Monday, February 18, 2013

My Swedish Diet

Every time I go to Sweden, I lose weight. I don't even mean to. It just happens. Don't think I avoid food while I'm there. Swedish food is some of the best stuff on Earth. I can't resist all that yummy goodness - breads, seafood, cheeses, pancakes, potatoes, strawberries, fish, meatballs, pizza, candy, ice cream, chocolate, cookies, cake, more candy... I eat it all and in abundance.

Fat and sugar free in Sweden , or so it seems.
Tuukka Ervasti/imagebank.sweden.se

So, what gives? Could it be all that running around and walking I do in Sweden? Possibly. I inevitably gain weight upon my return to Texas. After returning from an extended stay in Stockholm in 2004, I packed on a hefty 25 pounds - in three months. Maybe it's all the driving we do in the States. Or maybe it's all the fried food. Regardless, the US is #9 when it comes to global obesity rates while Sweden is #60 on the list, if you wonder.

This time, I've prepared a little non-scientific experiment for my time abroad. I've been eating (sorta) healthy and have made sure I'm fit with lots of pre-travel exercise. My BMI is a trim 22, smack in the middle of the healthy scale for my height. So, will I gain weight this time? I'm going to try.

How do I propose to blimp up? By eating as many semlor as I can manage. Bet you didn't see that coming. These things are fat bombs, according to Göran Petterson at Chalmers University. He likens them to a health "catastrophe" in a recent Nordstjernan article.

Bombs away! At 550-650 calories each, about six of these would put on an extra pound.
Lola Akinmade Åkerström/imagebank.sweden.se

If I lose weight this time, I will strongly consider writing a book about my Swedish diet: Go to Sweden. Eat copious amounts of fatty, sugary and carb-loaded food. Come back lighter. Would make for a useful tourism tag line: "The Swedish Miracle Diet! Eat everything and get trim. Book your trip now!" I'm booked and ready.
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2 comments:

  1. UnknownFebruary 18, 2013 at 3:58 PM

    Hi Sara,
    The eating habits are definitely different here. As an american from Los Angeles living in Sweden for the past 21 years, I miss the food there! For example, here for breakfast there is to choose from, oatmeal, boiled eggs, bread, thin cheese or ham slices, sliced tomato and cucumber, orange or apple juice from concentrate, an tea or coffee. If you ask me, the best breakfast in Sweden is a sausage and egg mcmuffin, from mcdonalds.

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  2. SaraFebruary 19, 2013 at 10:32 AM

    I might get tired of it too after living there for awhile. Maybe. I suppose people tend to miss what they don't have. I miss Swedish food and you miss American food. If we switched for awhile, do you think you would start missing Kalles Kaviar? ;o)

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