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Europeans also haven't fallen for the huge quantities deal, the "double this and that for half price" junk food deal... well most of them haven't yet..I'm sorry to say, some have..and we do bike and walk more, most would not take the car to go to the store across the street. We don't have many all night fast food places, except in the bigger cities.. Since being back from the US, I hardly ever go to fast food places anymore, nor do I buy ready made meals. I have time to cook a decent meal and I know what's in it. It's not some chemical laden dishes that taste good enough to become addicted to. Most everyone tries to eat healthy here and you follow suit when you live here. It's not about actual pressure or bullying, it's probably just humans being herding animals...like it or not.
We work less here, save more time to cook and have time to enjoy life. Lots of weight gain is stress related..
but still, I believe everyone deserves respect. If they don't respect themselves, that's their problem, that gives us no right to tear them apart. Our society is obsessed with skinny-ness. Kids trying to diet at age 6 or 7? What's wrong with that picture? Eating healthy is one thing, dieting is another. So I still feel compassion is not a bad thing. If people are not like you, so be it! You don't have to sleep with them but be nice, you may be the only nice person they've seen all day.
I agree with you. It's lots easier to keep weight down abroad.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dub D
As an American who walked around just about every major European country just six weeks ago, there are ALOT less overweight people...minus Greece.
Europeans get more time off work and the use of public transport is much more common which requires alot more walking than driving a car. Plus, fast food joints aren't around every corner like they are in the states. I'd say these are the main reasons why Europeans have less overweight people.
IMO and just mine, Europeans are more into good drinks than good food.
Then why are you friends with her? Oh and for all the the people who say you silently judge overweight people know that you are being judged as well.
I don't approve of her eating and life style choices, but she's a great person and friend otherwise. I don't hate overweight people or avoid them as friends, but yes I do judge them. I'm sure I do things that my friend judges me for. So what? What's wrong with admitting that? Why does it make me a horrible person? Of course people judge me. We ALL judge each other.
I don't approve of her eating and life style choices, but she's a great person and friend otherwise. I don't hate overweight people or avoid them as friends, but yes I do judge them. I'm sure I do things that my friend judges me for. So what? What's wrong with admitting that? Why does it make me a horrible person? Of course people judge me. We ALL judge each other.
Do you judge them or simply have an opinion that their decisions are bad and self-destructive? You can disagree with your friend without judging her. You can see her mistakes for what they are and still not judge her. Do you agree? Having an opinion is not the same as judging.
Do you judge them or simply have an opinion that their decisions are bad and self-destructive? You can disagree with your friend without judging her. You can see her mistakes for what they are and still not judge her. Do you agree? Having an opinion is not the same as judging.
No, I don't agree. Having an opinion and judging go hand in hand. If I think someone is making poor decisions how is that not judging them? We judge people by the sound of their voice, their clothes, the way they wear their hair. You can't escape the fact that everyone judges. It's part of life and it doesn't have to be a bad thing. Do I judge others? Sure. Do I treat them badly for the choices they make that I don't agree with. No.
Hi Maggie! Love Belgium. I agree you have more time to cook and enjoy life over there.
You brought up a very good point about being obsessed with skinniness.
I love old magazines, and I've read all the issues of Life magazine from the first on down. It's shocking how the view of women has changed. In looking at the models, public figures, models, etc., I saw how what used to be considered a thin, and very sexy woman years ago, is now considered an overweight woman. The other day I heard someone say that Marilyn Monroe was fat.
There is a new (and barbaric) prototype of what a "fit" female should look like, which is underweight and unhealthy. The media, Hollywood, and guy pressure for girls to look underweight is causing girls are falling into anorexia at exponential rates, and it's simply wrong.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MaggieZ
Europeans also haven't fallen for the huge quantities deal, the "double this and that for half price" junk food deal... well most of them haven't yet..I'm sorry to say, some have..and we do bike and walk more, most would not take the car to go to the store across the street. We don't have many all night fast food places, except in the bigger cities.. Since being back from the US, I hardly ever go to fast food places anymore, nor do I buy ready made meals. I have time to cook a decent meal and I know what's in it. It's not some chemical laden dishes that taste good enough to become addicted to. Most everyone tries to eat healthy here and you follow suit when you live here. It's not about actual pressure or bullying, it's probably just humans being herding animals...like it or not.
