“Eat all you want and still lose weight-just take this little pill." “Lose 10 pounds in 3 days with the 3 day diet!” "This extreme workout guarantees results fast!”“Finally the secret to rapid weight loss is exposed!”
We get a lot of this. These promises or better yet gimmicks that are supposed to help us lose weight “fast” seem to be on the increase. Almost every weight loss regimen claims to "unlock the secret” to getting a lean body quick.
Researchers are discovering this, or new cutting edge techniques or technology is being found for that. Is it really worth it? What if the key to weight loss isn't some new scientific finding? What if the “the secret” was found in older established ways?
Think for a moment about the healthiest Countries in the world. Which come to mind? Think about Japan, Italy, Austria, and France just to name a few. These have some of the world's lowest obesity rates and trimmest waist lines. So rather than look for something new, doesn't it make more sense to look at our neighbors around the world for time tested tips on successful weight management?
Looking at the world's leaner countries we notice a few striking things.
- Lifestyle- A healthful diet is embedded in these cultures. Sure you can find weight loss gimmicks like we have here in the U.S but the basic eating patterns that result in a leaner body is eaten all the time in general. Not a “healthy diet,” but a way of life.
- Inconvenience in Modern Times- If we can’t take our cars we might take the bus; if we can’t take the bus we call a cab or someone we know. And if odds fail we stay home. For our global neighbors the “inconvenience” of walking or cycling is just part of the daily routine.
- Size Matters- Portions are smaller and more ideal.
- Psyche- In some of these places being anything but thin is an unspoken taboo. With that comes peer pressure, community pressure to stay trim. You could almost deem obesity as socially unacceptable. Very different mentality.
If other countries have weight management under control, then by incorporating their ways and changing our lifestyle we can decode “the secret” to a better life and smaller waist. Open your mind to new and exciting ways of food. Let's take a journey around and enjoy delicious cuisine that will not only ignite our taste buds, but slim us down too. Successful weight loss starts here and now by taking many little bites of plates from around the world.
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