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Weight Loss Forum / Low Carb / March 2004How do asians stay skinny with all the rice?
It drives me crazy, millions of asian people eat rice all day, how do they stay skinny? The minute I eat some carbs, bang, I start blowing up. GRRR Is there a reason the oriental folks don't gain weight? Is it genetic? Please someone tell me :-) Liam they are active and don't eat so much, most likely. :: It drives me crazy, millions of asian people eat rice all day, how :: do they stay skinny? The minute I eat some carbs, bang, I start [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] :: Please someone tell me :-) :: Liam >It drives me crazy, millions of asian people eat rice all day, how do they >stay skinny? The minute I eat some carbs, bang, I start blowing up. GRRR >Is there a reason the oriental folks don't gain weight? Is it genetic? > >Please someone tell me :-) >Liam Since all of our processed food has some form of sugar in it, those of us who are overweight are generally insulin resistant and cannot eat rice without blowing up. When junk food comes to China, you'll soon see fatter Chinese. Yvonne > Since all of our processed food has some form of sugar in it, those of us who > are overweight are generally insulin resistant and cannot eat rice without > blowing up. When junk food comes to China, you'll soon see fatter Chinese. Lots of authentic chinese food has sugar in it. > Since all of our processed food has some form of sugar in it, those of us who > are overweight are generally insulin resistant and cannot eat rice without > blowing up. When junk food comes to China, you'll soon see fatter Chinese. "when junk food comes to china"??? i assume you've never been there... trust me, there is a TON of junk food in China. and Pizza Hut, McD's and KFC on every other corner! -kelly sumu wrestlers > It drives me crazy, millions of asian people eat rice all day, how do they > stay skinny? The minute I eat some carbs, bang, I start blowing up. GRRR > Is there a reason the oriental folks don't gain weight? Is it genetic? > > Please someone tell me :-) > Liam My guess is low calorie, hard work, little creature comforts. Let's face it, almost every culture is thin, except the US.  SignatureJK Sinrod Sinrod Stained Glass Studios www.sinrodstudios.com Coney Island Memories www.sinrodstudios.com/coneymemories >>It drives me crazy, millions of asian people eat rice all day, how do they >>stay skinny? The minute I eat some carbs, bang, I start blowing up. GRRR [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >> > My guess is low calorie, hard work, little creature comforts. Probably right on the mark. > Let's face > it, almost every culture is thin, except the US. Way off the mark. Europeans are catching up quickly as are Ozzies, according to their governments. Pastorio Living in Tokyo, I've wondered about that myself. But it really isn't such a mystery. Low-fat diets also do work. Western people just find them hard to stay on because our sense of what is a "comfort food" is different from, say, people here in Japan. The typical Japanese diet is very high in carbs - basically rice. Meat, fish, chicken and other protein dishes are considered the side dish, and in much smaller proportions. Somebody who grew up with this kind of diet thinks a rice cracker is a yummy, satisfying, filling snack. When I visited the U.S. a few years back I went to a Chinese restaurant and ordered this monstrosity called "General Tsao's Chicken". This was obviously before I was low-carbing or low-anything. A single portion would easily feed a family of 6 in Japan. All served with a tiny bowl of rice. If you went to a Chinese diner here in Japan and ordered something similar there would be a big bowl of rice and maybe two or three pieces of that chicken. Plus a bowl of clear soup or miso soup. It's a different kind of balance. doug On 3/21/04 6:46 AM, in article eR27c.106661$I87.26711@nntp-post.primus.ca, > It drives me crazy, millions of asian people eat rice all day, how do they > stay skinny? The minute I eat some carbs, bang, I start blowing up. GRRR > Is there a reason the oriental folks don't gain weight? Is it genetic? > > Please someone tell me :-) > Liam > The typical Japanese diet is very high in carbs - basically rice. Meat, > fish, chicken and other protein dishes are considered the side dish, and in > much smaller proportions. This is what I mean Doug, so if carbs are the problem,(as stated in many of our low carb diets) and these folks eat mainly white rice, like italians eat pasta (everyday) why aren't they gaining weight? If I were to eat a bowl of rice at 2 meals a day with little meat and more veggies will i lose weight? I started adding a cup of brown rice a day after 2 weeks of south Beach induction and I gained weight (lots). Thanks for the replies Liam 1. Calories matter for weight loss, low carb helps with hunger control. 