THE ITALIAN BRIDGE
  • Home
  • Blog & Co.
    • Italian Blog
    • Learn Italian
    • Italian Slang
    • Italian Gestures
  • Contacts - Newsletter

How to Eat Pasta Everyday and Be Slim...An Italian Secret?

5/5/2013

11 Comments

 
Immagine
The most frequent question my American friends ask me is this: How is it possibile that you Italians eat Pasta every single day and you're so slim???Another curious stuff they told me is that it seems that some doctors over there say you don't have to eat carbohydrates or you will be fat!
So, are we magicians or what? Are we going to the gym 3 times a day? Not at all!
The answer is so simply and quite obvious for the Italians who have been in the States at least once.

  • First, the problem is not the Pasta. The problem is its dressing. 
Sure, if you eat the Pasta and add butter in it, it will be a bomb. If you eat Spaghetti and Meatballs, this won't definitely help your diet ( this is something we don't eat. It's the most famous dish in the Italian Restaurants in the States but you won't find it here!).
But, if you eat Pasta and olive oil, or tomato sauce, this won't kill you for sure.
That's one of the problem in the States: How you dress your food.
If you eat a bowl of salad and add 2 spoons of salad dressing in it, it will be much worse than a Pasta dish!
Eat your salad with just oil, vinegar and salt. That's what a real Italian, healthy salad is! 

  • Second, that about the portions???
The first time I asked for a salad in Vegas I was shocked. It was more than the double of our portions!!!
Not to talk about the first time I went to an "Eat all you want" restaurant. OH MY!  People eat too much, that's the point!
I absolutely adore the Pancakes with the maple syrup on top if it. I find it to be one of the most delicious food men have created. But...I gave up having them for breakfast when I'm there.  Why? Because it's absolutely impossibile to eat three of them and still be able to walk! One is more than enough!
One day I went to a restaurant in Vegas, the Omelette House. One of the most incredible place I've ever been in my whole life. And it was absolutely delicious...but...what a shock to see Americans being able to eat their 6 eggs omelette, with cheese and ham ( this was what I took and it was one of the lightest), finish all the baked potatoes without collapse at the same moment!!! How can you do this? 

  • Third...walking.
This was another thing that let me speechless when I went there the first time. Nobody walking on the streets. NOBODY.
Obviously I'm not taking about New York, but...I've been in Vegas, I've been in San Diego, I've been in Florida, I've been in Atlanta, I've been in the south east, wherever you go, people don't walk.
I know avenues over there are very different from here, but don't tell me you have to take the car to go to the grocery store that's 3 miles away! WALK! When I go there I always end to be the most known person of the village I'm visiting because I'm the only one walking. Drivers looking at me like...hey poor baby, you don't have a car? Hell yeah, I have a car, but also a pair of wonderful legs!!! And they can move! You don't need to go jogging in Central Park to stay healthy!

Here...are the 3 secrets. Weren't they easy to guess?

Eat healthy, eat less and use your legs! And you will be able to enjoy the Italian food.
Mediterranean diet, isn't it the most famous diet in the world?

11 Comments
Marianna Randazzo link
7/9/2013 02:34:24 pm

You would think that Americans would have figured all of this out by know. Simple, basic truths, portion control and exercise.
Bigger is not always better, especially when it comes to the buffet table.
Thank you for an interesting post.

Reply
The Italian Bridge
7/9/2013 08:36:39 pm

Thanks to you Marianna. You know it was just something that "needed to be told" ;-)

Reply
Pietro
7/28/2013 11:09:35 pm

You actually forgot the most important calory-burning secret the italians are famous for, but I guess you're saving that for another post
:D

Reply
The Italian Bridge
7/28/2013 11:36:40 pm

Lol Pietro I think I got what you mean but I want to believe I have not to suggest it :-)

Reply
Isabella
7/29/2013 05:28:02 am

It seems that people in America have gotten lazy over the years. My husband drives about a block just to pick me up by the grocery store by us, though he's very skinny. As for me, I was raised on the pancakes and waffles thing as well as plenty of pasta! I was the skinniest kid and adult until I started taking medicine. I walk more than most people around me and love to get out. The reason I saw Americans have gotten lazier because this is the country I live in so I notice. To one extent things have gotten easier for people over the years. I like this post because it reminds me that I should portion my food better.

Reply
The Italian Bridge
7/29/2013 06:46:24 am

Thank you for sharing Isabelle!!!

Reply
concetta
7/30/2013 08:15:27 am

yes...my grandparents ate pasta with garlic!!! garlic+ fresh tomatoes+basil+olive oil!!! lots of endive salada with oil and wine vinegar!!!! oh yes i loved eating at nonno and nonna's house! all different pastas with vegetables!!!!

Reply
Marianna Randazzo link
7/30/2013 10:41:22 am

I have been stockpiling my basilco, oregano, tomatoes, pepper and cucumbers from the garden. Drying the herbs, chopping the tomatoes with basil and garlic , I have been creating pesto and freezing it for the winter months. Love the freshness. This year we even planted melons. Can't wait for the figs to ripen. By the way, I live in NYC, anything is possible!

Reply
Martha Becker link
8/15/2013 11:48:22 pm

The first time I went to Italy, I actually lost weight. Like you said, portions, quality of the food and lots of walking.

Reply
avtar
7/8/2015 07:47:08 pm

HI, you are 100% right about everything. People eat too much and no exercise at all.

Reply
Christijan mArv
7/22/2016 07:44:17 pm

Well the same thing happened to my country, Indonesia, and maybe even worse.

It's very common to see people goes from his/her house to somewhere which only 300-500 meters with their motorbike

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    May 2019
    November 2018
    May 2018
    October 2017
    January 2016
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    December 2013
    November 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013

    Categories

    All
    Culture & Life Style
    Italian Food & Cuisine
    Italian Language
    Translations

    RSS Feed

    View my profile on LinkedIn

Privacy Policy
Web Analytics
Copyright © 2013 TheItalianBridge. All rights reserved
  • Home
  • Blog & Co.
    • Italian Blog
    • Learn Italian
    • Italian Slang
    • Italian Gestures
  • Contacts - Newsletter