Why The French Are Thin....



On Thu, 29 Jan 2004 17:05:50 -0500, Dave Smith
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Frogleg wrote:
>
>> Well, it's sure not because they all listen to opera during dinner (see article)! They place even
>> more social acceptance on thinness than USAsians. They don't snack all day long. They serve small
>> portions. It's not a mystery or some magic formula.
>
>Small portions? I have been to France three times, and most meals were quite bounteous.

Did you notice the comment in the OP about how restaurants who serve tourists serve much huger
portions that the French do when they're eating just for themselves???

I think you got 'trapped'.
 
<Alan [email protected]> wrote in message
> Did you notice the comment in the OP about how restaurants who serve tourists serve much huger
> portions that the French do when they're eating just for themselves???
>
>
> I think you got 'trapped'.
>
>

It's true - if there's one thing everyone says about eating out in the USA when they visit as
tourists, it's that the size of the portions defy belief! Now I really do like a good big meal from
time to time and it's great the way steak and lobster (things that are very expensive here in the
UK) are in many places very cheap in comparison and of excellent quality - BUT .... it's not very
good for you to eat two huge meals a day every day of your life - no matter how fatty or not they
are. If you eat such a quantity of food, then whether or not it has a few extra grams of fat in it,
you will get fat and have health problems.

When you eat out in a nice restaurant anywhere you kinda expect a large portion however (unless it's
an 80's themed yuppie joint!). That may sound contradictory, but what I mean is the type of place
that isn't an every-day joint (unless you're very well off!). In France and in all Mediterranean
countries the diet tends to be very healthy with smaller amounts eaten across more time. This is
much better for your body. The UK/USA in particular seem to be obsessed with diets from women's
magazines that I'm sure do more harm than good over time. Just being sensible - eating without
rushing, eating smaller (not small!) portions and getting some exercise will not only be better for
your body, but also for your general well-being.

a
 
I'm half American and half Dutch. Having lived in Holland my whole life I am indeed stunned by the
huge quantities served in american restaurants. I usually end up sharing a dish/steak.whatever
with my mom or sister.The steaks we have here are hamburger sized :)) when compared to the
american steaks.

I think if more people (struggling with their weight or not) tried to halve their portions and take
it home/share it that they'd find they'd feel a lot better. It really isn't necessary or healthy to
each a huge steak.

Mel

"al" <{ask_me}@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote in message news:XD8Tb.1001$ya7.48@news-
binary.blueyonder.co.uk...
> <Alan [email protected]> wrote in message
> > Did you notice the comment in the OP about how restaurants who serve tourists serve much huger
> > portions that the French do when they're eating just for themselves???
> >
> >
> > I think you got 'trapped'.
> >
> >
>
> It's true - if there's one thing everyone says about eating out in the USA when they visit as
> tourists, it's that the size of the portions defy
belief!
> Now I really do like a good big meal from time to time and it's great the way steak and lobster
> (things that are very expensive here in the UK) are
in
> many places very cheap in comparison and of excellent quality - BUT .... it's not very good for
> you to eat two huge meals a day every day of your life - no matter how fatty or not they are. If
> you eat such a quantity of food, then whether or not it has a few extra grams of fat in it, you
> will get fat and have health problems.
>
> When you eat out in a nice restaurant anywhere you kinda expect a large portion however (unless
> it's an 80's themed yuppie joint!). That may
sound
> contradictory, but what I mean is the type of place that isn't an
every-day
> joint (unless you're very well off!). In France and in all Mediterranean countries the diet tends
> to be very healthy with smaller amounts eaten across more time. This is much better for your body.
> The UK/USA in particular seem to be obsessed with diets from women's magazines that I'm sure do
> more harm than good over time. Just being sensible - eating
without
> rushing, eating smaller (not small!) portions and getting some exercise
will
> not only be better for your body, but also for your general well-being.
>
>
>
> a
>
>

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"melnic" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:EMcTb.416349
> I think if more people (struggling with their weight or not) tried to
halve
> their portions and take it home/share it that they'd find they'd feel a
lot
> better. It really isn't necessary or healthy to each a huge steak.
>

Quite .... but nice once in a blue moon ;)

I had a 600g steak in Antwerp one time in garlic butter. Fantastic, beautiful steak - dripping
with bloody juice and piping hot. Wouldn't want to eat one of them every day though! Once a
year maybe ...

a
 
"al" <{ask_me}@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "melnic" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:EMcTb.416349
> > I think if more people (struggling with their weight or not) tried to
> halve
> > their portions and take it home/share it that they'd find they'd feel a
> lot
> > better. It really isn't necessary or healthy to each a huge steak.
> >
>
> Quite .... but nice once in a blue moon ;)
>
> I had a 600g steak in Antwerp one time in garlic butter. Fantastic, beautiful steak - dripping
> with bloody juice and piping hot. Wouldn't
want
> to eat one of them every day though! Once a year maybe ...
>

then south america is your paradise. christ, every meal is a huge chunk of red meat served with both
boiled potatoes and rice! after a month of this i couldn't face meat for a little while :) though i
do miss the juiciest alpaca steaks.
 
"ExpatNL" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> then south america is your paradise. christ, every meal is a huge chunk
of
> red meat served with both boiled potatoes and rice! after a month of this i couldn't face meat for
> a little while :) though i do miss the juiciest alpaca steaks.
>

Ewwww ... rice with steak!? I'll stick with chips ta very much ;) I usually stir fry some veg
with it too like some peppers, onions and mangetout in sesame oil or with teriyaki marinade -
nice as a side.

a
 
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