SIZE MATTERS....

So I think its safe to say, I have an obsession with food. I love the smells, tastes, full and satisfying feeling it gives me. The way it is beautifully presented on a plate in front of me - like a piece of art. Although this obsession makes for a really interesting first date, it isn't always positive when it comes to eating healthy and body image. Now, I have a few different views on food, being that I grew up in a multicultural setting. I lived in the States, where big portions and greasy foods are the norm, but grew up with a Hungarian mom, whose values included making home cooked meals and portion control. Luckily, I grew up in San Diego which had really great healthy options and where the general population was very active and ate good foods, but I still found it hard, and still do find it hard, to control portions. Let's take a prime example (a place I typically don't eat at, but one known by everyone) McDonald's. A large serving of fries or a drink at McDonald's in Hungary is equivalent to the medium or even small size in the States. Whether you go to a restaurant, or get take-out, the portions in American restaurants are typically much bigger than those in Hungary. There's a reason why American's, on average, tend to be more overweight as compared to European countries. Another reason for this difference, at least in my experience, is the fact that in the States the standard is that the family sits down together to have a large family dinner. In Hungary, the large family meal is typically lunch, meaning that at dinnertime the family eats something light. I don't know about you, but everything I have ever read has showed how eating less at dinner time promotes weight loss, don't you agree? Cars. In the States I sat my pretty little butt in a car everyday and got to where I needed to go. In Budapest, I walk every day and all the time since I don't have a car. Sure, I use public transportation, but I still walk a lot. It's true, Hungarians do cook with a lot of food considered not so healthy: grease, sour cream, cheeses, fatty meats, but for whatever reason, probably from the ones mentioned above, it has less of a negative effect.

Now, I don't want to sit here and say how bad America is, because although I personally found it really hard to eat healthy all the time and control my portions, there are aspects that are more positive. Growing up in San Diego meant lots of outdoor activities. I played outside a lot as a child. I was very active in sports since the age of 5, and I really lived an active lifestyle, both because of the weather and location, and because in the states these activities are more affordable in comparison to Hungary. A huge factor of why I appreciate the American culture is the way they approach the issue of weight gain and body image. Hungarians are very raw and tell it like it is. If they think you have gained 5 pounds, they are sure to tell you. In the States, they avoid these topics, and try to be positive when it comes to looking at ones body image, trying to stay away from an "ideal" and tell people what they think they should look like. I personally went through a faze when I gained a significant amount of weight, and I felt much more supported and encouraged by my American family versus my Hungarian family who made comments on a daily basis that I needed to lose weight. Does telling me I gained 5 pounds mean I am going to not eat that piece of cake on my plate? Does it mean I am going to get off of the couch that second and go to the gym? No, it doesn't. What it does is cause pain and insecurity for that person being told those things. Now living in Budapest I think certain aspects are easier than while living in the States, and living on my own makes it so that I make all my own decisions; food and otherwise. Both cultures have their positives and negatives, and as an individual, and even society, I think we need to work to find the middle ground and really embrace the best of both worlds and teach people how to eat healthy, control portions, but love the skin they're in. #dianasays

PORTIONS! PORTIONS! PORTIONS! I, myself absolutely love food. I love to taste new dishes, as long as it is not moving off my plate, I will probably try it. OK, I do not like oysters and will never eat any kinds of bugs- my only culinary fault. I enjoy the presentation of dishes, the wine pairings, the sheer pleasure of the atmosphere of the dining experience. And as you can read above, I raised my kids with the right attitude about their eating habits. But let me tell you this: the first time I visited the United States twenty some years ago and had my first confrontation with a pastrami sandwich in a mall accompanied by mac & cheese as a side dish, I literally fainted. I have never ever seen such a massive amount of meat piled up between two pieces of bread. I sort of thought it was a joke, because there was no way I could open my mouth wide enough to take a bite. In contrast, I grew up eating open faced sandwiches, where you take a slice of bread, put a thin layer of butter or some kind of a spread on the bread, then place a piece of thin meat such as ham or salami with another thin slice of cheese, maybe a few slices of pickles or hard boiled eggs. The difference is sky high, literally. The thought of trying to digest so much meat with one meal gives me massive stomach pain. I also have never seen fries drenched in melted cheese before coming to America. Do not get me wrong, this dish I actually love-and-hate at the same time. My biggest guilty pleasure is ordering fries with chili and cheese. The calorie count is so horrid that I would probably not eat another meal for days after consuming the entire large plate. Needless to say, I am staying away from it lately, so I can enjoy my own cooking instead of increasing my body mass.

Now, how do you eat all these American foods? The only logical answer is: with your hands! No fork or knife needed, just a good bath afterwards to clean off all the drippings. How can anyone possibly eat these types of foods without getting themselves soaked in grease? I guess I had a proper upbringing, starting in preschool, where you would be served your 2 or 3 course lunch on a tablecloth, at kiddie sized tables, your soup presented in ceramic bowls with proper silverware, nothing plastic. Your second, usually a meat and side dish served also on regular plates eaten with forks and knives. Yes, to most American's horror, I grew up even eating my pizza with a fork and knife. We were not allowed to touch our food on the plate with our fingers, helping it slide onto the fork. Yet in America it is perfectly acceptable. Well-dressed men in their designer suits and women with their perfectly manicured nails would give a little shove with their left index finger to the desired piece of meat or potato onto their fork, and into their mouth. Hmm, different countries different customs. I had a pretty funny experience at a dinner once where a man sitting next to me asked if I was left handed. I was a little baffled at first, not understanding the question but then I realized he saw my fork in my left hand and perhaps did not notice the knife in my right. I just smiled and did tell him politely that I am for sure right handed, that is exactly why the knife is in my right hand, all through my meal. :)

On the flip side, living in the States exposed me to so many different food cultures, giving me a chance to try fruits and vegetables I have never heard of. Of course in the past 20 years that has changed in Hungary as well. New ethnic restaurants are opening up daily, giving you a chance to indulge in Indian, Thai, Brazilian, Mexican or literally any country's food you desire. Let me add here, we still have the best Mexican food in San Diego, or rather at my dinner table.:) But with that said, by now Europe has all the American fast food chains represented as well, which most people love so much despite their unhealthy offerings. Both continents are changing rapidly, good or bad, healthy or just guilty pleasures, the choices are ours alone. We decide what goes into our bodies and I believe that no matter where you live, you can always make the right choice of eating healthy yet enjoying tasty meals. #mommydearest