Part 2: Reducing Meals, Preparing for Famine

In the studio of Go Takagi
photo by SHIMIZU Yuki

Part 2: Eating Less, Preparing for Famine

■ Time to Reassess Your Life

SuzukiSo, living half a step ahead, as you say, means getting the jump on things, right?

TakagiThat's probably it. And I trust my intuition over logic for that.

SuzukiIn what other ways are changes manifesting?

TakagiLately, it's the number of meals I eat per day. Reducing the number of meals. Or rather, it's reducing on its own.

SuzukiHow many times?

TakagiOne or two times a day now. This isn't just happening to me; all my friends with sensitive intuition around the world are also eating fewer meals.

SuzukiI see. So, in other words, you're preparing for the encroaching 'era of famine'?

TakagiThat's probably it. For me, the era of gluttony ended about two years ago, and now is the time to reassess my own life. Five years ago, my body fat percentage was 15%, but I've significantly reduced it to 9% now. I've created a body that's efficient with fuel.

SuzukiI'm also at 9% body fat. It used to be around 22%. What prompted you to train?

TakagiDuring 9/11 in 2001, friends who traveled overseas frequently for work couldn't go anymore, so we thought, 'Let's do something,' and went to the gym. We all got in shape there.

SuzukiWhen do you eat your meals?

TakagiWhenever, really, but mostly dinner.

SuzukiMornings?

TakagiI don't feel like eating in the morning. I wake up, have a snack in the afternoon, dinner, and then something sweet late at night, and that's it.

Part 2: Eating Less, Preparing for Famine

photo by SHIMIZU Yuki

■ Similar Eating Habits to Hidetoshi Nakata

SuzukiYou have a sweet tooth, then.

TakagiI do have a sweet tooth. I also drink quite a bit.

SuzukiWho are these friends around the world, for example?

TakagiHidetoshi Nakata. We're very close, and we take a summer vacation together every year. We have similar eating habits; we don't eat vegetables at all. This year, the day after he announced his retirement, we spent time together. Since it was a vacation, we'd wake up around noon, go out, eat ice cream (laughs), have a normal dinner with drinks, and finish with sweets late at night. Then we realized, 'We used to eat lunch about three years ago.' We wondered why the number of meals had decreased. We concluded, 'Our bodies have probably become more fuel-efficient and have better metabolism.'

SuzukiI see.

photo by SHIMIZU Yuki

TakagiAlso, Harvey, a DJ from the UK, has a lifestyle similar to mine and travels the world. We coincidentally met at a sushi restaurant in LA, and he also mentioned that his eating habits have changed recently, with fewer meals.

SuzukiHmm. Do you like sweets?

TakagiI'm a picky eater, but I don't take any supplements at all. I only pay attention to water. I do like sweets. Junk food from convenience stores or cake. I eat sweets even when traveling, so I can't date girls who don't like sweets (laughs).

SuzukiDo you know about Savarin? It's my favorite dessert.

TakagiIt's delicious, isn't it?

SuzukiBut lately, it's hard to find in French restaurants. When I mention 'Savarin,' they say, 'Savarin is a bit...'

TakagiI like childlike sweets, and I buy and eat new snacks from convenience stores. There's always cake in my fridge. You, Suzuki-san, have a more sophisticated sweet tooth.

(To be continued)