What is Digg?692 Comments
- sockpuppets, on 11/04/2007, -13/+573It's because they export all of their fries to unsuspecting Americans.
- duggtodeath, on 11/04/2007, -43/+500Sadly the reason Americans are overweight is not because we are gluttons. People gain weight from poor eating habits, not downing a dozen cheesburgers. I have never seen my overweight friends eat an abundance of food. In fact, I eat more than my overweight friends in any one sitting. The first cause is stress and overworking. People work for money to trade for food. They snack during the day instead of sitting down to a meal. They take 15 minutes for lunch, grab something quick and rush back to work for money to trade for food. Secondly, stress of working so much really packs on the pounds. Americans need to slow the ***** down. What are we rushing for? Your performance at work never equals better pay ;)
- jackmeyhauffer, on 11/06/2007, -15/+363Maybe they're getting ***** a lot more.
- sockpuppets, on 11/01/2007, -14/+307You're fired.
- oneon, on 11/02/2007, -6/+256The French eat rich food...BUT they eat small portions....in the good ole USA we eat ***** and super size it.
- Error601, on 11/02/2007, -15/+225They prefer smoking themselves to death instead.
- metapop, on 11/04/2007, -3/+209i would suggest it has to do with our natural infrastructure as well- because european towns/cities were planned before the automotive age, cities weren't designed with cars in mind; it sometimes makes more sense or is just more convenient to walk to where you want to go. i lived in budapest for a couple years and lost 20 lbs for that very reason- hungarian food has loads of animal fats too. oh, and i lived on the 3rd floor with no elevator, that probably contributed too. the way most american towns are designed, it doesn't make sense or is just impossible to walk to the grocery store- you're forced to drive.
- inactive, on 10/31/2007, -12/+212Americans don't know how to walk. I have worked in tourism in New Zealand, Australia, Norway and Poland and it's pretty much a fact of life that if you're planning something for Yanks then try to minimise the walking, in order to minimise the customer complaints. I have hired every manner of vehicle to haul American's fat asses even the shortest of distances, and they bloody love it, they think it's just super to have their ass hauled. They smile and complement how finely the vehicle in question hauled their asses after the tour.
- sakuraz, on 11/05/2007, -6/+174FOR THE LAST TIME, STOP VISITING DIGG FROM WORKPLACE!!!!
- Signed, HR Head. - binnis, on 11/02/2007, -6/+158The French are thin because they don't do this.
http://www.houndlines.com/images/posts/walking_dog ... - Nodaki, on 11/02/2007, -6/+119The French President admires American work ethic. Why?
Europeans don't believe in the American Dream. Here is what Sarkosy doesn't understand about the American dream.
The typical American Dream: One is expected to get some sort of service job at 15 years of age in order to have money for luxury items such as clothes, cars/gas, video games, beer, and narcotics. After graduation one is supposed to go to college. Unless being in massive amounts of debt and living on Ramen is ok, one is also working a part time job, most likely in the service industry. After college one is expected to find a job within the chosen major; this can be a difficult process and unless one does intern work (slave labor) through college it is very difficult for companies to choose the candidate with a degree and no on the job experience. So the typical American with a BS/BA is working ***** jobs that they are overqualified for until they are roughly 26-30 and then either through contacts or luck one might find a job in their chosen field after looking for nearly 4 years. This is also the time that Americans are expected to start having children and purchasing a home. At this point the career starts, working a desk job with a commute and on the go breakfast and coffee. This is also the point when most body types are becoming fat due to the lack of activity at the desk job (service job kept them busy and slim). The daily grind of getting up at 5am to beat the bad traffic, family is asleep or are busy getting ready for the day by the time they are out the door, a sugary toaster pastry or hitting up the drive through is breakfast...this is never eaten sitting down. By lunch time and 3-4 cups of coffee later the American is famished so the American eats a massive caloric lunch during his paltry 30 minute break. The American hopefully gets home by 6-6:30 after spending a stressful time in the commute. Dinner may or may not be served at home or casual dining may be on the menu due to nobody wanting to clean up the mess that dinner creates. By 8pm the American gets some relaxation time and that will usually focus around an escape from reality (television) until he goes to bed.
Of course I left out the responsibility of career plus children and home care which add more highly time consuming endeavors.