2. You are a fat moron. HTH SignatureMost of us probably aren't in danger of eating too little. :) Becky P. > > The typical Japanese diet is very high in carbs - basically rice. Meat, > > fish, chicken and other protein dishes are considered the side dish, and [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > Thanks for the replies Liam Fat yes , moron not, you stupid Twat, why don't you go and reproduce yourself? > 1. Calories matter for weight loss, low carb helps with hunger control. > [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > > > > Thanks for the replies Liam Are you still too stupid to figure out how to lose weight? Maybe you'll get over it, but it's doubtful. Moron. SignatureMost of us probably aren't in danger of eating too little. :) Becky P. > Fat yes , moron not, you stupid Twat, why don't you go and reproduce > yourself? [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] > > > > > > Thanks for the replies Liam > Fat yes , moron not, you stupid Twat, why don't you go and reproduce > yourself? The first part of JC's comment, at least, was correct, and gets to the heart of the matter. Folks who subsist on diets that are high in grains, like Asian diets comprised mostly of rice, do not get fat if they are not eating more calories than they are using. That's all. Carbohydrates by themselves don't (generally) make people (with normal insulin function) fat. As to the accuracy of the second part of JC's comment, I have no basis to judge. ;-) carla Recent research which you can read at Medscape on the Endocrinology home page shows that on a high carb vegetarian diet women, but not men, see lipid deterioration. They also gain weight. The main reason that women in Asian cultures are thin probably has to do with cultural traditions in which women don't get much food. Often the get to eat only the food that is left after the men have eaten. Food for everyone in these cultures is pretty limited to start with: so the explanation is serious malnutrition. These are the same cultures that starve female babies when times are tight. The ideal of beauty for women in these cultures is a lot fatter than in ours. Just look at any picture of Indian goddesses. That's because only women from wealthy families get fed enough to gain weight. -- Jenny - Low Carbing for 4 years. At goal for weight. Type 2 diabetes, hba1c 5.2. Cut the carbs to respond to my email address! Low carb facts and figures, my weight-loss photos, tips, recipes, strategies for dealing with diabetes and more at http://www.geocities.com/jenny_the_bean/ Looking for help controlling your blood sugar? Visit http://www.alt-support-diabetes.org/Newly%20Diagnosed.htm > > Fat yes , moron not, you stupid Twat, why don't you go and reproduce > > yourself? [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > carla Jenny wrote: << The main reason that women in Asian cultures are thin probably has to do with cultural traditions in which women don't get much food. Often the get to eat only the food that is left after the men have eaten. Food for everyone in these cultures is pretty limited to start with: so the explanation is serious malnutrition. These are the same cultures that starve female babies when times are tight >><BR><BR> I think you are applying western misconceptions here. And don't make the mistake of lumping all these countries together. They have very different cultures, though many of us in the west don't see the differences. Some of what you say may or may not have been true in the past, but much has changed in Asia. China for instance has changed so much in the last century. Chinese friends of mine who return after just 5 or 10 years in the west find the changes in China incredible. I wish that Asians or people of Asian descent would contribute to this post and tell us what is like in their countries. > I wish that Asians or people of Asian descent would contribute to this post and > tell us what is like in their countries. <crickets chirping > Recent research which you can read at Medscape on the Endocrinology home > page shows that on a high carb vegetarian diet women, but not men, see lipid > deterioration. They also gain weight. Interesting. I used to be thin. I only started having weight issues after being vegetarian for a year. On 3/22/04 12:23 AM, in article 405db477$0$3043$61fed72c@news.rcn.com, > The main reason that women in Asian cultures are thin probably has to do > with cultural traditions in which women don't get much food. Often the get > to eat only the food that is left after the men have eaten. LOL. I assure you that is not true here in Japan. :) doug On 22-Mar-2004, Doug Lerner <doug@lerner.net> says: > > The main reason that women in Asian cultures are thin probably has to do > > with cultural traditions in which women don't get much food. Often > > the[y] > > get to eat only the food that is left after the men have eaten. > > LOL. I assure you that is not true here in Japan. :) It also doesn't explain why the *men* are thin, but then, why let facts get in the way of a good stereotype? SignatureTabi Kasanari tabitabi@sumimasen.com > Recent research which you can read at Medscape on the Endocrinology