I appeared on NewsPicks 2Sides: 'The Secrets to Snacking & Losing Weight in 1 Minute'.

I had the pleasure of appearing on NewsPicks' 2Sides: 'The Secrets to Snacking & Losing Weight in 1 Minute'! I spent an hour talking about diet with Koji Kato and Dr. Kazuki Takakura, an obesity specialist. Kato-san, whom I've watched on TV for years, was three times sharper with his witty remarks than I imagined—pros really are amazing! I was flustered the entire time during the recording.

Dr. Takakura, who appeared with me, had such a gentle demeanor that I could see right next to me why patients would trust him so much. We had a great time talking about the many mutual acquaintances we had from his days at Jikei University School of Medicine.

Since video segments have limited time, I'd like to summarize what we discussed on the show for those who are interested.

High-intensity 1-minute exercise, visceral fat that is dangerous even if you look thin, the reason I recommend muscle over Mounjaro, strength training that doesn't require pushing yourself to the limit, and the sugar-free diet I tried for just one month and failed at. I've written all of this for busy people who are concerned about their health checkup numbers and dieting. Even if you didn't watch the show, I've made it so you can read it all right here.

You can find my self-introduction here.

'All-out 1 minute' is equivalent to 1 hour of walking (VILPA study)

This is what I wanted to convey most on the show. A study that tracked the wrists of 73,485 people with wearables for 8 years found that 1 minute of high-intensity exercise is equivalent to 53 to 94 minutes of leisurely walking. When we re-measured with machines what had been based on self-reported surveys—which guidelines around the world have relied on—the results were this different.

Since it is an observational study, we cannot claim causality. Even so, it perfectly matches my own experience: after 14 years of walking sluggishly and convincing myself that I was 'doing cardio,' HIIT stopped me from getting out of breath like a completely different person. All you have to do is run up the station stairs at full speed. If people in suits do a double-take, that's just part of the charm.

▼ Everything about the 'All-out 1 minute' I talked about on the show, from the paper
The health benefits of '1 minute all-out' and '1 hour of walking' were almost the same | The common sense of exercise overturned by the VILPA study
I summarized the conversion details, why intensity works (VO2max, mitochondria, blood sugar), and even the question of 'so is walking a waste of time?' based on the study of 70,000 people. The parts we didn't have time for on the show are almost all written here.

If an all-out 1 minute is too tough, there is also the option of interval brisk walking. Just walk fast for 3 minutes, then walk slowly for 3 minutes. Simply repeat this alternately. According to data accumulated by Shinshu University over 20 years, unlike the group that just walked 10,000 steps, their physical fitness age rejuvenated by about 10 years and their blood pressure dropped. It's not about the number of steps, but whether you can incorporate 3 minutes of something slightly tough. It's the same root as the all-out 1 minute I talked about on the show.

▼ Another way of walking: '3-minute brisk walking' instead of 10,000 steps
'Doctor, can I stop doing 10,000 steps now?' The truth and scientific basis of 'interval brisk walking' 3 minutes x 3 minutes that a doctor encountered
From the story of a patient whose body didn't change even with 10,000 steps a day, to data on a 10-year rejuvenation in physical fitness age and a 9 mmHg drop in blood pressure. If the all-out 1 minute is too hard, I think it's better to start here.

The less your weight changes, the more dangerous the inside is (hidden obesity)

'Even if the BMI is 22, many business executives have internal organs covered in fat when you take a CT scan.' That's what I said on the show. In medicine, this is called TOFI (Thin on the Outside, Fat on the Inside). Even though it doesn't show up on the scale or in the mirror, visceral fat quietly damages your blood vessels. There is also data showing that people with unhealthy metabolism, even with a normal BMI, fall into a group with high mortality and cardiovascular risk.

'I'm not fat, so I won't get diabetes.' This is the scariest misconception I encounter in my clinic. Before staring at your weight, line up your triglycerides, HDL, HbA1c, ALT, and waist circumference from your health checkup report and look at the difference from last year. Even if each one is a grade A, if they are all shifting toward the worse side, things are changing on the inside.

