Does just immigrating to the USA lead to weight gain?
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And that's a good thing. My face swells around dogs and who knows if it will be my throat next. (Yes I take daily meds, they don't prevent it.)Kimegatron wrote: »My dog was allowed EVERYWHERE, so she always came with me. Even out to bars. We don't do that kind of thing here in MI.
But maybe if you had grown up close to dogs, you wouldn't be that allergic to them now... who knows.
How do you know I didn't? I had lots of family members with dogs. And pretty much no risk factors for developing such a severe allergy as an adult.
This is a very offensive assumption.0 -
And that's a good thing. My face swells around dogs and who knows if it will be my throat next. (Yes I take daily meds, they don't prevent it.)Kimegatron wrote: »My dog was allowed EVERYWHERE, so she always came with me. Even out to bars. We don't do that kind of thing here in MI.
But maybe if you had grown up close to dogs, you wouldn't be that allergic to them now... who knows.
How do you know I didn't? I had lots of family members with dogs. And pretty much no risk factors for developing such a severe allergy as an adult.
This is a very offensive assumption.
Offensive? Not more offensive than your comments about letting people take their dogs everywhere.
Besides, I said 'maybe'.
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How is saying that you are excluding a group of people, or risking their lives if you bring an animal in, or worse, hide an animal and sneak it in offensive?
And that's a good thing. My face swells around dogs and who knows if it will be my throat next. (Yes I take daily meds, they don't prevent it.)Kimegatron wrote: »My dog was allowed EVERYWHERE, so she always came with me. Even out to bars. We don't do that kind of thing here in MI.
But maybe if you had grown up close to dogs, you wouldn't be that allergic to them now... who knows.
How do you know I didn't? I had lots of family members with dogs. And pretty much no risk factors for developing such a severe allergy as an adult.
This is a very offensive assumption.
Offensive? Not more offensive than your comments about letting people take their dogs everywhere.
Besides, I said 'maybe'.
Stating that "maybe you could have done something" to prevent what is a random health issue is offensive.
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On Wednesday I'm going on holiday to Los Angeles (I live in England) so I'll let you know
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Yeah, I would say that eating like a typical North American has a good chance of making you fat.
I don't know about affluence affecting it though. My homesteading and mining great grandparents were not wealthy. They ate a lot of cheap food and fillers, like cabbage and flour, and they gained weight.0 -
How is saying that you are excluding a group of people, or risking their lives if you bring an animal in, or worse, hide an animal and sneak it in offensive?
And that's a good thing. My face swells around dogs and who knows if it will be my throat next. (Yes I take daily meds, they don't prevent it.)Kimegatron wrote: »My dog was allowed EVERYWHERE, so she always came with me. Even out to bars. We don't do that kind of thing here in MI.
But maybe if you had grown up close to dogs, you wouldn't be that allergic to them now... who knows.
How do you know I didn't? I had lots of family members with dogs. And pretty much no risk factors for developing such a severe allergy as an adult.
This is a very offensive assumption.
Offensive? Not more offensive than your comments about letting people take their dogs everywhere.
Besides, I said 'maybe'.
Stating that "maybe you could have done something" to prevent what is a random health issue is offensive.
You're clearly just reading what you want to read, I suggest you go back to my original post and read it again. Or not. I guess it won't help.
And I've never heard of people who die because they were close to a dog. If it's the case, I would guess that they are smart enough to stay away from public places where people might bring their dog... Restaurant or otherwise.
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And that's a good thing. My face swells around dogs and who knows if it will be my throat next. (Yes I take daily meds, they don't prevent it.)Kimegatron wrote: »My dog was allowed EVERYWHERE, so she always came with me. Even out to bars. We don't do that kind of thing here in MI.
But maybe if you had grown up close to dogs, you wouldn't be that allergic to them now... who knows.
How do you know I didn't? I had lots of family members with dogs. And pretty much no risk factors for developing such a severe allergy as an adult.
This is a very offensive assumption.
Wow - you really have to want to be offended if you find this offensive.0 -
And that's a good thing. My face swells around dogs and who knows if it will be my throat next. (Yes I take daily meds, they don't prevent it.)Kimegatron wrote: »My dog was allowed EVERYWHERE, so she always came with me. Even out to bars. We don't do that kind of thing here in MI.
But maybe if you had grown up close to dogs, you wouldn't be that allergic to them now... who knows.
How do you know I didn't? I had lots of family members with dogs. And pretty much no risk factors for developing such a severe allergy as an adult.
This is a very offensive assumption.
Wow - you really have to want to be offended if you find this offensive.
Nope. Just so tired of people offering advice when I didn't ask for it and they don't know the back story. And being told I should stay home bound. Would you say that to a blind person or someone in a wheelchair?
Also, anaphylaxis is possible with any allergy. It's more well known with things like food and bees, but it's a very real thing, especially when your face swells.
According to the ADA I have a right to be served in an allergy free area, but in a lot of stores that allow all dogs it's just not possible.0 -
AND back to the OP...........................................
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And that's a good thing. My face swells around dogs and who knows if it will be my throat next. (Yes I take daily meds, they don't prevent it.)Kimegatron wrote: »My dog was allowed EVERYWHERE, so she always came with me. Even out to bars. We don't do that kind of thing here in MI.
But maybe if you had grown up close to dogs, you wouldn't be that allergic to them now... who knows.
