Hinata Kato's Daily Routine for Faster Fat Loss: EAAs, Fasted Incline Walking, Nutrient-Focused Meals, Strength Training, and Sleep

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Overview

In this vlog-style video, fitness YouTuber Hinata Kato ("Hina Channel") films a full day of the routine they follow when they want to lose a significant amount of body fat or change their shape. They have important shoots coming up in one and two weeks and want to get "a bit more fit," and viewers often ask how they lose body fat. Kato structures the day around a set of numbered rules: morning EAAs, fasted walking, a nutrient-focused diet, building large muscles, and sleep. Along the way they explain the reasoning behind each habit. Partway through, they also discuss a recent wave of criticism of their videos and how it has changed the way they explain things.

18 min read

A Disclaimer Up Front: Copy One Thing, Not Everything

Before starting, Kato says they value efficiency and results and are "a little hard on" themselves, so some viewers may wonder why they do so much. They stress that this is not a prescription. Viewers don't need to imitate all of it. If someone adopts even one habit they have never tried before, Kato calls that "amazing," and says it may build enough motivation to do more. They describe the routine as things they enjoy and rules they set for themselves. They also warn that their love of logic may come across as harsh, but repeat their belief that "doing what makes sense gets results."

1:57

Rule One: EAAs First Thing in the Morning

The first habit, which Kato calls very important while acknowledging viewers may be tired of hearing it, is taking EAAs (essential amino acids) right after waking. They give two reasons. Cardio comes next, and the body is "depleted" after roughly nine hours of sleep with no food or drink.

Kato's explanation of EAAs is that they are protein already broken down into the form the gut would otherwise produce. Since the stomach and intestines don't need to digest them, they reach the bloodstream quickly and deliver nutrients to the muscles. Kato then points to specific components on the label:

  • Histidine, which they describe as promoting fat breakdown.
  • Methionine, which they call a precursor to L-carnitine, a compound that promotes fat burning.
  • Lysine, which they describe as playing a similar role to methionine.

Kato calls these three very important for producing L-carnitine. They add that they are essential amino acids, meaning the body can't make them and they must come from the diet. For L-carnitine itself, Kato uses an analogy that comes back throughout the video. It is like the passport needed to board a plane, and fat burning cannot proceed without it.

On EAAs versus BCAAs, Kato explains that BCAAs contain only three essential amino acids (valine, leucine, isoleucine), while EAAs contain all nine. In Kato's view, BCAAs are more popular because of price and because EAAs, with more nutrients, tend to taste bad and are hard to keep taking.

The product they use is "MARUGOTO KYOHO-KUN," a grape-flavored EAA they dissolve in water. They compare it to grape ILOHAS, with a slightly sour, Ramune-like taste, and call it the best of the many EAAs they've tried. They note it is clear because it contains no coloring or preservatives. Their one concern is artificial sweetener. They say the other sweeteners come from corn and other plants, so only acesulfame K bothers them, and they are waiting for a sweetener-free version they believe the company is planning. Kato also admits they previously "compromised" by drinking EAAs with coloring because the good-tasting options were limited. They emphasize that any EAA is fine and this one is simply their preference. They drink about a third right after waking, change clothes, and sip the rest during the workout.

An Aside on Sports Bras

While changing, Kato shows the sports bra they wear, which tightens at the bottom to support the breasts from underneath. They say it prevents the Cooper's ligaments from tearing and that they "can't live without it." They mention that someone named MICHAEL recently examined their breasts and told them breasts should never be allowed to shake. Even light exercise causes jiggling, and the priority should be keeping breasts in the right position rather than making them larger. Kato acknowledges this has nothing to do with fat loss but considered it worth sharing. They also mention their waistline has become more defined recently, which motivates them to do cardio.

6:54

Dynamic Stretching Before Exercise

Before cardio, Kato does a morning dynamic stretch, which they describe as telling the muscles to "wake up." Their reasoning is that muscles ready to work burn more calories. As an example, the glutes don't engage well at rest, so people tend to use their calves instead. Waking the muscles up, Kato says, improves metabolism and increases calorie burn during later cardio and strength training.

7:45

Rule Two: "PEKOPEKO Walking" on an Empty Stomach

The second method is what Kato calls PEKOPEKO WALKING (PPW): walking on an empty stomach after waking. Their reasoning is that with an empty stomach, fat is burned first, which makes it an efficient form of cardio.

Kato also mentions mitochondria, described simply as "factories that convert nutrients into energy." They say 30 minutes of aerobic exercise a day can increase or improve them, and that 30 minutes daily is the best amount for fat loss. Timing is flexible. It can be 10 minutes in the morning, noon, and night, or 30 minutes in the evening. Kato says cardio at other times "is not useless," but for maximum benefit they recommend doing it first thing in the morning, even if only on weekends. The pace should allow talking without getting too out of breath.

