Mapping Out Weight Loss Tips from Around the World | ExpatWoman.com
 

Mapping Out Weight Loss Tips from Around the World

Posted on

21 June 2011

Last updated on 19 April 2017

Weight Loss Tips from around the World

Are your pants feeling a bit snug? Are the endless, accessible amounts of good -and fast- food too much of a temptation? Feel like you're falling victim to 'the Dubai stone'? But the thought of going to the gym is somehow less appealing than gaining two dress sizes?

Come take a little weight loss trip around the world (okay, so it is a metaphorical and not a real trip), and inshallah, these tips from different cultures will help kick the little ‘muffin top’ bulging over your waistband to the curb.

Weight loss tips from around the world

Muse on muesli:  We’ve all heard that breakfast is the most important meal since our bodies have been without food for eight or more hours thereby needing fuel, water and nutrients to function effectively throughout the day.  Eating breakfast will not only help improve concentration and memory, but also stabilise blood sugar levels which regulate appetite and energy and may reduce Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The best types of food to have for breakfast is a combination of complex carbohydrates and protein such muesli, a porridge made from oats, fruit and nuts, eaten by the Swiss.  It is high in soluble fibre which absorbs fat from the digestive tract and reduces cholesterol levels.

Beans and rice: While all that shaking at Carnaval is very body-friendly, Brazilians also stay slim by enjoying a tradition dish of rice and beans with every meal. A diet that consists primarily of the two can lower the risk of becoming overweight; it's lower in fat and higher in fiber, which is thought to stabilise blood sugar levels. 

Large lunches and diminutive dinners: Make lunch the biggest meal of the day like the Mexicans who consume their largest meal between 2 and 4 p.m., and are therefore able to work off their lunch before bedtime.  A small dinner also means that they wake up hungrier and more likely to have breakfast.


You might also be interested in...


Start with soup: The Chinese practice of having soup (usually broth-based and low in calories) before a meal actually helps reduce calorie intake since the soup is filling, reducing their hunger and helping them eat less.

Fish and fibre: A great source of essential fatty acids like Omega 3 which help lower cholesterol and raise metabolism, fish is a very important part of Japanese diet keeping them lean while the Mediterranean diet is rich in whole grains providing them with a lot of fibre which reduces the risk of developing diabetes, heart disease, and stroke while lowering the risk of developing certain types of cancer.

Try fasting: Islam encourages periodic cleansing and fasting - no food or drink from dawn to dusk - eating simple and whole foods and herbs, avoiding excess, drinking plenty of water, praying and being persistent and patient.

Spice it up! Indians, Malaysians, and Thais have spicy cuisine and since turmeric in curry helps curb fat and hot peppers raise metabolism and slows down eating, these cultural groups tend to have slim figures. 

Make it a group activity:  Traditional cultures like the Indians or Italians often have very large family dinners which help restrain any overeating habits.  Eating with others makes the meal more enjoyable and the conversation will make you eat slower, help you process food better, and gives your body more time to send you signals that it is getting full. 

Weight loss


Eat at home: Like the Polish who only spend 5% of their income on eating out, you may want to start saving money and pounds by eating at home and tracking how often you eat out and how much you sepdn each month, and gradually cut back. 

Stop eating before you're full: The Okinawans of Japan practice Hara hachi bu, which means eating until they are 80% full since it generally takes the brain about 20 minutes from the time you are actually full to realise it mentally. Hence, by stopping at 80%, our brain will have a chance to realise it before we have the chance to overeat.

Single-task meals:  Eating should be a one-performer show and should not be sharing the stage with the television, computer, newspapers, or worse still, the car.  The Japanese consider it rude to eat while walking and as the French do not drink coffee while driving, cup holders do not exist in cars in France. By being distracted by the multiple tasks we are doing during meals, we are more likely to overeat without realising it.


SEE ALSO: Popular and dodgy diets


Quality over quantity: The French and the British generally prefer quality food over large quantities of food, and natural food over processed ones. With fresh and flavourful food prepared well, you can be satisfied with smaller portions.  In addition, with smaller servings, there is less temptation to eat more than you need simply because it is on your plate or on the dinner table.

Grow your own vegetables: Carve out a plot of land like the Russians, and grown your own vegetables and fruits, so you can preserve and can what they grow. It will make your diet more nutritious. 

Ditch the coffee, drink rooibos tea: Enjoyed throughout South Africa, rooibos tea is more robust than green tea, and because it's naturally sweet, there's no need for sugar. Ditching your daily Starbucks Frappuccino for a cup of rooibos could save you thousands of calories per month.

Move It! People in Asian countries, the Mediterranean and France tend to be on the slim side because they tend to walk more or ride their bicycles and not because they spend hours at the gym. While hot summers may make it prohibitively hot to be outside, take advantage of the cooler months to walk where possible, take public transport, park at the farthest spot from the entrance, and take the stairs instead of lifts or escalators.  At the office, instead of e-mailing or calling your colleague down the hall, walk over there instead.

You snooze, you lose calories:  Great news for couch potatoes! Since being sleepy can be mistaken for hunger, chronic sleep deprivation can ultimately increase one’s weight.  If you are not getting adequate sleep, take 20-minute naps daily like many Japanese do.

Borrowing some of these healthy eating and living practices from our expat neighbours and those in other countries should help you shed the extra calories and make you beach ready in no time. 

 
 

ON EXPATWOMAN TODAY