While you lived overseas, did your weight change?

[William33 110]

I gained 30 lbs after returning to the US, while maintaining 170lbs overseas.

Could it be the hormones in US meat and vegetables?

Your thoughts?

[Completely 3]

I think it is the weather, food and spices and less activity for me. When I was in my home country I used to walk, ride a bus, etc.. Humidity plays a big role also. I brought my husband in the philippines for almost 4 weeks and he lost 14pounds.

[jodee 30]

We lived in germany for 4 years,..and I went from 120lbs to 145,..Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!...too much rich german food,..yummy, but oh so not good for the hips.....lol..

Now back in the states,..and lost 4 lbs in 8 months,..slowly but surely

[English Muffin 59]

I don't think it's hormones in US food that is to blame. I think it's the high content of fat, sugar and high fructose corn syrup in a lot of foods that contribute to weight gain over here. The huge portions you get when you eat out don't help either.

[sara..... 371]

all of us gain a lot of weight when we come back to the states this means our complete family i think some of it is just about everything u purchase has msg in it also when we are over seas everything is fresh from the milk, fruit, meat......here everything is packaged and if u try to eat all natural u either have to have a lot of money or have the ability to grow it urself.........if u want milk that is not hyped up here it cost six dollars a gallon when u have six people in the family u cant afford to purchase milk that cost that much.........

[tom&tata 2]

Portion, less veggies (for me) and processed foods

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

down, idk

i can spend 2 weeks in india and eat everything i want to and not work out at all and come back lighter. it's weird.

[Jenn! 918]

I lost about 20 lbs or so after moving to Italy, and then gained it back when I returned to the U.S. I didn't watch what I ate there - pastas and pizzas galore. I think it's a combination of differences in ingredients as well as a more sedentary lifestyle. There I had no car and was active at my job. Here I work in a cube, so I actually have to go to the gym if I don't want to gain weight.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I was 180lbs in the UK in 2003. Currently 215lbs.

I don't know if its due to hormones or hidden sugars.

[beejay 123]

I weighed less when I lived over seas. I don't know if it was lack of hormones but I do know we cooked/prepared almost all of our meals. They didn't have all the microwave meals / "dinner in 5 min" kinda things there so we had a nice sit down meal almost every night. Here we do a lot more ready made stuff from the grocery store...I suspect it's not as healthy......

*edit* I also didn't have a car there and walked quite a bit more than I do here.

Edited November 25, 2008 by beejay

[Kevin&Leilei 1]

The longest stretch I've spent overseas was just under seven weeks in China. I ate out most of the time, and I ate like a pig. I LOVE Chinese food (American Chinese food doesn't compare to the real thing). I didn't gain or lose any weight. I was a little more active there than I am here, just some walking, but not really much. I think it's the type of foods. More rice and vegetables, less meat, less sugar, and no HFCS. Less processed foods.

[Uncle Wally 2]

When I lived in Japan, my weight stayed about the same as it had been in the States. I'd always eaten pretty healthy and gone to the gym, and this continued when I moved to Japan.

When I returned home after 4 years, I put on some weight that I was able to shed soon thereafter. I know exactly what did it, too: beer.

Beer in Japan is just lager. That's all they really have. Lager. There's a handful of microbrews available most places, but you can only really treat yourself to 1 or 2 as the super-high prices ($5 bucks a bottle or so) prohibit making a Saturday night out of them, and they generally aren't served in bars or restaurants.

When I returned home, I started drinking all the heavy craft beers that I missed my four years in Japan (as well as partying with all the buddies whose company I'd missed during that time), and those porters and IPA's went straight to the old beer gut. I chilled out with it after a couple months, and the weight --and beer gut-- went back to normal.

[Nessa 23]

marriage makes me fat

seriously, i don't know about hormones, but processed food might be the reason. I used to eat home cooked meal way more than now, where I open boxes, cans all the time.

[Amby 490]

I lost weight when I moved to London but only because I went from driving everything in LA to walking everywhere in London

[Alli and Léo 0]

I agree Nessa! I lost a little weight when in Brazil because it is hot...but I gained a ton of weight from marriage...it's those silly men that do it to us!!!

Edited November 25, 2008 by Alli and Léo