home > page shows that on a high carb vegetarian diet women, but not men, see lipid > deterioration. They also gain weight. <SNIP> Hi Jenny, This is very interesting. I gained 40kgs (88lbs) in 5 years as a vegetarian. My doctor was very confused (I was equally confused - and terrified at the weight gain while eating no meat, low fat food) Thats why Low Carb makes logical sense to me. Can you post a link to the research you referenced? Thanks! SignatureCaitlin kgs: 114.7/100.5/70 lbs: 252.8/221.1/154.3 height: 5'8", 173cms Here's the link. You may have to subscribe to Medscape to see it: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/472074 "Healthy" Diet May Increase Plasma LDL and Lp(a) in Some Women. -- Jenny - Low Carbing for 4 years. At goal for weight. Type 2 diabetes, hba1c 5.2. Cut the carbs to respond to my email address! Low carb facts and figures, my weight-loss photos, tips, recipes, strategies for dealing with diabetes and more at http://www.geocities.com/jenny_the_bean/ Looking for help controlling your blood sugar? Visit http://www.alt-support-diabetes.org/Newly%20Diagnosed.htm > > Recent research which you can read at Medscape on the Endocrinology home > > page shows that on a high carb vegetarian diet women, but not men, see [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > lbs: 252.8/221.1/154.3 > height: 5'8", 173cms > Here's the link. You may have to subscribe to Medscape to see it: Thank you Jenny - I appreciate it! > http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/472074 > "Healthy" Diet May Increase Plasma LDL and Lp(a) in Some Women. [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] > > lbs: 252.8/221.1/154.3 > > height: 5'8", 173cms > Recent research which you can read at Medscape on the Endocrinology home > page shows that on a high carb vegetarian diet women, but not men, see lipid [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > with cultural traditions in which women don't get much food. Often the get > to eat only the food that is left after the men have eaten. I think you're confusing Asia with the Middle East. > Food for > everyone in these cultures is pretty limited to start with: so the [quoted text clipped - 33 lines] > > > > carla Tony Lew burbled across the ether: >> Recent research which you can read at Medscape on the Endocrinology >> home page shows that on a high carb vegetarian diet women, but not [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > I think you're confusing Asia with the Middle East. Nope. She used the wrong word. She meant to use 'oriental' which includes more than Asia. Near east and middle eastern cultures are also oriental. Signaturerevek www.geocities.com/tanirevek/LowCarb.html lowcarbing since June 2002 5'2" 41 F 165+/too much/size seven petite please This program posts news to billions of machines throughout the galaxy. Your message will cost the net enough to bankrupt your entire planet. As a result your species will be sold into slavery. Be sure you know what you are doing. Are you absolutely sure you want to do this? [ny] y Tony Lew wrote: >> The main reason that women in Asian cultures are thin probably has > >> to do with cultural traditions in which women don't get much food. > >> Often the get to eat only the food that is left after the men have > >> eaten. > > > > I think you're confusing Asia with the Middle East. No. I was thinking of things I'd read about treatment of girls in China pre-revolution and the reports of anthropologists describing Nepal tribespeople. I was also considering cultural patterns in Afghanistan, which last I looked was located in Asia where women have some of the worst conditions in the world. The cultural patterns of how women are treated in poverty-stricken areas of India, the land of burning brides, where the cost of a dowry can beggar a poor peasant family, are well known too. Girl children are often fed much more poorly than boys and almost universally weaned much earlier. Only those who can survive very poor nutrition may survive in poor families, because their birth is seen as a financial burden (due to the dowry system.) -- Jenny - Low Carbing for 4 years. At goal for weight. Type 2 diabetes, hba1c 5.2. Cut the carbs to respond to my email address! Low carb facts and figures, my weight-loss photos, tips, recipes, strategies for dealing with diabetes and more at http://www.geocities.com/jenny_the_bean/ Looking for help controlling your blood sugar? Visit http://www.alt-support-diabetes.org/Newly%20Diagnosed.htm So you're just making things up again. SignatureMost of us probably aren't in danger of eating too little. :) Becky P. > Tony Lew wrote: > >> The main reason that women in Asian cultures are thin probably has [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] > Looking for help controlling your blood sugar? > Visit http://www.alt-support-diabetes.org/Newly%20Diagnosed.htm > Tony Lew wrote: > >> The main reason that women in Asian cultures are thin probably has [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > No. I