▼ The story that you can have a fatty liver even if you are thin
Thin fatty liver is the scariest | The risk called TOFI
Which numbers on the health checkup report should you check, and in what order? Why do I recommend strength training over cardio to reduce visceral fat? I wrote specifically about the advice I actually give in my executive clinic.

Lose it with medicine, or reduce it with muscle (the point of contention on the show)

This was the first theme of the show. Dr. Takakura said, 'Slowly suppress appetite with medicine,' while I said, 'Build muscle to reduce visceral fat.' There are two entrances to the same goal.

Personally, I don't deny GLP-1 drugs (like Mounjaro). However, if you lose weight rapidly with just medicine, about half of what you lose is muscle. Your metabolism drops, and you end up with a body that is prone to gaining weight and aging after you stop. That's why I start with muscle first.

I believe muscle is the ultimate health asset. In fact, the PURE study of 140,000 people in 17 countries showed that the lower the grip strength, the higher the mortality risk. Grip strength is, in the end, an indicator of muscle strength. I think losing muscle is detrimental to health in the long run. More details on the show.

▼ The story that grip strength and push-ups reflect your lifespan
How many push-ups can you do? That number predicts your lifespan 'more accurately than blood pressure.'
Why is muscle strength related to the heart? From the story of a substance called 'myokine' released by muscles to the 140,000-person grip strength study. I wrote about the content behind my statement on the show that 'muscle is an asset.'

You didn't have to push yourself to the limit in strength training

When I said on the show that 'pushing to the limit is unnecessary,' Kato-san said, 'That makes it easier, doesn't it?' That was exactly the same for me, too. For 17 years, I had been doing it thinking it would be a waste if I didn't push myself to the limit.

In the guidelines (over 30,000 people) revised by the ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) in 2026 for the first time in 17 years, it was shown that there is no difference in muscle strength or muscle hypertrophy even if you leave 2-3 reps in reserve. What works is just the total volume per week. Rather than getting injured and taking 3 months off, it's better to continue steadily at 80% capacity; you'll end up bigger in the end.

▼ Everything I couldn't say on the show about 'no-strain strength training'
You didn't need to push yourself or train for hypertrophy | Explaining the latest US strength training guidelinesFour overturned common beliefs and three things I actually changed in my training. I've written in depth, even covering how to get a workout in at a hotel on days you can't make it to the gym. This part is exclusive to members.

Sugar restriction ended with one comment from my child.

On the show, I also talked about my failures. It was a month of serious sugar restriction (ketogenic diet). When I cut my sugar intake to under 20g a day, I lost 5-6kg and my abs started to show. But my child said, 'Dad, your breath stinks' (it's the acetone smell of ketone bodies), and my LDL cholesterol jumped from 112 to 182.

The biggest reason I quit wasn't the numbers, but 'not being able to eat the same things as my family.' I don't recommend things I haven't tried. I tested it on my own body, found it didn't suit me, so now I eat rice normally.

▼ The doctor's month where LDL jumped from 112 to 182
Woken up by 'Dad, your breath stinks': A doctor's ketogenic diet
Stories of people whose LDL jumps on keto, the background of how a once-discussed paper was retracted, and the 'don't cut everything out' eating method I recommend to business owners. This is the full version of that failure story from the show.

Summary: The 5 things I talked about on the show

• 1 minute of all-out effort is equivalent to 53-94 minutes of walking (study of 70,000 people using wearables). Mix in 1 minute of stair sprints.

• Visceral fat accumulates even if your weight doesn't change. Line up the numbers on your health checkup report and check the difference from last year.

• I don't deny medication. But I prefer to start from the side of muscle, which is the greatest health asset.

• You don't need to push yourself in strength training. The results won't change even if you leave 2-3 reps in the tank (ACSM 2026).

• Sugar restriction didn't suit me. I choose an eating style that I can sustain rather than cutting everything out.

I'm glad I worked hard at strength training, as it allowed someone strange like me to appear on NewsPicks and meet Mr. Kato.

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Note: This article is intended to provide general health and medical information and does not constitute diagnosis, treatment, or medical advice for any specific individual. If you have health concerns, please be sure to consult a medical institution. The author assumes no responsibility for the results of actions based on the information in this article.