Viewers often ask about treadmill settings. Kato uses an incline of 11 (the maximum is 15) and a speed of 3.5. They chose 11 because it feels like a hill, doesn't tire their legs too much, and lets them stay aware of their muscles. At 3.5 they can stay most conscious of their thighs and buttocks. In their view, more incline makes them use the wrong part of the leg, and more speed makes them walk on their calves. They see this combination as one that "doesn't make my legs fat" and say their body changed dramatically using it. They add that a treadmill isn't required. Their body also changed a lot from walking outside, and they use the incline treadmill lately for efficiency.

9:39

How Kato Stays Consistent: From "Have To" to "Want To"

Kato is often asked how they stick to the routine. Their answer is that they stopped thinking "I have to walk and take EAAs because I'll lose weight." They say they are not personally interested in losing weight. Their goals are better skin and a better figure, including larger breasts. They walk because they want to read a book, organize tasks, and clear their mind. Focusing on something other than weight loss turns "I have to" into "I want to," they say. They quote the saying "You can only make yourself happy," which they believe applies both mentally and physically, and stress learning how to cheer yourself up when motivation is low. They point viewers to a separate video on their "mind reset method."

10:39

Rule Three: A "Well-Considered" Diet Built Around Fat Metabolism

At breakfast, Kato introduces the third rule: eating sensibly to improve physique. The pillars they name are lipid management, GI-value management, and getting nutrients that metabolize fat. They name L-carnitine and vitamin B2 as nutrients that metabolize lipids.

Kato explains that they don't like restricting fat too much "since I'm a girl." They want to keep their breast size, build curves, and improve their figure through muscle. They say they studied extensively and earned what they call a Bachelor of Cosmetic Nutrition degree. They push back on the carb- and fat-restricted diets common in physique-athlete and weight-loss content. In their framing, sugar transports nutrients and fat produces hormones, so both are truly important. They also say body fat itself "is not bad." The goal is to get bones and muscles back into the right position, consume fat in a good way, and shrink fat cells.

Breakfast is built around these ideas:

  • Vinegar and mozuku (a seaweed), used for dietary fiber to control the GI value.
  • Ginger, for its antioxidant properties and to improve circulation, since blood carries nutrients.
  • Tofu, which they say turns into equol, plus vitamin B.
  • Grilled mackerel for omega-3, which they partly burn on camera. They add lemon for vitamin C and say it makes the fish rich and "cheese-like."
  • Miso soup with egg. Kato says eggs score 100 on the protein scale and are very good for weight loss.
  • Onions, which they say contain prebiotic fiber that becomes oligosaccharides.
  • Natto, which, like mackerel, they say is rich in vitamin B2.

Kato returns to the mitochondria analogy here. Mitochondria are fat-burning factories, and L-carnitine is the passport that lets nutrients in. They say beef, lamb, and pork contain both L-carnitine and the nutrients needed to make it. Pork is the easiest to buy, so they recommend low-fat cuts like tenderloin or thigh, which they plan to eat at lunch.

They also address viewers who say they don't have time to cook. Kato says that was true for them at first too, but the more they learned about nutrition, the more they could build meals around it, and it became fun. They often prep in advance. Since they live alone, the miso soup lasts a couple of days, and mozuku and grilled mackerel are quick. They describe three benefits of cooking: food suited to their body, cooking skills for a future husband, and content to share, which has become part of their job. Their main reason is still getting in shape, and they suspect this change in mindset is what keeps them going. A small aside: they dislike tasting soup from the ladle because saliva bacteria spoil it, and they use a dashi stock containing collagen peptides.

Eating Order and Blood Sugar

Kato eats fiber first to control GI value. They explain that a slower rise in blood sugar suppresses appetite and reduces fat accumulation, and that it also helps with glycation. In their view, high-GI foods can contribute to aging, while low-GI eating helps keep skin healthy. The order they recommend is fiber, then protein, then carbohydrates.

Kato's summary of a "well-considered meal" is fiber and low-GI foods, gut-friendly foods, fat-burning nutrients like L-carnitine and vitamin B2, and adequate protein, carbohydrates, and fat. They say this curbs appetite at night and benefits health, skin, figure, and breasts.

Filming With a Bone Expert

After makeup, Kato introduces HIIRO, whom they call a bone expert. HIIRO checks that their methods are correct and helps with things like slimming legs and upper arms, creating curves, and breast enlargement. That day they film a video together at Kato's home.

16:59

Lunch: Steamed Vegetables and Pork Thigh

Lunch is steamed vegetables and pork thigh, and Kato explains each ingredient:

  • Okra, rich in magnesium (which they call essential for building muscle) and soluble fiber. They use only one because they aren't very hungry.
  • Komatsuna, also rich in magnesium, which they say pairs well with the vitamin B1 and minerals in pork.
  • Shiitake, their most-eaten mushroom, for zinc and B vitamins.
  • Broccoli, which they call "truly amazing" for its vitamin B2, B6, zinc, protein, vitamin C, and the antioxidant sulforaphane.
  • Pork thigh, which they say contains more L-carnitine than loin or belly.

The vegetables steam for about 10 minutes before the pork goes in, and Kato makes homemade ponzu because they had none on hand. While cooking they drink an OIKOS yogurt for protein. They read its label (dairy products, milk protein, cocoa extract, artificial sweeteners, zero fat) and say they'll look into the ingredients more next time. For people who struggle to burn fat, they suggest L-carnitine supplements, eating pork, or drinks containing ingredients that help produce carnitine.