was thinking of things I'd read about treatment of girls in China > pre-revolution Since the revolution was in 1912, I think your information is slightly out of date. >and the reports of anthropologists describing Nepal > tribespeople. I was also considering cultural patterns in Afghanistan, [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > Looking for help controlling your blood sugar? > Visit http://www.alt-support-diabetes.org/Newly%20Diagnosed.htm > Tony Lew burbled across the ether: > >> Recent research which you can read at Medscape on the Endocrinology [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > Nope. She used the wrong word. She meant to use 'oriental' which > includes more than Asia. Wow! Where did you get this fantastic ability to read minds? > Near east and middle eastern cultures are also > oriental. >>> I think you're confusing Asia with the Middle East. >> >> Nope. She used the wrong word. She meant to use 'oriental' which >> includes more than Asia. > > Wow! Where did you get this fantastic ability to read minds? Same place you did. I just didn't pussyfoot around about it. "I think you're confusing" indeed. -- revek There are two ways to write error-free programs. Only the third one works. > >>> I think you're confusing Asia with the Middle East. > >> [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > Same place you did. I just didn't pussyfoot around about it. "I > think you're confusing" indeed. So, you see no difference between: "I think you're..." and "She meant to..." Tony Lew burbled across the ether: >>>>> I think you're confusing Asia with the Middle East. >>>> [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > "She meant to..." Not in this particular context. Signaturerevek www.geocities.com/tanirevek/LowCarb.html lowcarbing since June 2002 5'2" 41 F 165+/too much/size seven petite please After all is said and done, more is said than done. > Tony Lew burbled across the ether: > >>>>> I think you're confusing Asia with the Middle East. [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > > Not in this particular context. In the context of knowing what someone "meant" to do? Ahhh, how I love armchair anthropology. :P Piedlourde >> Tony Lew burbled across the ether: >>>>>>> I think you're confusing Asia with the Middle East. [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > > In the context of knowing what someone "meant" to do? In the context of this discussion. I've been interacting, sometimes rather strenuously, with Jenny for over a year. I believe I have a fair grasp on how her mind works. I have a suspicion you are just being pissy this week. -- revek 'The surest sign that there is intelligent life elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us.' Calvin and Hobbes snip T >The main reason that women in Asian cultures are thin probably has to do >with cultural traditions in which women don't get much food. Often the get >to eat only the food that is left after the men have eaten. Food for >everyone in these cultures is pretty limited to start with: so the >explanation is serious malnutrition. These are the same cultures that >starve female babies when times are tight. BS,,, Maximus BS Jenny, or at least you have not convinced me, yet..! 1. The women do the gathering (food source) 2. The women do the food prep (food source) 3. The women do the cooking (food source) 4. The women feed the children (food source) 5. The women server the food - men and guests (food source) 6. The women clean and wash up (food source) 7. The women feed the animals (food source) 8. The women are often 'treated' in exchange for sex (food source) Compared to the one bowl of steamed rice (maybe) per day the average field hand gets in a subsistence existence, I would say the women certainly get the better end of the deal. So why are they thin? ..try again with "inventive mode" in OD <BG> MM - - "The central problem with the concept of the 'Axis of Evil' is that it involves an assumption that the US is the 'fulcrum of virtue'." Bob Hawke ::: The typical Japanese diet is very high in carbs - basically rice. ::: Meat, fish, chicken and other protein dishes are considered the [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] :: many of our low carb diets) and these folks eat mainly white rice, :: like italians eat pasta (everyday) why aren't they gaining weight? :: If I were to eat a bowl of rice at 2 meals a day with little meat :: and more veggies will i lose weight? Most likely, yes. :: I started adding a cup of brown rice a day after 2 weeks of south :: Beach induction and I gained weight (lots). Did you add it on top of what you were eating, or instead of? And if instead of, the weigh gain could have been water weigh -- you said lots, but how much is lots? On 21-Mar-2004, "Liam" <fwff@notoday.com> says: > I started adding a cup of brown rice a day after 2 weeks of south Beach > induction and I gained weight (lots). We went through the South Beach induction plan, too, for two weeks, and lost about as much as the book said we