Food is a central part of any culture. We celebrate big events like weddings and birthdays with food, we gather around the dinner table as a family unit, we take a loved one out to dinner. Because there are so many intersections between food and the culture that we grow up in, it is important to understand our own culture if we really want to change our eating habits to lose weight.

There are a lot of different aspects of a given culture that contribute to the way we eat. One of the big differences between American culture and the culture in a place like Paris, France is simply the length of the meal. The concept of fast food was basically born in America for a reason. We eat our meals very quickly here compared to other countries, quite possibly a natural extension of our busy lifestyle. We have a culture that revolves around time. Think of all of the phrases that you commonly hear in America that are related to time. "Time is Money" is probably the most telling of them. We place our value on time above all else, it is something that we consider to be wasted if we aren’t taking advantage of every little bit of it throughout the day. In contrast, Parisians are known for 2 to 3 hour dinners. They eat leisurely and take time to savor their food and conversation. It is an entirely different approach.

There is a correlation between obesity and the time people take to eat. Generally speaking, the faster the meal, the fatter the population. Cultures with leisurely meals tend to have leaner populations. Food cultures have such a strong effect on our eating habits. If you find you come from an unhealthy food culture, it may be time to try a new one.

Some of the cultures that are considered to be most healthy are the French, Japanese, Italians, and Greeks. The French, for instance eat slower, with small portions, and don’t have seconds or snacks. They take pleasure in eating at communal meals and don’t stress about dieting. It is much better to approach weight loss with this kind of relaxed attitude, because you’re much more likely to form habits naturally and easily that are healthy.

One of the biggest differences between American culture and outside cultures is the fact that most of them cook much more than Americans. It is so common to eat out in America. This makes it so much easier to down lots of calories with as little effort as possible. If you want to lose weight by embracing another food culture, you should cook more. If you are really committed, you should plant your own garden as well. The effort that goes into growing and cooking your own food is the surest way to escape the culture of fast food.

Another way to help along the process of weight loss is to use a safe substance like a thermogenic or lipotropic fat burner. Thermogenic fat burners will increase your metabolism and help you burn fat faster, even while you sleep. Lipotropic Fat Burners increase your body’s metabolism to burn fat too, and also aid you in removing or transporting fat out of your body. Lipotropics are substances that prevent an abnormal accumulation of fat in the liver.

By changing your food culture and with a little help from effective fat burners, you’ll be well on your way to a healthy weight and a new life.