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Having a car doesn't stop mother, z from walking at other times.
Americans have just become more sedentary
Walking, portion control. and no fast food. Right now DIL, her two sisters and their mother are in Italy, visiting a 20 yo niece/daughter/granddaughter who is studying in Verona for five months. She looks very Euro/Italian these days, lol - big hoop earrings, long dark hair, trendy clothes. ...lol
With the exception of their mother, all three US women have had serious issues with weight. DIL mentioned today in her FB upate that portions in Italy are much smaller/more sensible than here. Expecting all will have lost weight by the time they get back - touring Verona, Florence and Rome.
I went to art school in Italy, and while living there noticed how RELAXED everyone was - more laid back than stressed-out hyper Americans. You often saw people singing out load just walking down the street or at work.
So maybe the reduction in stress counts a lot along with diet differences.
Also, there was not the prevalence of Coke, Pepsi and sugar-loaded sodas as are here — although this was many years ago, so may have changed by now.
I went to art school in Italy, and while living there noticed how RELAXED everyone was - more laid back than stressed-out hyper Americans. You often saw people singing out load just walking down the street or at work.
So maybe the reduction in stress counts a lot along with diet differences.
Also, there was not the prevalence of Coke, Pepsi and sugar-loaded sodas as are here — although this was many years ago, so may have changed by now.
Yes, and this goes back to a life style, culture found in Italy and the Mediterranean in general vs the lifestyle of the Puritans or Northern Europeans which was discussed a little bit in another thread. Going home during a 3 hour lunch break to eat the main meal of the day with family and taking afternoon naps all play into it. As I stated in another thread, it's a different way to live one's life with different priorities than Americans are used to. I hope it hasn't changed for the most part.
Good healthy food, not overeating, more casual walking, less stress with more time relaxing I'm sure plays a role in a longer life. Being content where one is in life rather than always trying to have more is included. Stop and smell the roses. This sounds pretty easy for retirees and seniors to embrace, but many don't or won't because that's not how they've lived their life.
Last edited by marino760; 03-20-2024 at 07:02 AM..
Anyhow, with a diet largely free of meat and diary products, and not even frequent eggs, it is hard to get enough protein.
Nonsense. I'm 6'4", 230lbs, lift weights, and haven't eaten any animal products in years and yet I have no difficulty getting all the protein I need. However, if it is an issue for you, why not simply add a plant-based protein drink to your diet? Here's one from Owyn that contains 20g of protein, is low in sugar, and contains no artificial sweeteners. And you don't have to order it online; it's available at many supermarkets and national chains such as CVS, WalMart, and Target.
But there is no Walmart in Boston. Even if I take the commuter rail to one of the smaller towns in the Boston Metro area, the local Walmart will be somewhere on a highway, where I can't really get without a car (which I don't own, and don't feel like renting for the thrilling adventure of visiting a Walmart in Framingham MA :-). I could try Whole Foods for tamarind beans, but I don't think they will have citric acid.
You can order items to be shipped from WalMart just like you can with Amazon. I just checked and they do sell and ship 5lb bags of non-gmo citric acid (among other options).
My cooking has become Cowgirl style, shades (but not exactly) of out on the range or pioneer women in the Westerns or Maggie O'Connell or Yosemite Sam in "Fair Haired Hare". I eat meat but I don't drink, don't do pasta or fast food, and I cook from raw goods, use well water. Milk is now from powder and then only as it is needed for baking. Frozen OJ and the like are things of the past. I make and eat corn bread and rarely buy store bread, even tortillas.
As I have often said, I am in the best environment, on a ranch in a forest, for me. It is relaxing to my spirit, it recharges my soul.
Things could be vastly different, such as the stress to my body, if I had to live in the city.
My cooking has become Cowgirl style, shades (but not exactly) of out on the range or pioneer women in the Westerns or Maggie O'Connell or Yosemite Sam in "Fair Haired Hare".
I make that every day. A coffee pot on the stove top with the coffee dumped on the surface, bring to a boil, drink it straight out of the pot like that.
Since just about every credible report/article I read recommends a diet heavily skewed toward:
--whole foods/grains
--lots of fruits/vegetables
--nuts/seeds
--fatty fish and
--beans
The more we deviate from this, the more ill-health and obesity we get...
And that diet eliminates just about all fast foods, beverages other than water or green tea, packaged foods and restaurant meals (except the rare farm-to-table or vegetarian ones).
The other day, while grocery shopping, the woman ahead of me in line to check-out (in a motorized shopping cart), had 4 12-packs of cola, two packages of donuts. And some hot dogs. That was it. She was huge, on oxygen.
I refuse to deprive myself of small pleasures of life. We cook from scratch. Canned goods are limited to tomatoe, beans, corn. Right now there is a thin foccaccia studded with smoked ham bits and melted onions, sprinkled with freshly grated parmesan in the oven. Perfect with a glass or two of wine when SO comes home and tells me about his play date.
Life is too short and too unpredictable to not enjoy it.
Why all this hate about "huge people" and junk food? What about the diet thread on CD? Personally I find people who were large are the worst haters. My family and my in-laws are/were obsessed with weight. I met my MIL when I was a size 6 at 6 feet. The first thing she did was rummage in her bag and give me a box of Dexatrim. Mumsy refuses to eat as she might gain a pound. at 86 and still 5:11 a size 8 is loose. She has every problem associated with lack of proper diet. A broken hip is not healing so a replacement is on the horizon.
Call me fat at a size 16. Yes, I could go to a 14 but I am happy. No medication, no problems.
Nobody is forced to eat out, eat at trough restaurants and take doggie bags home, eat everything on the plate and in sight.
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