Is Japanese BBQ Healthy? (5 Tips For Weight Loss) 

Japanese BBQ might not be as well known as Korean BBQ but it’s worth trying it. If you’re already familiar with Japanese BBQ but want to know if it’s healthy, this article is perfect for you. Find out what Japanese BBQ is and see whether, or not it can fit into your lifestyle.

Japanese BBQ - known as Yakiniku which translates into “grilled meat” in Japanese - is different from Korean BBQ in a few ways, from the meat that is being used to the seasoning. 

It rose to popularity in Japan in the ‘80s and ‘90s because beef prices dropped. However, it’s not as popular in the U.S. as Korean BBQ because of the trade relations regarding Kobe beef. 

Although Japanese BBQ is delicious, is it healthy?

Surprisingly, Japanese BBQ is quite healthy as it is relatively low in calories and offers a balance of all three macronutrients. 

Here are five steps that explain what Japanese BBQ is, the calorie amount in one serving, and how to stay in shape while eating Japanese BBQ.

1. What is a Japanese BBQ?

2. Understand How Many Calories You Need to Consume in a Day 

3. Eat Your Greens & Avoid The Rice 

4. Make Sure To Consistently Workout & Build Muscle 

5. How to Increase Your Activity Level While Eating Japanese BBQ

Now that we know our five steps, let’s get into the details that will help you stay in shape while enjoying some delicious Japanese BBQ.

Tip 1: What is a Japanese BBQ?

There are many choices of meat that you can get from a Yakiniku restaurant. However, most traditional Yakiniku restaurants will only serve beef. 

Popular cuts at Japanese BBQ restaurants are beef tongue, skirt steak, Angus beef, and filet mignon. However, cow intestines known as Horumon are also popular on the menu. Such as cow stomach, tripe, and liver. Some Japanese BBQ restaurants also offer seafood and pork. 

In comparison to Korean BBQ, the grill is also different. At Japanese BBQ restaurants, the grill is sunken in the center of the table and is round.

Although you can find meats that have been marinated, Japanese BBQ will include barbecue sauces, such as sweet tare. Which is made with sake, ginger, garlic, black pepper, and sugar. 

Keep in mind that marinades add calories to your meats which means it adds the macronutrients it consists of. For every gram of carb, however, you can add 3-4 calories. They are also high in sugars or sodium.

Now that we know what Japanese BBQ is, let’s take a look at the nutrition facts of the most popular cuts to order at a Japanese BBQ restaurant.

Tip 2: Understand The Calorie Range & Macronutrient Ratios of The Foods You Eat

Here are some popular meats that are relatively low in calories and are not marinated. 

The tip here is to simply get the options that have no carbs and are not flavored with any marinade or seasoning. 

BEEF TONGUE 

If you’ve been to a Japanese BBQ restaurant, you know how delicious this cut of beef is. It is unseasoned and usually served with a slice of lemon. 

Let’s take a look at the nutrition facts. As you can see, one serving of beef tongue has 190 calories with a macronutrient ratio of 3 grams of carbs, 13 grams of protein, and 14 grams of fat. 

This is not too bad, especially if you’re following a keto diet or prefer a diet low in carbs.

SKIRT STEAK

Skirt steak is generally a leaner cut of beef available at Japanese BBQ restaurants. 

Let’s take a look at the nutrition facts. As you can see, one serving of skirt steak has 220 calories with a macronutrient ratio of 0 grams of carbs, 18 grams of protein, and 16 grams of fat. 

Again, this cut is also a great option if you live a keto-friendly lifestyle. 

ANGUS BEEF RIBS

Angus beef ribs are already flavorful due to the fat content you can see in the marbled meat. 

Let’s take a look at the nutrition facts. As you can see, one serving of Angus beef ribs has 210 calories with a macronutrient ratio of 1 gram of carbs, 19 grams of protein, and 15 grams of fat. 

Not too bad to be incorporated into your daily caloric intake.

FILET MIGNON 

Filet mignon is considered one of the best cuts from a cow, as it is flavorful and tender and a bit more expensive but so worth trying if you haven’t already.

Let’s take a look at the nutrition facts. As you can see, one serving of filet mignon has 250 calories with a macronutrient ratio of 0 grams of carbs, 19 grams of protein, and 18 grams of fat. 

Another good option for someone who’s doing keto and is looking for high protein and high fat to build muscles.