We work less here, save more time to cook and have time to enjoy life. Lots of weight gain is stress related..
but still, I believe everyone deserves respect. If they don't respect themselves, that's their problem, that gives us no right to tear them apart. Our society is obsessed with skinny-ness. Kids trying to diet at age 6 or 7? What's wrong with that picture? Eating healthy is one thing, dieting is another. So I still feel compassion is not a bad thing. If people are not like you, so be it! You don't have to sleep with them but be nice, you may be the only nice person they've seen all day.
No, I don't agree. Having an opinion and judging go hand in hand. If I think someone is making poor decisions how is that not judging them? We judge people by the sound of their voice, their clothes, the way they wear their hair. You can't escape the fact that everyone judges. It's part of life and it doesn't have to be a bad thing. Do I judge others? Sure. Do I treat them badly for the choices they make that I don't agree with. No.
Fair enough. I can appreciate your approach. I still disagree, however. I do not think that having an opinion is inherently judgmental. I believe that it becomes judgmental when one allows his/her opinion to influence the way they treat others. This is why I disagree with you. You have a friend with whose dietary habits you disagree. But you clearly still value this person as a friend, do you not? Will you ever reach a point where you will forsake her as a friend based solely on her eating habits? If she reached out to you for help, would you turn her away based on the years of her mistakes? If your answer to these questions is "no" I would not consider you to be a judgmental person.
Do you see the distinction I am making? Here's another example. My older brother is a chain smoker. It's a habit I cannot support. I've never had so much as a puff from a cigarette, so it's also something that I cannot fairly relate. I disapprove of his habit, but that is not by nature judgmental. I think it would be judgmental to treat him differently because of his habit. He lives in Colorado. I'm in the Marines. We're doing good if we see each other once a year. Suppose on my next visit to Colorado I opt out of visiting with him due to him being a smoker. That would be judgmental. Suppose I do hang out with him, and he smokes a few while we are hanging out. I disapprove, but I would quietly respect his choices. Judgmental? I don't thinks so. Do you?
Last edited by iknowftbll; 07-11-2012 at 01:19 PM..
Fair enough. I can appreciate your approach. I still disagree, however. I do not think that having an opinion is inherently judgmental. I believe that it becomes judgmental when one allows his/her opinion to influence the way they treat others. This is why I disagree with you. You have a friend with whose dietary habits you disagree. But you clearly still value this person as a friend, do you not? Will you ever reach a point where you will forsake her as a friend based solely on her eating habits? If she reached out to you for help, would you turn her away based on the years of her mistakes? If your answer to these questions is "no" I would not consider you to be a judgmental person.
Do you see the distinction I am making? Here's another example. My older brother is a chain smoker. It's a habit I cannot support. I've never had so much as a puff from a cigarette, so it's also something that I cannot fairly relate. I disapprove of his habit, but that is not by nature judgmental. I think it would be judgmental to treat him differently because of his habit. He lives in Colorado. I'm in the Marines. We're doing good if we see each other once a year. Suppose on my next visit to Colorado I opt out of visiting with him due to him being a smoker. That would be judgmental. Suppose I do hang out with him, and he smokes a few while we are hanging out. I disapprove, but I would quietly respect his choices. Judgmental? I don't thinks so. Do you?
I see what you're saying, but still not sure I agree. Of course I value my friend, and I would help her if she asked. I still think you can pass judgment on someone but not treat them badly because of it. In general calling someone judgmental has always been a bad thing, right? I see your point, but I think the lines are still a bit blurry. I definitely agree that no one should be discriminated against because of their weight or any other physical attribute, but I can't help that voice in my head when I see an overweight person eating mass quantities of unhealthy food, that says wow, they don't need to be eating that.
I actually feel very sad when I see an obese person. firstly, no one wants to be like that, secondly they must be so uncomfortable and tired Id imgagine.. but I feel more sorry for the poster who put this on..
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