In America, food is plentiful and relatively cheap compared to other nations throughout the world. The American culture is hooked on fast food. And it shows. Weight gain is increasing faster in America than anywhere else in the world.
Following are some great weight loss tips and eating habits from “slimmer nations” around the world:
1. Russia – Carve out a dacha plot.
Russians grow their own vegetables and fruits in their own dachas (gardens) and preserve and can what they grow. That makes their diet more nutritious.
2. Switzerland – Try a bowl of muesli.
Muesli is a porridge or cereal made from oats, fruit, and nuts, each of which has been linked to better health and weight control. The Swiss eat it for breakfast or as a light evening dish. Muesli’s fiber makes it slow to digest, keeping you feeling full longer.
3. Netherlands – Swap the gas pedal for the bike pedal.
54 percent of Dutch bike owners use them for daily activities, such as shopping and traveling to work. Try using your bike to commute or just for errands close to home. If you’re of average size and pedaling at a moderate pace, you can burn around 550 calories per hour.
4. Germany – Eat your breakfast.
An impressive 75 percent of Germans eat breakfast daily (compared with just 44 percent of Americans). They’re sitting down to fruit and whole-grain cereals and breads.
5. Poland – Eat at home more often than you eat out.
Poles typically spend only 5 percent of their family budget on eating out. To save money and pounds, start tracking how often you eat out and how much you spend each month, and gradually cut back.
6. Indonesia – Try fasting once in a while.
Islam, this country’s leading religion, encourages periodic fasting, no food or drink from dawn to dusk. Although experts don’t recommend fasting for weight control, fasting in moderation can break patterns of mindless eating. If you have this goal, try just cutting your calories in half for a day.
7. Thailand – Spice it up.
Thai food is among the spiciest in the world. Eating food slower is a good weight-loss strategy, and making food spicier is an easy way to do it.
8. United Kingdom – Downsize the Supersizing.
If you walk into a McDonald’s in London, the clerk won’t ask if you’d like to ‘supersize’ that. The Brits prefer smaller portions-perhaps a lingering vestige of the frugality instilled by World War II rationing.
9. Brazil – Serve a side dish of rice and beans.
Brazilians stay slim by enjoying this traditional dish with just about every meal. A diet consisting primarily of rice and beans lowers the risk of becoming overweight by about 14 percent because it’s lower in fat and higher in fiber, which is thought to stabilize blood sugar levels.