HORUMON (INTESTINE)

This part of the cow might not be everyone’s favorite due to its distinguished flavor, as well as its high-fat content. 

Let’s take a look at the nutrition facts. As you can see, one serving of Horumon has 290 calories with a macronutrient ratio of 0 grams of carbs, 10 grams of protein, and 26 grams of fat. 

However, since the meats are not seasoned or marinated the carb amount is very low, which is good if you’re watching your carb intake. 

Keep in mind that a good rule of thumb for dieting is keeping a nice balance of macronutrients. A great ratio is sticking to 30% carbs, 40% protein, and 30% fats. 

Regarding side dishes, it’s better to skip the rice and stick to the vegetables, such as eggplant, kimchi, or seaweed. But remember these might have a higher sodium amount. 

Tip 3: Understand How Many Calories You Need to Consume in a Day 

Whether you have a sedentary lifestyle or an active lifestyle, it’s important to understand how many calories you’re allowed to consume in a day to lose weight, stay in shape, and make sure not to overeat on your total calories for the day. 

If you burn more calories than you consume, then you will find yourself in a “caloric deficit” which is the only way fat loss can occur. 

There are a few factors that determine your daily calorie intake. Such as weight management, weight loss, or weight gain. Other factors that play a big role, are your gender and your height. 

So, how do you know how many calories you should be eating in a day?

The answer is through trial and error and finding a calorie range that allows you to lose 1-2 pounds of fat per week.

However, a good place to start is to multiply your body weight by 12 or to use an online TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) calculator.

Your TDEE relies heavily on how active you are and how much movement you see in your day.

Within your TDEE lies a subsection, which is called TEPA (Thermic Effect of Physical Activity) which accounts for 15-30% of your entire day’s worth of calories.

This means, you are in control of 15-30% of how much you can eat, which is a huge portion of calories.

If you’re someone who loves to eat a lot while staying fit, then the activity is the key to a balanced lifestyle that allows you to eat whatever you like, such as Japanese BBQ, and stay in shape. 

Once you know your calorie intake based on your weight and height, you can then decide how much you want to decrease it. If you want to lose 1 to 2 pounds per week, we suggest you start with 100 calories less than what you are currently consuming and see if you notice a difference within a week. 

If you don’t see any changes in your weight, decrease your calorie intake by another 100 calories and see how that works. 

It is suggested, however, to not decrease the calorie intake below 1,200 per day for women, or below 1,500 calories per day for men.

So, just calculate whatever calorie range you find, and split up your calories by following those macro guidelines. 

Now that we know how many calories you should consume daily, let’s take a look at how you can stay in shape and lose weight while eating Japanese BBQ.

Tip 4: Make Sure To Consistently Workout & Build Muscle 

After you’ve figured out how many calories you need to consume daily, you need to make sure that you exercise regularly and build muscle throughout every week. 

Building muscle allows you to burn calories at rest, which means you can eat more and still lose fat.

This is really the goal of working out and is what keeps you healthy as your metabolism increases.

The fastest and most efficient way to build muscle is to learn how to do some resistance training.

As stated in Tip #3, you need to be able to burn calories throughout your day in order to put yourself at a caloric deficit. 

Keep in mind that weight loss is really the concept of calories in vs. calories out.

Although working out and building muscle takes priority, having a consistent cardio schedule can help with expediting the fat loss process as it raises the energy expended throughout your week.

The fastest and most efficient way to build muscle is to learn how to do some resistance training.

You need to use weights and build muscle by doing a variety of workouts that isolate each muscle group specifically. 

Although it can be intimidating to get in shape, as it will be hard to learn and might be discouraging at the beginning, it’s definitely worth it in the long run for both your health and fitness.

All you need are a set of dumbbells, such as these adjustable dumbbells, and a reliable treadmill such as the Bluefin Fitness Treadmill that tracks your calories and you’re on your way to controlling the number of calories you burn. 

Regarding working out with dumbbells, it’s important not to add too much weight too soon because that could result in injury if you are unfamiliar with the correct body positions. It is better to start small and then increase the weight level. 

Here is a workout plan we’ve created for women and men if you are new to resistance training. 