Kato is enthusiastic about steaming. They call it revolutionary for the aroma and say it's easier than boiling. They describe it as a low-AGE cooking method. In their explanation, browning methods like frying and grilling produce AGEs, which tend to age us, while raw, boiled, and steamed food is low in AGEs and doesn't accelerate aging. Steaming also makes them feel full. Their steamer cost 500 yen in Kappabashi, and they use a reusable steaming sheet from the 100-yen store Seria, cut to size.

18:59

Responding to Criticism: "I Won't Run Away"

While cooking lunch, Kato turns to something personal. One of their recent videos was "flooded with criticism." Medical professionals pointed out that things they had said casually to viewers were incorrect. Kato maintains they weren't lying, because they only do what makes sense, but admits their explanation was poor. They say they initially felt the critics' tone was bad, but came to see that the root cause was their own lack of explanation. They didn't want to lose their audience's trust over it.

Kato calls this a "crossroads as an influencer." Until now they spoke to viewers like friends, and with friends you don't anticipate how each statement might be read. Now they are learning to explain things properly, which they find very difficult. Using formal honorifics feels less relatable, but they hope that with practice they can speak casually while still being trustworthy and complete. They describe themselves as "still a baby" at this and warn this video may feel different from usual. In the past, they say, they would stop posting or disappear when something like this happened. This time they say they won't lose. They intend to face the issue head-on and work to regain viewers' trust.

22:21

Walking After Meals

After lunch, Kato recommends 10 to 15 minutes of light aerobic exercise right after eating. They say it helps keep blood sugar from rising and prevents aging, drowsiness, and fat accumulation. They try to walk to their next destination right after a meal, and suggest that people who can't go out simply stand and move in place. They stress that these small habits add up.

22:54

The Next Rule: Build Big Muscles

Kato calls this rule their "third" on camera, though it follows the diet rule. It is about building large muscles, which they call really important. Their reasoning: aerobic exercise burns fat, while muscle prevents fat from accumulating, because more muscle means a higher basal metabolic rate. Strength training also stresses the body, which Kato describes as sending a command: "We need more energy, so build more factories." In their framing, more mitochondria make it easier to burn fat. They conclude that cardio and strength training are both necessary and that exercise should be "thoughtful," based on the body's mechanics. They say this approach has let them transform their body many times, gaining and losing weight quickly.

Kato takes L-carnitine before training. They argue that rather than relying on L-carnitine supplements alone, people should combine them with exercise to maximize the effect. They add that exercise is fun because it releases happy hormones.

The workout targets large muscles, which they locate mainly in the thighs, buttocks, back, and chest. They often work the back of the thighs, glutes, and back. Specifically, they like exercises for the gluteus medius, hip bridges for the rounded part of the butt, and stretches for the anterior fibers of the gluteus medius.

They also demonstrate a back exercise they say helps rounded shoulders, which they describe as internally rotated shoulders:

  1. Lie down, externally rotate the shoulders with palms facing up, and use the shoulder blades to move the arms inward 20 times.
  2. Place the arms at the sides and pull inward with the shoulder blades.
  3. Place the arms diagonally upward and pull inward with the shoulder blades.

They explain the focus on the shoulder blades by saying "easily flammable cells called brown cells" are located there. The rest of the strength session is shown at 3x speed.

25:24

Post-Workout Protein Shake

Kato drinks protein within 30 minutes of strength training. They say that timing helps muscles grow, though it won't make someone "super muscular." They name ORGAIN as a favorite because it is fully organic, contains superfoods, uses stevia as its sweetener, and is dairy-free, so it suits lactose-intolerant people. Later, while drinking, they call it "NESTLE protein" and guess it tastes so good because it comes from a chocolate company.

Because they're short on fiber that day, they mix in 100cc each of soy milk and amazake. They add walnuts for omega-3, vitamin E, and zinc, and, since they ate a lot of fat that day, only one teaspoon of chocolate chips made solely from cocoa beans, which they say are high in polyphenols. On antioxidants, they explain that the body oxidizes simply by being alive. They say they don't want to age now, though they might accept wrinkles when they're older. They compare the result to a Starbucks dark mocha chip Frappuccino and say they haven't been to Starbucks since they started making it.

On quantities, Kato says the shake has 20g of protein and brings their day's total from about 60g to 80g. They also say they take 100g of protein every night before bed. The phrasing is ambiguous and may refer to a daily target reached by bedtime. They add that when cutting, they eat 1.5 to 2 times their body weight in protein.

27:26

Rule Four: Sleep

The last rule Kato numbers on camera is their "fourth": get enough sleep. At 11 p.m., mouthpiece already in, they say they've been going to bed at that time lately. Their reasoning: during sleep, growth hormone is released, skin turnover happens, and muscles grow. So whether the goal is better skin, weight loss, or breast enlargement, they say, the answer is to sleep. They close the day by encouraging viewers to keep improving "at our own pace" tomorrow.