a diet, but this weight-loss trick has nothing to do with food. All you have to do is position your body, inhale for three seconds, and exhale for seven seconds. (Watch this video for further instructions.) And the best part? You only have to do these exercises for two minutes a day. Yes, it really is that simple! Try even more ways to lose weight without a lick of exercise.

The secret to this waist-whittling technique lies in your breath. As you inhale, the oxygen you breathe in attaches to your fat cells and splits them into carbon and water, which you then exhale as carbon dioxide. The more oxygen you inhale, the more fat you burn as you exhale. Plus, not only can this trick help you lose weight, but it can also strengthen your body’s muscles and boost your metabolism, experts say.

Seems too good to be true, right? But the numbers don’t lie. A 2014 study published in the British Medical Journal found that this process can burn up to a half-pound of fat per day. (Learn more about where your fat really goes when you lose weight.) What’s more, Japanese actor Miki Ryosuke claims that the exercises helped him lose nearly 30 pounds and five inches from his waist in just a few weeks.

Of course, this shouldn’t necessarily replace your standard exercise and dieting regime. But if you’re serious about slimming down, a little can go a long way. Ready to try the technique for yourself? Try pairing it with one of these fat-releasing habits that help you slim down.

[Source: Cosmopolitan]