Is it any wonder why Americans get heart disease and are fat asses? - bariswheel, on 11/05/2007, -1/+90yeah but your snacks should probably exclude cheesy puffs, partially hydrogenated fats, saturated fats. sugar soda (12 tablespoons of sugar in one can of coke btw), Snack on fruit, celery, the stuff that initially doesn't taste good; your palate is used to flour and sugar and oil, it takes a while but if you keep at it things that are good for you start tasting good as well. Go ask someone who you know is healthy.
- silverchrysalis, on 11/02/2007, -35/+122because they surrender the fat?
- victorycig, on 11/02/2007, -22/+109Hmmm... The French have universal health care, childcare stipends, strong labor unions. No, I think Americans are more ***** than the French.
- lazyrussian, on 11/05/2007, -3/+69Well that's ironic.
- Cappez, on 11/02/2007, -1/+56Living in france (but not being French) I would summarize as follows:
- French people have big meals but rarely snack
- French people eat slowly, it's also common to have several courses with breaks in between (better for digestion and gives stomach time to register when you're full)
- French people eat healthier food (e.g. salads almost everyday, vegetables in season, cheeses, packaged/ready made food still not very popular)
- French people usually do a lot of walking (even when taking the metro, e.g. I walk 30 min/day to and from metro station, switching lines etc.) - inactive, on 10/31/2007, -10/+65because they don't ***** eat like ***** whales that's why.
- ahawks, on 10/31/2007, -5/+56http://www.duggmirror.com/health/Why_French_Women_ ...
Having recently spent a month in France, I have come to the conclusion that the French are sneaky. They eat three-course meals with gorgeous sauces, drink red wine constantly, have no apparent shame availing themselves of those sinful French pastries, pâté, and cheeses, and yet still remain — by American standards — thin. And rarely will you see those French guys or gals sweatily jogging down the boulevard; they just walk about looking very stylish.
If you don’t trust my observational skills, try these stats on for size: Only 11 percent of the French population qualifies as obese, while we almost triple that percentage mark here in the land of plenty. Furthermore, the French eat three times as much saturated animal fat as Americans do and only a third as many die of heart attacks.
I have long heard about this French Paradox, and after a month of fluffy croissants full of almond paste and copious amounts of French rouge du maison, I was certain it was all a bunch of bull. To prove the point, I immediately mounted my bathroom scale upon returning home. Imagine my shock when I discovered that after a month of French gastronomic debauchery (and no organized exercise regimen) I only gained one pound!
So if it isn’t Splenda, no-carb PowerBars, or an obsession with spinning classes, what’s their secret?
I consulted Santa Barbara’s own expert on the subject, Laurence Hauben, herself a lovely Frenchwoman who actually helps people learn about the French way with food in her Market Foray classes (marketforays.com). According to Laurence, it’s all about the lifestyle.
“The French don’t traditionally wolf down a meal at their desk or while commuting in traffic,” she said. “They sit down with family or colleagues at a table, taking the time to relax and share conversation. When you are talking, you are not eating, and because you are relaxed, the hormones released help in the assimilation of calories, unlike the stress hormones we are riddled with here, which trigger hoarding of fat. In other words, eat 800 calories while sitting at a café in Paris, and they will get spent. Eat 800 calories while sitting in your car in traffic on the freeway, and most of them will settle in your hips or gut.”
Mireille Guiliano, author of the recent bestseller French Women Don’t Get Fat, would no doubt agree with Hauben. In her book, she emphasizes the importance of savoring one’s food and how this directly contributes to a cornerstone of the French diet: portion control. I realize this is a very un-American concept, but it does seem to work. The French way is not about deprivation. Their main dishes are bathed in lush sauces, their desserts are irresistible culinary masterpieces. They make the effort to make sure their food is fresh and flavorful, with the payoff that their satisfaction — and most importantly, their satiation — will come from quality instead of quantity.
According to Hauben, the French Paradox isn’t a paradox at all, but a logical consequence of the traditional French way of life, which is less materialistic, less driven. “We need to slow down, think about our priorities, and ask ourselves what the point is of an expensive kitchen remodel when we don’t take the time to cook, and why we work so hard that we never have time to see the people we love,” she said. “Maybe if we traded some of our discretionary income for discretionary time, that would be the true luxury.”
