Waist not - want more!

[jone]

Friends,

I have a question for you all that may seem absurd, but I have to ask it.

Do you find that when you go to an FSU country, even though you eat like a Svinya, you come back and your belt is actually a bit looser?  This is the case with every trip I have taken to Eastern Europe.  I would like to say that it is because I am much more conservative in my eating when I am there, but I know it is not true.  I eat more on an FSU trip than any where else in the world (with the exception of Wisconsin and Iowa).  But I come back thinner!

I have speculation and would like some confirmation.  I believe that the food that I eat over in FSU countries does not have the same preservatives in it.  Ultimately, there is less bloating and, therefore, less expansion.  Now, I know this is not the reason for all of the wonderful figures that I see when I travel, but it is something to think about.

Can anyone give me better FEEDback?

-j

[Shadow]

While people in the FSU would believe the contrary, in general their food is healthier, and more natural in production.
In general Russians are wary about using food with a lot of "E" numbers (preservatives, artificial colour and taste) and instead use more traditional ways of preservation.
For instance, the biscuits our MIL sends are perfectly fit for consumption after 6 months, where as a pack of similar looking ones bought locally would by that time have made it half way back to the shop - on its own.

[Anotherkiwi]

"Waist" or "Waste?"
 
In my case, I seem to walk forever.  Just out of interest, I measured how far I walked in St Petersburg the last time I was there.  It was quite staggering - around 12 km on my last full day, nearly 30 km in the last three fine days.  On the wet days I used the bus or Metro.  Even though I ate plenty, I still got home five kilos lighter than when I left.
 
Unfortunately, those five have since come back from wherever they had their holiday...

[jone]

 

[ML]

I am the opposite.  I gain weight on my month long plus trips to FSU.
The time length of  the trip may be a key factor.
On short trips, the body takes quite a toll in terms of stress from the travel, adjusting to different time zones, etc.
So it makes some sense that those on short trips might lose weight.

Of course, defining short vs long trips is an open question.

[southernX]

jone

i always lose weight as well , & i belive it is a combination of effects even though we eat well at home here in australia , absolutly min amount of food bought outside our home , no takeaways , lots of fish and lean meats ,salads vegetables etc

my thinking is the differences for us are as follows

we walk more in FSU ,
we use a  car/taxi  less
we eat more soup there
less preservatives ,
our schedule there is often more busy that at home

one other thing that my wife has changed subtly over time since we have been married and i like is that we now eat a more balanced meal regime over the day , it is usually med breakfast, medium lunch , small dinner , all home cooked with low fat etc usually

before i married it was no breakfast, medium lunch , larger dinner .

much better how it is now

SX

[Doll]

Jone, I think the reasons are healthier food ( I mean in the stores) and more walking.
 

[mies]

Friends,

I have a question for you all that may seem absurd, but I have to ask it.

Do you find that when you go to an FSU country, even though you eat like a Svinya, you come back and your belt is actually a bit looser?  This is the case with every trip I have taken to Eastern Europe.  I would like to say that it is because I am much more conservative in my eating when I am there, but I know it is not true.  I eat more on an FSU trip than any where else in the world (with the exception of Wisconsin and Iowa).  But I come back thinner!

I have speculation and would like some confirmation.  I believe that the food that I eat over in FSU countries does not have the same preservatives in it.  Ultimately, there is less bloating and, therefore, less expansion.  Now, I know this is not the reason for all of the wonderful figures that I see when I travel, but it is something to think about.

Can anyone give me better FEEDback?

-j

I've heard the same observations from many Americans who visited Ukraine with tours. I'm not sure whether this was thanks to the lack of corn syrup in Ukrainian food, or to the diarrhea caused by magical bacteria in Ukrainian water.

[Eduard]

I've heard the same observations from many Americans who visited Ukraine with tours. I'm not sure whether this was thanks to the lack of corn syrup in Ukrainian food, or to the diarrhea caused by magical bacteria in Ukrainian water.

LOL!  +1


I also always lose a couple of pounds when I go, but I think it's mostly due to much more walking than I do at home. In regard to FSU food having less preservatives and being healthier - I'm not so sure about that. I understand that they have adopted lots of Western processing technologies and according to some of my friends both in Russia and Ukraine the food isn't that healthy and many products are full of fillers and preservatives. 

[Shadow]

There is not a lot of foor that contains the Russian 'preservativ' 

As for the rest, I notice Russians are very aware of it, but do not know the difference until they live in the West. 

[Muzh]

Every time I go to Ukraine I lose an average of 10 pounds. Normally I go for 3 to 4 weeks and trust me I eat as if I came from Bangladesh and drink like a fish.

Also, I walk an average of 4 miles most of the days I'm there.

[Shadow]

This could be a new idea. Are American women too fat? Send them to Ukraine/Russia for a year...

[SANDRO43]

We don't have preservativi in our food, because that means condoms in Italian and they are hard to chew, swallow, and digest .

But we have some conservanti, not necessarily leaning to the right of the political spectrum .

[Faux Pas]

We don't have preservativi in our food, because that means condoms in Italian and they are hard to chew, swallow, and digest .

But we have some conservanti, not necessarily leaning to the right of the political spectrum .

That's sounding a bit like the voice of experience there SANDRO 

[SANDRO43]

That's sounding a bit like the voice of experience there SANDRO 

My only unethical experience was trying to inflate one into a toy balloon .

[Anotherkiwi]

We don't have preservativi in our food, because that means condoms in Italian and they are hard to chew, swallow, and digest ...

Isn't the Russian for condom "preservativy" as well? 

[Eduard]

This could be a new idea. Are American women too fat? Send them to Ukraine/Russia for a year...

Now that's a wonderful idea if I ever heard one! It's going to be good not only for their waist line but will also adjust their attitude quite a bit. It's a darn shame but I see FSU women's attitude among the most beautiful ones (9s and 10s) has changed and they became very much like AW. Women below 9 in looks are still quite a bit more down to Earth compared to AW.

[IAmZon]

ALWAYS IS THE CASE !!!  I most likely eat more - including deserts - when I live in other countries.  But, I am always 5 pounds lighter without trying ... no matter where I travel (I always try to get out of 1st world countries. 

We are poisoning ourselves here !

[Noch1]

I eat more, walk more, drink more ( sh@t) more.
Oh and based on last trip the amount of S@x
likely added to my daily work out