| When developing a weight loss plan, common wisdom | | | | and career pressures because of a dysfunctional |
| calls for the use of calorie counters. However, there | | | | economic system that actually penalizes workers |
| is evidence to suggest that calorie counting may not | | | | while rewarding an investor class that produces |
| necessarily be all that useful, and may actually lead to | | | | nothing, yet enjoys most of the fruits of American |
| frustration. | | | | workers' labor. As a result, mealtime for most |
| In the science of physics, a calorie is a very exact | | | | Americans is a race to shove as much food as |
| measurement; generally, it is the amount of heat | | | | possible down their throats before going back to |
| energy required to raise one kilogram of water (a | | | | work. |
| little over a quart) by one degree Centigrade (1.6 | | | | In France, mealtimes are a leisurely celebration; |
| degrees Fahrenheit). Unfortunately, when it comes to | | | | lingering over lunch for an hour or two and then |
| the issue of diet and nutrition, calories can serve only | | | | taking another hour off before returning to work is |
| as a rough approximation. | | | | normal (in fact, in the rest of the world, business |
| It's easy, for example to say that running x number | | | | ceases between 12 noon and 3 PM). Now, you may |
| of miles will burn x number of calories, or that z | | | | have heard of an interesting phenomenon: regardless |
| amount of Food y contains x amount of calories. | | | | of how much or how little food is consumed, the |
| However, when it comes to living organisms, no two | | | | brain generally receives signals from the digestive |
| are exactly alike. The ideal weight loss plan is | | | | system that the stomach is full! |
| specifically tailored to the individual. | | | | The fact is that eating whole, satisfying, nutrient |
| It's interesting to note that the people of France are | | | | dense food at a slower pace is what keeps French |
| not calorie counters. Yet, the French eat far more in | | | | waistlines in check. There are no weight loss plans, |
| the way of fat that Americans do. Despite this, | | | | and no calorie counters. |
| obesity in France is rare. Why is this? | | | | There is a lesson here. While it may not currently be |
| Dr. Will Clower, author of Fat Fallacy (New York: | | | | possible for most Americans to enjoy an hour for |
| Three Rivers Press, 2003) suggests that it has more | | | | lunch or supper (though it is something that we |
| to do with overall lifestyle than calorie counting. | | | | should fight for), it is quite possible that slowing our |
| Despite the fact that they share relatively few of | | | | pace of eating - combined with a reasonable amount |
| the rewards, Americans are the most productive, | | | | of physical activity - can be the most effective |
| industrious and driven workers in the world. | | | | weight loss plan of all. |
| Americans define themselves by what they do; in | | | | Read out Weight loss . |
| addition, most Americans are under heavy financial | | | | |