would. Since then we have been eating a bowl of brown rice with every breakfast, and occasional whole-grain bread. We have not gained any of the weight back, and in fact have slowly lost additional weight, getting close to our target. But we are very careful about keeping down the portion size with every meal. This has not been particularly difficult, since the induction period enabled us to reach meal satisfaction more easily, and greatly reduced our desire for sweets. I can no longer eat sweet chocolate, for example, preferring bitter. We now eat almost no pasta or potatoes, but do drink beer and other alcohol, and just about everything else people normally eat -- but in small amounts. I think that is the key. Too logical? SignatureTabi Kasanari This is a very logical interesting question. My best guess is that Asians have a genetic difference that accounts for the apparent high carb tolerance. Maybe their ancestors survived fewer famines. Maybe fat people were beheaded. Who knows? I wonder what Sumo wrestlers eat. Do they fatten up on rice, or fish? Italians do get fat on pasta. I may not be in Italy, but half my ancestors were. > > The typical Japanese diet is very high in carbs - basically rice. Meat, > > fish, chicken and other protein dishes are considered the side dish, and [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > Thanks for the replies Liam > I wonder what Sumo wrestlers eat. Do they fatten up on rice, or fish? AFAIK, rice and chicken. Mirek > > I wonder what Sumo wrestlers eat. Do they fatten up on rice, or fish? > > AFAIK, rice and chicken. Here's a link to interesting article about sumo eating habits. http://www.globalpinoy.com/pinoyhealth/ph_fitness/FI012703.htm I believe the problem isn't carbs per say, but rather what happens when you mix carbs with fats at the same time. That is why a very low fat diet, like proposed by Dean Ornish, does work. It's just very hard to stay on because we westerners don't find it truly satisfying. Before I started low-carbs I tried a low-fat diet for a few months. Admittedly I did lose weight. But I always felt "deprived" and digestively it was not the best diet for me. Even Ornish says in his book that some patients ask "Does this diet really make me live longer, or does it just *feel* longer?" :) Atkins alludes to this carb-fat mix when he describes how ketosis supposedly works to block the absorption of fats. He essentially claims that in the absence of carbohydrates, when your body is in ketosis, you cannot digest eaten fats and, instead, burns off stored body fat for fuel. I still have never seen an explanation of how this isn't contradictory with Atkin's own admission that calories still count. It seems that if his theory of how ketosis works is true that calories shouldn't count and that eaten fat just passes through the body. But that is apparently not what happens, indicating that Atkins is at least partly wrong. Anyway, I believe some other low-carb diet variations recognize the problems in mixing carbs and fats. Some apparently let you eat more carbs, as long as they are separated by several hours from the eating of any fats - another way of blocking the digestion cycle of fats. What westerners, like me, often get fat over is the insidious mix of high carbs with high calorie fats. For example, fried chicken. Or cake. Or bread and butter. Bread by itself is ok, as part of a low-fat diet. Butter by itself is ok, as part of a low-carb, high-fat diet. But when they mix together in your bloodstream apparently you get high fat absorption plus hungrier, due to the carbs. A viscous cycle. But Japanese don't go overboard on fats. Their idea of a yummy snack is sweet bean paste, or a rice cake. Both are very low-fat, so the sugars by themselves don't really hurt. doug On 3/21/04 8:39 AM, in article Fu47c.106833$gw1.2389@nntp-post.primus.ca, >> The typical Japanese diet is very high in carbs - basically rice. Meat, >> fish, chicken and other protein dishes are considered the side dish, and [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > Thanks for the replies Liam >What westerners, like me, often get fat over is the insidious mix of high >carbs with high calorie fats. For example, fried chicken. Or cake. Or bread >and butter. Bread by itself is ok, as part of a low-fat diet. Butter by >itself is ok, as part of a low-carb, high-fat diet. But when they mix >together in your bloodstream apparently you get high fat absorption plus >hungrier, due to the carbs. A viscous cycle. I guess my focused question is why doesn't a high-carb diet cause greater hunger? Why not blood sugar/insulin swings? Is there a higher/lower incidence of diabetes in Japan? Perhaps centuries/millenia of a rice-based diet has changed their reactions to carbs. Ten-fifteen years ago I recall a news report saying that Japan was seeing its first noticeable rise in obesity. I wonder if it was statisically true and the possible cause/timing. >But Japanese don't go overboard on fats. Their idea of a yummy snack is >sweet bean paste, or a rice cake. Both