One thing people who can't stop overeating after getting home from a draining, crowded train ride should decide before leaving the ticket gate
A day on the 7 PM Marunouchi Line, where I waited for three trains and was pushed against the shoulder the whole ride. The moment I got home, I opened the fridge and served myself a huge portion of rice. I have almost no memory of choosing to do so.
There was a time I thought the crowded train itself was the cause. However, looking back at my records, on days I was able to get a seat on the same line, the amount I ate after getting home was normal. The difference wasn't the train, but the amount of stress accumulated in my body.
The reason the amount doesn't return to normal after getting home is a stress issue, not hunger.
On days I can sit down and go home alone, my appetite stays normal even if I'm tired.
On days when I'm squeezed for over 30 minutes on a crowded train, I remain in a state of tension the entire time. The moment I leave the station, that tension releases, and my body sends a strong signal to 'fill up quickly.' This is different from a hunger signal.
In other words, the increase in portion size is not a matter of how empty the stomach is, but a reaction to frayed nerves.
The same structure occurs in crowded elevators or busy ticket gates, but the train is a level more intense. The longer the state of having no escape lasts—30 minutes or more—the greater the reaction tends to be after getting home.
The first time I realized this was last autumn, on a day the Marunouchi Line was stopped for 15 minutes due to signal trouble. I was pushed nearly twice as much as usual, and by the time I got home, I couldn't think about anything anymore. That day's large portion was probably the worst one.
What is determined the moment you leave the ticket gate?
The state you are in the moment you leave the ticket gate almost determines the total amount you will eat that night.
For the few minutes until I open the refrigerator, my mind is completely focused on wanting to eat something quickly. If I make choices in this state, my judgment for determining portion sizes barely functions.
This is what I realized two years ago. What I needed to reduce wasn't the amount I ate, but the time I spent moving without a plan between leaving the ticket gate and opening the refrigerator.
One thing to decide before leaving the ticket gate
What you decide in advance is not the content of your dinner. Eat one thing immediately upon returning home, just that one thing.
If I think about it after opening the refrigerator, I end up eating large portions of whatever catches my eye. If I pick up one thing at a station shop or convenience store before leaving the ticket gate, I can absorb the initial reaction the moment I get home.
I started using protein-based stick snacks that are placed by the registers at 7-Eleven and FamilyMart.
One bar provides around 15g of protein in 120g, and I can finish it right after getting off the train. If I have this before I start preparing dinner, the momentum to serve a large portion subsides significantly.
The fact that it is a size I can finish during the five-minute walk from the ticket gate to my home is also one of the reasons it is easy to keep up.
How to structure dinner on days when the reaction is strong
Even if you brace yourself for the backlash with a drink before the ticket gate, your dinner itself can remain as usual.
Don't skip it; just change the order. I fixed my routine to have soup first, followed by the main dish.
On days when I order a beef bowl from Matsuya or Sukiya, I found that if I drink the miso soup first before touching the bowl, I can naturally reduce the amount of rice I eat. You don't need to change how you order the same bowl based on whether it was a crowded train day or a day you got a seat. Just change the order.
If you have concerns about your health or if you experience sudden, persistent weight changes, you should consult a medical institution or a professional. What I am writing here is strictly about how to structure your meals on weekdays.
Only add "train congestion level" to your records
I couldn't keep up with recording calories every day.
Instead, I started writing just one of three words in the memo section of Asuken: "Crowded," "Normal," or "Got a seat." When you line up a week's worth, the bias of the days you slipped up becomes visible.
Input takes 5 seconds a day. Once I had 20 business days' worth of data, I was finally able to read the patterns. In my case, 60% of my slip-ups were concentrated on "Crowded" days.
Once I realized the cause wasn't appetite but the stress of commuting, the focus of my countermeasures shifted. It stopped being about trying to restrain myself at night and became about what to decide before leaving the ticket gate.
To be honest, for the first two weeks of recording, I thought, "Isn't this just blaming the train?" But even on the same route and at the same time, I didn't order a large portion on days I got a seat. The only difference was the level of congestion.
I am still withholding judgment on this. On days when trains are delayed due to typhoons or accidents, I feel that the lateness of the arrival time has a greater effect on the backlash than the crowding, but since I only have 6 records so far, I cannot draw a definitive conclusion.
If you are going to do it today
First, decide on one return trip where you are likely to ride a crowded train.
Just make a note that morning to "buy one stick before the ticket gate." You don't need to decide what's for dinner. Just fix one thing in advance to absorb the backlash.
If you are going to buy one, the only thing you need to worry about is the single salad chicken stick. At around 150 yen each, it can be used to lighten the backlash immediately after returning home. Before stocking up on many varieties, start with just this one.
You only need to decide on one thing. The reason you fall apart on days with crowded trains is that you have entrusted your judgment to the backlash.
📖 Also recommended
During weeks when late-night snacking continues, it is easier to get back on track if you keep low-calorie snacks in the freezer.
Salted boiled edamame can be eaten just by thawing, and you can get both protein and dietary fiber. I keep it in the freezer as another safety net for days when I am tired from a crowded train.
※Advertisement
📌 Lose 15kg with zero willpower by designing how you eat every day. Follow me to receive a template for weight loss.
📖 I have compiled more in-depth discussions in my paid articles.
“Weekday lunch design: Adjusting your lunch to avoid afternoon drowsiness by focusing on combinations rather than quantity”