WOMEN

Day One (Full Upper):

• Weighted Crunches: 3x35 

• Lateral Raises: 4x15

• Lat Pulldowns: 4x12

• Knee Push-Ups: 4x20

• Seated Shoulder Press: 4x20 

• Dumbbell Row: 3x10

• Dumbbell Fly: 3x10

Day Two (Back/Hamstrings/Biceps):

• Hammer Curls: 3x10

• Bicep Curls: 3x10

• Hamstring Curl: 4x15

• Stiff Leg Deadlift: 4x15

• Cable Row: 4x15

• Lat Pulldowns: 4x12

• Assisted Pull-Ups: 3x10

Day Three (Legs/Butt/Abs): 

• Leg Lifts: 3x35

• Weighted Crunches: 3x35 

• Jump Squats: 4x20

• Glute Kickbacks: 4x20 each leg

• Glute Bridge: 4x20

• Goblet Squats: 4x20

• Squats: 5x5

MEN:

Day One: Chest, Shoulders, Triceps, Abs (Push Day) : 

• Cable Crunches: 4 sets 15 reps 

• Triceps Rope Push Down: 3 sets 15 reps

• Lateral Raises: 3 sets 15 reps

• Shoulder Press: 3 sets 10 reps

• Dumbbell Press: 4 sets 12 reps

• Bench Press: 3 sets 10 reps

Day Two (Legs & Abs):

• Weighted Toe Touches: 4 sets 25 reps

• Weighted Sit-Ups: 4 sets 25 reps

• Jumping Squats With Resistance Bands: 5 sets 20 reps

• Glute Bridges With Weight: 4 sets 20 reps

• Stiff Leg Deadlift (Romanian Deadlift): 4 sets 15 reps

• Weighted Walking Lunges: 2 sets 20 steps

• Goblet Squats: 4 sets 20 reps

Day Three: Back & Biceps (Pull Day):

• Hammer Curls: 3 sets 10 reps

• Bicep Curls: 3 sets 10 reps

• Seated Cable Rows: 4 sets 15 reps

• Dumbbell Rows: 4 sets 10 reps (Each Side)

• Lat Pulldowns: 4 sets 12 reps

• Assisted Pull-Ups: 3 sets 10 reps

We recommend working out at least three times per week in the beginning, since the resting days in between are important to build muscle. 

You can also do a combination of resistance training and LISS (Low-Intensity Steady State) cardio or HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) cardio, to improve your heart health and maximize fat burn. 

LISS is cardio that comes from walking or a brisk walk, you should be able to have a conversation while still building up a sweat.

HIIT cardio is intervals of a very high-intensity movement, such as sprints, battle ropes, or kickboxing movements aiming to quickly raise the heart rate.

The benefit of HIIT is allowing yourself to burn calories in a shorter amount of time. 

We recommend having 80% of cardio coming from LISS while 20% comes from HIIT for optimal fat loss throughout the week. 

LISS is a much more reliable source of consistent movement and does not require rest as it does not shock the Central Nervous System the way HIIT can.

It’s important to understand the importance of diet and workout, to enjoy some Japanese BBQ.

Building muscle will happen relatively fast if you are new to working out, so this is great news for anyone looking to get in shape.

That’s why it’s important to increase your activity level at least 3 - 4 times a week if your goal is to get lean. 

In the next section of this article, we discuss how to increase your activity level.

Tip 5: How to Increase Your Activity Level While Eating Japanese BBQ

Calories are direct sources of energy that fuel your everyday life, so you need to make sure that you utilize them efficiently throughout your day. 

The best way to do this is to build muscle and to also move more throughout your day. 

60-75% of energy expenditure comes from your basal metabolic rate (BMR) which is how much your body burns if it did nothing all day. (NASM)

10% of energy expenditure comes from the thermic effect of feeding (TEF) which is the calories you burn from digesting different foods. (NASM)

15-30% of energy expenditure comes from the Thermic Effect of Activity (TEA) which is movement such as working out and aerobics. Source (NASM) 

To sum it up, up to 30% of our energy expenditure can come from movement and activity so this is a huge portion of our weight loss journey that you can actively control.

The more movement the better and, to utilize and burn those calories, you should be moving all you can.

If you put calorie tracking, muscle building, and actively moving more together, a Japanese BBQ won’t get you off track because the formula provides so much leniency for you to shed some fat.

You don’t want all of your calories simply coming from carbs or fats, you want there to be a balance coming from carbs, protein, and fats.

Therefore, the key here is to find foods that keep you full longer and still deliver a balanced amount of macronutrients. 

Working out allows you to be more flexible in your diet and lifestyle, which is so important if you want to sustain a lean body and stay healthy. 

THERE IT IS!

Our five tips will help you stay fit while consuming some Japanese BBQ. 

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