are very low-fat, so the sugars by >themselves don't really hurt. > >doug DiGiTAL_ViNYL (no email) 350/315/Mar-315/200 Atkins since Jan 12, 2004 OWL-35 carbs/day (CCLL=?) :: Doug Lerner <doug@lerner.net> wrote: :: [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] :: greater hunger? :: Why not blood sugar/insulin swings? Not eating too much and being active moderates swings. :: Is there a higher/lower incidence of diabetes in Japan? :: :: Perhaps centuries/millenia of a rice-based diet has changed their :: reactions to carbs. Ten-fifteen years ago I recall a news report :: saying that Japan was seeing its first noticeable rise in obesity. I :: wonder if it was statisically true and the possible cause/timing. I think things are being viewed way too simply in this thread. Over here, in the US, we eat a shitload of carbs...think about it...bread, sweets, juice, potatoes, crackers, chips, candy, fruit, pasta, cookies, cakes, pies, icecream.....plus a lot of fat on top of that, driving the calories way up....and we eat a lot and generally don't move much. Most of us go out of our way to save walking 30 extra feet when we park at the store. This is why we have such problems, and those in a country with a rice-based diet will have similar problems if they start overeating carbs (carbs aren't bad, excessive carbs are as well as excessive fat and excessive calories) and being inactive. Not may will get fat if they simply eat a bowl of rice 3x per day. That's not likely to be excessive. There is no mystery here -- except the one where we dont' understand why we're fat. Excess is the root of the problem....most people in these rice-based-diet societies just don't do the excess... ::: But Japanese don't go overboard on fats. Their idea of a yummy ::: snack is sweet bean paste, or a rice cake. Both are very low-fat, [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] :: Atkins since Jan 12, 2004 :: OWL-35 carbs/day (CCLL=?) > I guess my focused question is why doesn't a high-carb diet cause > greater hunger? > Why not blood sugar/insulin swings? Because the person didn't have insulin issues to begin with, I can only wager. BTW a great Asian dining experience for low-carbers, is Hot Pot. There are a few good places in the Bay Area, inc. Coriya Hot Pot City in Richmond and Hot Pot City in Milpitas. It's basically an Asian fondue, and popular with Taiwanese in the Bay Area. They bring a pot of boiling water or broth (some give you a really hot broth or sauce) to your table, and you can grill your meats or cook them in the broth, water, or spicy sauce. Since you cook it at your table, you control all the ingredients. There's a huge selection of both meats and veggies. It's easy to do low-carb just by avoiding the sugared sauces, and the rice. > This is what I mean Doug, so if carbs are the problem,(as stated in many of > our low carb diets) and these folks eat mainly white rice, like italians > eat pasta (everyday) why aren't they gaining weight? I used to visit Italy often, and don't remember seeing very many thin Italians aged over 40. >> This is what I mean Doug, so if carbs are the problem,(as stated in >> many of our low carb diets) and these folks eat mainly white rice, >> like italians eat pasta (everyday) why aren't they gaining weight? > > I used to visit Italy often, and don't remember seeing very many thin > Italians aged over 40. I used to work for an Italian company with quite a few over 40. All of them were thinner than their American counterparts. JD > >> This is what I mean Doug, so if carbs are the problem,(as stated in > >> many of our low carb diets) and these folks eat mainly white rice, [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > I used to work for an Italian company with quite a few over 40. All of them > were thinner than their American counterparts. Quite possibly, but I am not American. My comparison is with other Europeans. > Quite possibly, but I am not American. My comparison is with other > Europeans. When I was in Italy my impression also was that it's easy to see they eat too much pasta. Not quite fat, but more kinda bloated looks and huge butts. 5 years ago when I was doing LF, I was comsuming nice portions of pasta and LF sauce regularly..... didn't work. SignatureJK Sinrod Sinrod Stained Glass Studios www.sinrodstudios.com Coney Island Memories www.sinrodstudios.com/coneymemories On the other hand, I had no problem dropping weight on a low fat diet. Of course, I was running long distance at the time. Maybe there's a connection. SignatureMost of us probably aren't in danger of eating too little. :) Becky P. > 5 years ago when I was doing LF, I was comsuming nice portions of pasta > and LF sauce regularly..... didn't work. > It drives me crazy, millions of asian people eat rice all day, how do they > stay skinny? The minute I eat some carbs, bang, I start blowing up. GRRR > Is there a reason the oriental folks don't gain weight? Is it genetic? They're more active than Americans, and the rice bowls and other portions are small. ObAnecdote: A group where I used to work went out for dinner at a Chinese restaurant. One of the men in the group was from Hong Kong, and someone asked him if the food was authentic. He said, "Authentic? You mean small portions in tasteless sauces with very little meat?" Signaturejamie (jamiemck@newsguy.com) "There's a seeker born every minute." << It drives me crazy, millions of asian people eat rice all day, how do they stay skinny? The minute I eat some carbs, bang, I start blowing up. GRRR Is there a reason the oriental folks don't gain weight? Is it genetic? >><BR><BR> <<When junk food comes to China, you'll soon see fatter Chinese.