How do you know I didn't? I had lots of family members with dogs. And pretty much no risk factors for developing such a severe allergy as an adult.
This is a very offensive assumption.
Nothing offensive was posted.
And yes, my own experience in Germany was lots of dogs everywhere.
And my own experience in Europe has always been: more walking.0 -
@ninerbuff - I just had a colleague who spend one year on assignment in Wiesbaden, Germany. I hardly recognized him as he lost ~70 lbs in the last year and while never really intending to, the culture promotes a healthier lifestyle. He biked to work most days, ate less even though he said most of the food was incredibly rich. He simply became fuller faster.0
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I'm a dual US/UK citizen, living in the UK for ten years now. I have found that the level of movement I get just from the activities of normal life in the UK are higher than when I'm in the US, because, well, cars. We were in the US for three weeks over Christmas, and even though we tried very hard not to overeat, we both still gained half a stone. My mom actually got offended, she thought we didn't want to eat "her food". One of the friends we stayed with doesn't eat vegetables, AT ALL. Meat, bread and cake all the way there. And cars, so no walking unless we went hiking.0
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It really depends on where you are and who you are around.
Cars tend to be more convenient in the US than in many parts of Europe, even in areas of the US where people walk more. For example, I live in a large city, but still could easily and conveniently drive to the grocery store or many other stores if I wanted to shop, since there are parking lots or a free parking garage associated. And gas is relatively cheap.
But going other places cars are a hassle, street parking can be hard to find or expensive, downtown parking is insanely expensive, having a parking spot can make a place cost more or require renting and it may well be outside (in a bad winter climate), etc. In contrast, most places are walkable or accessible by public transportation and biking most places is getting easier. So there is an incentive to walk a lot, and most people who live around me (in the US) do seem to walk most places (or take public transportation). That said, I bet we still are more likely to drive than people who live in comparable areas in Europe, because like I said above, in some ways it's still reasonably convenient.
I don't think you can really generalize about how much people in the US are likely to eat vegetables. That's going to be more individual or sub-culture-related.
I think you can generalize that US portion sizes are distorted.0 -
Gotta wonder why the mentality is that eating less and exercising is everyday life there and here eating more, getting value portion for your dollar and cruising your car is much more common. People here love their cars so much so that they won't commute nor take public transportation even if it fits their work schedules.@ninerbuff - I just had a colleague who spend one year on assignment in Wiesbaden, Germany. I hardly recognized him as he lost ~70 lbs in the last year and while never really intending to, the culture promotes a healthier lifestyle. He biked to work most days, ate less even though he said most of the food was incredibly rich. He simply became fuller faster.
Just in case any wonders, I drive a mini van. Hardly a man's ideal desired vehicle. Probably why I spend more time out of it than in it.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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OP just to add that in My personal experience is that also it's more acceptable to be fat/overweight/obese here in the U.S than many places, I'm from D.R and we only have in the whole damn country one store were you can get plus size clothes , I'm not kidding , just one ! So you can not afford to balloon like I did (much of my clothes my family used to get for me here in the USA and send it back to me) , other factor is def. social pressure , you hardly ever see overweight women with slim men, that's a hell no back there, you see that a lot more here in the U.S , shizz I remember my first time in the U.S I felt like hell I'm a whale but I belong to a group, I'm finally not the biggest person in the room, I was not the exception, I can shop in many many places, to be quite honest I didn't felt ashamed or to bad just because I am/was fat or any kind of stress to lose weight
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Oh it sucks feeling like an outcast. When I moved over seas for the last 2 years of high school to an island out in the middle of the Pacific, my brother and I weren't received well by the locals. It can do a number on anyone who gets discriminated against for any reason.OP just to add that in My personal experience is that also it's more acceptable to be fat/overweight/obese here in the U.S than many places, I'm from D.R and we only have in the whole damn country one store were you can get plus size clothes , I'm not kidding , just one ! So you can not afford to balloon like I did (much of my clothes my family used to get for me here in the USA and send it back to me) , other factor is def. social pressure , you hardly ever see overweight women with slim men, that's a hell no back there, you see that a lot more here in the U.S , shizz I remember my first time in the U.S I felt like hell I'm a whale but I belong to a group, I'm finally not the biggest person in the room, I was not the exception, I can shop in many many places, to be quite honest I didn't felt ashamed or to bad just because I am/was fat or any kind of stress to lose weight
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
0 -
I initially found it difficult to control weight after moving to the U.S. but this was almost entirely due to the fact that a lot of the foods that I found highly satisfying and comforting simply didn't taste the same anymore! I am prone to comfort eating and when there is no comfort there is more eating (in my case). It took several months for me to reach a new equilibrium and re-discover new sources of culinary comfort. Given that I only moved from Australia the difference in tastes between the U.S. and where I came from was minimal. I could easily see how someone from a culture that differs considerably more might struggle to settle in for much longer (gaining a lot more weight than I did). Only advice I can give: don't give up the search!0
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Funny, where I work we are highly multicultural. At last count, we have people here who are originally from 20+ different countries (mostly from the European, Asian, and African continents). Lots of grad students, postdocs and PIs from various countries regularly moving in and out. Very few have noticeably gained weight while here.
I wonder if it is because when they move here they are taken under the wing of others from the same or similar culture and they keep similar eating and exercise habits to what they had at home?0 -
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Yes. Gravity is higher here.
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