Americans and Their Food

I was hungry today but completely bored with all the food I could have eaten. So a trip to Wal-Mart's subway seemed like a good idea. Until I got there and realized I had no taste for a sub at all. I wandered through the tiny food section (it's not a superstore. Just a regular ol' Wal-Mart) and finally came across some Ramen Noodles. I've been trying to be really healthy and eat mostly veggies and fruit - nothing with preservatives, but for some reason this hit me as something I would like to eat. Do you know how much it was? 17 cents! I spent 17 cents on food at Wal-Mart today. I think that means it's not good for me...

I was reading a magazine a few years ago about French women and why they never get fat. The writer read a book or something and decided to try a French diet herself. She wrote a journal of sorts and eventually found herself losing weight and enjoying her food. I can't remember what triggered this story, but a few years later, I happen across a review for a book: French Women Don't Get Fat. If this "diet" has held on for several years and more people are writing about it, maybe I'll check it out, I think to myself. I do some searches on the French diet and keep reading. Turns out it's not a diet at all. The main idea is this: The French ENJOY their food!

The author noticed that people in America down gigantic burritos and burgers as fast as they can while on cell phones, laptops, or while driving. The people of France take time preparing their food, using mostly fresh foods and spices. Then, they sit down without the TV or a computer in front of them and eat. They eat slowly, thinking about what their eating, tasting all the ingredients that were put into their meal. Their food is more fattening at times (full fat cheeses, wine) but because they eat slowly, they enjoy their food, which makes them eat less. Americans, on the other hand, go to the nearest fast food restaurant or buy a box of Macaroni and Cheese where the only spice is salt and inhale without tasting anything (really, is there much to taste anyway?).

So here's my solution: Do you have a garden? If you live in an apartment or in a city, google urban community gardens. If there aren't any around, look into starting one. Do you have a farmer's market or any orchards/farms near you? Go get as many veggies and fruit as you can eat in a week and start a new regimen. I tried this the other day. I took time preparing my food and then I thought about all the spices and ingredients that had made that food. It made me chew slower, enjoy more, and eat less! It feels so good to eat this way. And it's not really that expensive. I got out of the grocery store at $30 for 2 weeks of food. Plus, because veggies and fruits are so full of fiber, I feel hungry less often. So not too much binge eating here. Try it! You'll like it!