>> China is my favorite place to visit. I've noticed the following things on my trips. Generally, I think the Chinese are more active. People walk alot in China. They walk to get somewhere or walk just for exercise. I love to watch people in the parks every morning practicing martial arts, ballroom dancing, jogging. But there doesn't seem to be much rigorous body work like in the west, health clubs and gyms are just catching on in China. People ride bikes, but when I see photos of Beijing from 10 years ago, it seems true that fewer are using bikes now. More people can afford cars or take public transportation, so as China's economy changes, people will no doubt plump up. Many jobs are labor intensive, where in the west, there are machines to do similar work. You don't see many obese people in China, but there are some here and there. You do see chubby people. But mostly, you see slim people. Of course, many people in China are very poor and don't get much to eat. In northern China, people don't eat much rice. They eat noodles or other wheat products, like bread. (I've not been to southern China.) But rice and wheat don't seem to be a big part of meals. In restaurants I've been to, rice or noodles must be ordered separately, they don't come with an order. The amount of food served at business "banquets" or in homes in China is truly amazing, but I don't think people ordinarily eat that much food. When the Chinese have a guest, it is important to have a large number of dishes. At these big meals, I've seen many meat, fish and vegetable dishes, but few starchy dishes. Desserts, in my experience, are mostly fresh fruit like watermelon, maybe a small piece of cake. The Chinese have many, many snack foods and sweets, but sweets seem to be a occasional treat. American junk food has arrived in China, though the people I know say they don't like it very much. I went to a McDonalds in Beijing though, it was absolutely packed. If it is true that the fattening of America is due to our affluence, China may soon follow us down that path. Maybe it isn't the type of food or even the amount, but the car, the computer, the tv and all the conveniences that has slowed us down. >It drives me crazy, millions of asian people eat rice all day, how do they >stay skinny? The minute I eat some carbs, bang, I start blowing up. GRRR >Is there a reason the oriental folks don't gain weight? Is it genetic? They don't. Not unless they're in a rural area where they're working their a.ses off. Check Medline for many cites about the growing obesity and diabetes epidemics in asian countries. Where resources are good or folks aren't impoverished, the diet is fish, meat, vegetables and rice, with emphasis on fish and veggies. Susan > It drives me crazy, millions of asian people eat rice all day, how do they > stay skinny? The minute I eat some carbs, bang, I start blowing up. GRRR > Is there a reason the oriental folks don't gain weight? Is it genetic? > > Please someone tell me :-) > Liam They don't overeat. There's lots of fat ones in the west. I also used to wonder if negroes had genes against being fat, because the ones we see in DK are mostly very fit and muscular, but then I came to the US and it's rare to see one that isn't fat. I guess it's because the ones I've seen in DK are Africans (raised in Africa), so it's not in their cultures to overeat, while in the US they are raised as Americans. > It drives me crazy, millions of asian people eat rice all day, how do they > stay skinny? The minute I eat some carbs, bang, I start blowing up. GRRR > Is there a reason the oriental folks don't gain weight? Is it genetic? Unlike other responses, I would speculate that there might be some genetics invoved after all. AFAIK, most asian people are far less tolerant to ethanol than western people. That would indicate their metabolism is a little bit different after all. Funny thing is that LC causes something similiar (well known CDS syndrom :). Maybe there is a connection... Mirek > It drives me crazy, millions of asian people eat rice all day, how do they > stay skinny? The minute I eat some carbs, bang, I start blowing up. GRRR > Is there a reason the oriental folks don't gain weight? Is it genetic? based on my visits to China and SE Asia, i'd say it's a combination of smaller portions and more exercise. there are fat Asians, but they're often older people who aren't as active and don't get around as easily. but