Marie Osmond on Larry King Live last night.

On Wed, 11 Aug 2004 at 06:19:46, Concordia wrote:

Sure, I don't doubt that calorie tables may be inaccurate to some nth
degree of precision. But that certainly does not rule out _any_ value
they may have in providing a basis about what and how much to eat.
Thanks to calorie tables, it's pretty clear that a pound of sausage
has more calories than a pound of salmon.

Would that not be clear without calorie tables?

There seem to be very few of these naturally thin "regulated" people
floating around in the states. I've heard that this may differ a bit
in France (does it really?). If so, what do you attribute the
difference to? Almost without exception, even the thin folks here
have to watch what they eat.

When I lived in France as a young adult, I lost over 20 lbs without even
trying. And kept them off for years. I think it's due to the very
different eating-habits over there - three meals a day, end of. No
snacks. None. The concept of the "office stash" is totally unknown -
you just don't eat during the day, except at a formal mealtime. The
young, who do go to McDonald's, are beginning to get fat.

And yes, the majority of people in France still appear to have no need
to lose weight - I always feel grotesquely fat when I'm over there,
whereas in the USA I feel positively slender!

I don't think it is effortless for the vast majority of people. Most
of the "naturally" thin people I know will tell you (if they are
honest) that they will occasionally pass on dessert and second
helpings, _consciously_ decide to have a light dinner if they ate a
lot for lunch, etc. What's funny is now that I am thin, people
occasionally comment on what and how they seem to think I can get away
with eating, based on their limited observation. Especially other
women. People see what they want to see.

Partly conscious, partly because they are genuinely not hungry for a
heavy meal in the evening if they've had a lot for lunch. Or for a
pudding if they've had a large main course. That is what us fatties
don't have, naturally - a natural appetite regulator. We eat because
the food is there, not because we are actively hungry for it.

And of course many French women *do* watch their weight, but are
discreet about it - and successful! But they have as many health
magazines as anywhere else, and they are as full of diet tips as any
other....
--
Annabel Smyth
http://www.amsmyth.demon.co.uk/index.html
Website updated 7 August 2004 - for a limited time, be bored by my holiday
snaps!