Taking the time to prepare meals with fresh ingredients, walking to the markets to buy those ingredients, and then actually sitting down with friends and family to savor the meal? Now that’s a start.
“If we want to lose weight, we need to make a choice to enjoy life more,” said Hauben. - knicknut, on 11/06/2007, -13/+62Wow, this article is so scientifically founded. "Talking makes you relaxed and helps the calories just slide off you!" What's this called, "The View" Diet?
- DonnieMarco, on 11/02/2007, -4/+51Everytime I have visited the US I have been overawed by the portion sizes in the restaurants. Obscene amounts of high fat, high sugar food.
- ninetimes, on 10/31/2007, -0/+46I agree, and I'm an American. The problem, you have to understand, is that American cities and suburbs are generally constructed in such a way that you really *can't* walk places. Public transportation stinks, everything is so spread out, and a lot of places don't even have sidewalks. You want to get to the nearest grocery? Have a nice 10 mile walk along the highway.
So over many years of this, Americans have gotten used to the idea that you have to drive. People take it for granted. It's assumed that you just can't walk.
I moved to New York City a few years ago, and dropped 15 pounds immediately, just from walking around. When people come to visit, we have to take cabs because they can't handle walking more than 3 blocks and can't cope with public transportation. It's kind of sad. - Tyr7BE, on 10/31/2007, -8/+54Is it not better to snack throughout the day instead of eating three big meals? I remember hearing that somewhere.
- BCRazgriz, on 10/31/2007, -1/+47It was a joke...
- orlyfactor, on 10/31/2007, -2/+39I walk all the time - 1 hour every day or I run for about 40 minutes..and I'm American! But i will agree, on the whole, there are a gigantic number of fat asses in this country. It sickens me.
- krets, on 10/31/2007, -1/+38Good lord man, where has your sense of humor gone?
- bariswheel, on 10/31/2007, -0/+37It turns out obesity and urban planning are highly correlated. If you live in an area where you have to walk everywhere, you'll notice the pounds shed. If you're a suburban sprawl'er, it's going to be much harder to even find public transport, since public transport can't really scale in places like the US where urban sprawling is implemented on the condition that everyone owns a car. When gas hits $200 a barrel, things might actually start looking up, in this department, at least.
- jonnyeh, on 10/31/2007, -2/+38By eating slowly, you give your body a chance to figure out that it's full. Basically, if you eat fast, you end up eating more. If you eat slow, you end up eating less.
- enicholas, on 10/31/2007, -2/+37This is a stupid myth with no basis in reality.
- SteelChicken, on 10/31/2007, -2/+36animal fat has nothing to do with it, its the high fructose corn syrup in everything, and sugar in everything else.
- lithera, on 10/31/2007, -1/+34Here is a small newsflash, Europe did some evolving since the middle ages and believe it or not, we can drive cars through our cities and villages ;-p
Granted I've never been in the U.S. but from what I heard and read the majority of U.S. citizens won't walk or bike to wherever a car can go, no matter how small that distance is.
In Europe we don't have such a lazy culture yet (note the "yet"). Cycling or walking to work or to the shops is still very common here. At least here in Holland but I think I can safely say that goes for most parts in Europe. Apart from that, being healthy and eat and drink healthy is actually very trendy here. In the supermarkets you'll see more fruitdrinks then sodas in the racks for instance and the majority of people I know still value a good, healthy classical homecooked meal over a burger, fries or pizza anyday.
That might explain something ;-p - kirashira, on 10/31/2007, -24/+57It's called exercise.
- maffiou, on 10/31/2007, -1/+34Yeah, I used to live in France and went to NYC for a long week end: I was shocked at the size of the portions and the way food is available there... When you think that some people are dying of starvation, it kind of felt a bit obscene... (I felt better about it after I had lunch though...;)
- crapmatic, on 10/31/2007, -1/+33No joke. My wife and I tried walking to the HEB supermarket in Austin one time and we got as far as a 6-lane bridge with no sidewalk. It was too dangerous to cross. Back home and into the car. ***** ***** city planners.
- renumeratedfrog, on 10/31/2007, -2/+33Soups... It's not just the French but almost all Europeans who eat soups. They eat it as an appetizer, or as a start of a meal, or just for fun. It fills you up so you don't overeat on the main meal.