yes, portions are smaller, and many people can't afford to eat the same amount of food that your average American eats. there are other ways to be thin besides avoiding carbs. riding a bicycle to work every day is a very good one. -kelly > based on my visits to China and SE Asia, i'd say it's a combination of > smaller portions and more exercise. there are fat Asians, but they're often > older people who aren't as active and don't get around as easily. but yes, > portions are smaller, and many people can't afford to eat the same amount of > food that your average American eats. another thing i should point out is that in many Asian countries, being fat isn't necessarily a bad thing. it's a sign of wealth. i was pushing 200 pounds when i was there (i'm 5'5"), and i was never lacking for male attention. this is true in a lot of poor countries. large women are considered to be healthier, more fertile, etc. it's only in the west that fat = unhealthy. -kelly > > It drives me crazy, millions of asian people eat rice all day, how do they > > stay skinny? The minute I eat some carbs, bang, I start blowing up. GRRR > > Is there a reason the oriental folks don't gain weight? Is it genetic? I'm no expert, but my uninformed thought on this is that moderate carbs probably don't harm a person unless their metabolism is *already* damaged. And here, there is probably a combination of genetic, individual, and environmental factors. I'm thinking there are probably overloads of specific carbs or specific foods, and specific environmental factors, that produce an oversensitivity to carbs as a whole. Give it about two generations of eating fast food, and sedentary modern urban lifestyle, and you'll see plenty of Asians who can never touch rice again as long as they live. Their children too will have the same problems. Perhaps there is genetic damage that goes on? Asians traditionally eat lots of rice and noodles, but sweets tend to be for festival occasions, and they don't traditionally drink lots of sweet drinks. Some people think green tea helps speed up the metabolism. The sugared soda us Americans drink, though, is liquid empty calories. You don't even need to go as far as Asia. Look at the Amish. Lot of calories AND fat in their diet - but they're extremely active. It may be the low activity level that is the dominant factor destroying our health. Jenny had commented in her FAQ, something to the effect that: if a low-carb diet works for you, you probably already have some insulin-resistent tendencies. I did not start losing it again, either, until I reverted to being a carnivore. I'm able to eat more carbs when I'm highly active. But the reality is, being that active and actually being employed usually do not happen at the same time. I've worked at jobs before where the boss would bring us fast food during "crunch time". We basically weren't allowed to get up and get our own food. There's your "environmental factors". If you are a low-fatter, btw, or on Weight Watchers, it's pretty damn easy to follow the WW plan if you just eat exclusively Western food. When I was trying to do WW I found that three Japanese meals a day were not capable of using up all my points. I think it's important, when doing a cross-cultural survey, to determine whether you are looking at "cosmetic fat" or "fat as a health issue". We have to separate fat as a cosmetic issue, from fat as a health issue. Our culture has a pretty abnormal idea of what constitutes cosmetically fat... I live in San Diego, in a beach community, and find that anything over size 8 is considered fat here. You can't find anything over size 8 in women's stores. There are lots of genetic differences in how we deal with carbs. > It drives me crazy, millions of asian people eat rice all day, how do they > stay skinny? The minute I eat some carbs, bang, I start blowing up. GRRR > Is there a reason the oriental folks don't gain weight? Is it genetic? > > Please someone tell me :-) > Liam >There are lots of genetic differences in how we deal with carbs. > [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >> Please someone tell me :-) >> Liam It very well could be that high carbs with high fat is the problem. Carbs with low fat seems to help keep the pounds from piling on and so does high fat with low carbs. -- Jean M. New food of the week: water chestnuts Do away with flipfloping to e-mail. > >There are lots of genetic differences in how we deal with carbs. really? please tell us more... > It drives me crazy, millions of asian people eat rice all day, how do they > stay skinny? The minute I eat some carbs, bang, I start blowing up. GRRR > Is there a reason the oriental folks don't gain weight? Is it genetic? 1. Maybe they are more active than you are. 2. Asians don't eat rice "all day", some parts of Asia are too dry to grow rice (like many parts of China), and the diet is wheat based (and chances are the wheat products over there are much less processed than here) It's probably their genes. |
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