Reply to If certain DCUMers are right about European vs US food…

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I’m in my late 30s and have lived in Europe for about two years.  I am hypothyroidism and have always struggled with my weight as a result.  Here I have lost weight.  I think food is far less preserved and much less sugar is added.  I will say I can eat pastries, bread, pasta and desserts here much easier with feeling sick or noticing tighter jeans.  I pretty much avoided these foods in the US.

I spent six weeks in the US over the summer and had diarrhea often.  Sometimes like almost instantly after eating.  It was worse when eating restaurant food.  My husband who is thin and has no health issues has similar issues.  There must be something in the food that destroys the gut, especially for those that aren’t used to it.

The other thing no one has mentioned is now lunch is usually the main meal of the day.  Not in places like the UK but in Spain, France, Italy etc.  I really think eating the majority of calories midday makes a difference.

Lastly I think Americans suffer more.  People I know here have a much better relationship with food.  They enjoy it and don’t seem to obsess or feel guilty.  They eat bread and cheese and pasta but in smaller amounts too.  [/quote]

Another American in Europe and I agree with this post. I have such bad diarrhea when I return to the US.

The other thing I would add is the[b] lack of snacking. The culture here is much more oriented toward 3 meals a day.[/b] There's no grab some crackers for a late morning snack or afternoon Starbucks run for a mocha or fried foods at happy hour. Once I adopted European portion sizes and focused on mealtimes (and actually sitting down for meals), the weight came off. I enjoy bread, pastries, cheese all of it, but I only eat 3 times a day (maybe a light snack like some nuts or fruit if hungry) and it is weirdly easier here. I think a big part of that is the food is truly more flavorful. Especially the basics like eggs, milk, bread, butter, and fruit. Like it's actually really satisfying to eat a pear or just a small piece of bread with butter. And I never would have said that in the US, I was a big eater.
[/quote]

The is the biggest difference to me and also what has changed in America in the last 50 years.  People used to not snack and eat 3 square meals a day of a normal size.  Not anymore.  Anyone with kids knows how we are pushed to provide snacks constantly.  Anyone who has dined at a restaurant knows how large the portions are at most places.

I eat 3 small meals a day and only eat half of my entree when I go to a restaurant.  I don’t snack.  I am thin. I do not go to exercise classes or eat any sort of special diet.  Just normal food and only 3x a day.  [/quote]

The snacks for kids are awful too. GOLDFISH crackers are an abomination.[/quote]

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