- lewhich, on 10/30/2007, -2/+33For real. The don't build sidewalks in America anymore. You can't walk to the store even if you wanted to
- clothmonkey, on 10/31/2007, -1/+30It's true, I always super-duper-size my krill anytime I order plankton. It's a matter of principle! ^_^
- silverchrysalis, on 10/31/2007, -0/+29i agree. our family visited london this spring. we lost weight just from walking around & running to catch trains. only took cabs to the occasional 'nice' night out.
- bemenaker, on 10/31/2007, -3/+32Americans eat way too much, and exercise way too little.
- funkytaco, on 10/31/2007, -5/+33The French drink wine while we drink cheap American beer.
- Bridea, on 10/31/2007, -0/+27Calories in > Calories out = weight gain.
- lewhich, on 10/30/2007, -0/+25We drive everywhere ... no sidewalks available .. even if you wanted to walk to the grocery store
- catalysis, on 11/04/2007, -2/+28You still have to eat more calories than you burn to get fat. Some people burn fat faster and some people store more fat but the root cause is still eating too many calories and a bad diet.
- LeeSoong, on 10/31/2007, -4/+29"Mom, bathroom, bathroom!"
- Triachus, on 10/31/2007, -0/+23You have to force yourself though. America isn't built for that kind of activity. In other countries it just comes naturally for people because the environment demands it.
- BassCadet, on 10/31/2007, -1/+23I agree with much of what you have said. However, keep in mind, nobody is holding a gun to our heads and making us do this. Myself included...we are all guilty of this materialism. We whore ourselves out, working in jobs that make us miserable just so we can get the Acura instead of the Honda, the stucco instead of the aluminum siding, the Banana Republic instead of the Old Navy. Is it really worth it? Over the past two years I have limited my luxuries greatly and I am no less happy because of it. In fact, I am happier because I have more money in savings. But now I need to make the big jump: find a job that makes me happy and allows me to spend more time at home doing the things I want: reading, working on the house, watching movies, spending time with my family. No damned Acura is worth that.
- whereisian, on 10/31/2007, -0/+22@lithera
Being a Canadian who has never visited Europe (yet), I can't comment on the US approach (although I hear that they don't walk either). But, I can say something about the city planning.
I spent 5 years living in Montreal and I walked everywhere - mainly because it was convenient. If I needed to go somewhere, the transit system rocked, and it was usually much faster than driving. Bike lanes everywhere, so that was easy too.
I moved to Ottawa 2 years ago and forget walking - it can't be done. If you happen to live in a neighbourhood with a decent grocery stores - you might be able to avoid owning a car. Or if your work happens to be on a transit line, you can do it - I have plenty of friends who do. But the transit system is terrible and a short trip is usually over 30 minutes to anything. It's not practical. And my non-car friends often call me for rides when they need anything not on the beaten path. Everything is designed to be driven to, the east end of town doesn't seem to have sidewalks in residential areas, and smaller grocery stores are closing in favour of big box retail. And I live downtown.
For the first time in my life, I have a drivers license and use it. And I've gained 10 kilos. I miss Montreal. - Charlotte_Web, on 10/31/2007, -3/+24I don't know how true this is, but I've heard it said that Europeans, generally, are more trim than Americans because they walk a lot more than we do. Many of their cities predate automobiles by hundreds of years, and so many parts of their older cities are inaccessible by car.
- jaymzdean, on 10/31/2007, -2/+23The French, overall, get alot more exercise and eat alot less starch and sugar than do Americans, which is the REAL reason for heart disease.
Hint:
Ever wonder why arteries get clogged while the veins and capillaries do not? - pennvneff, on 10/31/2007, -0/+21The French eat way less processed foods and drinks than we do. And the portion sizes over here are just crazy.
- trogdor282, on 10/31/2007, -0/+21I think more generally, we eat bad food. A big greasy burger seems like a calorie nightmare. But really 3/4 of the fat you're taking in are in the cheese, grease-glazed bun, fries, and soda. And you're absolutely right about snacking. Basically, the cheaper food is, the fatter it is because every other flavor costs more money than vegetable oil. If we took the time to eat good food, even red meat, we would be a lot better off. Oh, and don't expect Applebees to not pull all the same dirty tricks as Burger King. Cook your own food, people!
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