How do Asian women stay so thin?

Question

Yet white, black and Hispanic women in America balloon up and blame these hormones(that are apparently only limited to American women), health issues and genetics(again, only limited to American women) and these women refer to themselves as curvy.

Is it their diet? How do they avoid letting themselves go?

Prof_Don · Accepted Answer

When it comes to the "hormones" argument and the "genetics" argument, there are some truth to them (especially how the American food supply is riddled with chemical additives), but still...there's no excuse to weigh 400lbs! :-P

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From the AzN guys and girls that I have known throughout my lifetime, I think it's several factors from what I've observed.

*the heavy cultural focus on preparing your meals at home (instead of eating out at fast food joints)

*meals usually focus on rice or rice noodles as the primary starch instead of wheat pasta/bread (gluten can cause water retention and alter nutrient absorption) or potatoes (healthy with the skin-on, but more calorie-dense than rice)

*more fruits and vegetables; usually a 2:1 to a 3:1 ratio of produce to meat in each meal

*higher consumption of fish = more balanced omega3 / omega6 balance = lower inflammation in the body = more energetic

*most of the culture's non-Americanized foods aren't deep fried; most are sauteed with a few TBSPs of oil and a bit of a salty sauce (usually fish sauce or soy sauce) for flavor

*salt is NEVER added to the food after it's cooked; I think Americans came out with this heart-stressing abomination food practice

*not as many sweets (beverages and foods) outside of fresh fruit and some fruit juice, are typically consumed compared to Americans

*various teas (red, green, jasmine, ginger, mulberry leaf, etc) are the primary non-water beverages consumed throughout the day; they are a hidden source of vitamins, minerals and phyto-chemicals, and aid digestion of food

*sugar is rarely consumed in their diet overall

*****portion control

Moloch · Accepted Answer

Their diet is way different than ours. Black people and Hispanics eat a lot of fried food, and bad carbs.

bubble_tea · Accepted Answer

Based on observation and listening to my extended family and my Asian friends, I noticed three ways to stay thin.

1. Genetics/high metabolism: Some eat like pigs and stay thin no matter how much fried food and cokes they drink.. until their metabolism slow down (in their 50s or later)

2. Peer-pressure (more common among women): My aunts have no problem commenting on other people's, each others' or their own weight or body and giving tips how to lose it again, without being asked BTW. Not uncommon to enter the room and be greeted with "OMG, you put on weight!" instead of "Hello. Long time no see. How have you been?" It makes you lose appetite even if you were hungry before. Sometimes they take out the scale (after dinner) to see how fat they are (not taking into account that some are taller than others) and force everyone to stand on it. Weight is something private? Forget it.

Guys, like most guys, are blessed with genetics for many years, and then start getting a tummy. But only when it becomes the size of 7-8 months pregnant, they will feel (read: constantly hear the comments) the pressure to lose weight.

3. Absolute fear of looking fat (= ugly): Disordered eating, cause they don't know how to excercise to lose weight.

The fat Asians others have mentioned are simply Asians, who aren't blessed with genetics, but don't fall for the peer-pressure, because there aren't many Asians around or because they don't care and find their other goals in life are more important.

Cottoncandydreams · Accepted Answer

Genetics? am not Asian but I buy a lot of Asian clothes, and I have to agree, it is normal to be much smaller than the average American in Japan, etc. A size small here is a size medium/ large there! I am good friends with a few Chinese immigrants who all have darling figures. Not to sound stereotypical or whatever, but I've noticed they are ALL very active and industrious people. Always moving about, organizing, cleaning things, etc. They don't seem to ever be in idle mode. Just moving and burning calories seems to be their secret. I've also noticed they seem to stay more hydrated than most people. Always sipping water or hot tea. t's just their metabolism. They're more towards the ectomorph side of things, meaning they have a hard time gaining weight.

That's one reason why most Asian guys are lean and have smaller muscles than other races.

Though, there are exceptions. Fat Asians do exist, and there are Japanese sumo wrestlers and power lifters Asians don't eat a lot from the American fast food chains like McDonald, Wendy's. They mostly eat healthy stuff from their culture.

DianaWest · Accepted Answer

because the food industry has poisoned the food with carcinogens, sugar, aspartame, glucose-fructose, sodium nitrite, and all sorts of things to make our assess fatter so that we can buy more eat more consume more. obviously. in other countries, the food is healthier. the chicken does not contain growth hormones or antibiotics. watch this "offensive" opinion get taken down by a moderator.

Michael6084 · Answer

It has nothing to do with genetics. Humans are humans regardless of what the skin color yours is. It's all down to diet and culture. In most Asian cultures and even Mediterranean cultures, food is just not as high in calorie content. In the U.S. here, our culture has us very busy with everyday lives, so the convenience of quick meals, restaurants, and fast-food has caused many of us to rely on them. Combining that with common myths for our culture and weight (once you have kids, you'll never be the same weight as before; the idea that once you're married you don't have to take care of yourself as much anymore; etc). I've seen plenty of fat Asians here in the U.S., so it's not like an Asian person somehow has the special genetics to not get fat.

In other overseas cultures, most of their diets consist of fish and vegetables. Only a select few of original dishes are actually fried, meanwhile it's like the majority of our food is fried. To many Asian people, they don't "let themselves go" because it's much harder to get fat over food that are comparably lower in calorie content, plus their food is much more healthy. My dad is white, he stopped eating meat when he was 25 and is now 71. He looks like he's 50 simply because of his diet content, but everyone else his age look like they're ready to go to the nursing home. He has no special "genetics" that predispose him to gain less weight. That's all down to diet and an active lifestyle.

littlemissamber · Answer

Asians are usually smaller then other ethic groups, BUT they eat a lot more healthier then Americans do. Japanese,Koreans, & Mongolians usually eat a lot of rice,chicken, fruits, and veggies. Most Indians are Vegetarian so they don't eat meat but comume a large amount of fruits, veggies, and curd(yogurt). The Chinese eat more healthy compared to Americans even though they're diet consist of a lot of fried foods also. Asians also are move active, they have to walk everywhere(their are cars but most people bike or walk to where ever). Their is also a pressure to stay in shape and healthy in Asian Culture.

VoiceOfReason · Answer

I think it all comes down to genetics and metabolism of a person and not their ethnicity.  I have seen a lot of overweight Asian males and females so its clear that being Asian doesn't predispose you to a thin figure.  A lot of Asian people are very busy with their every day lives and they're constantly on the go.  Many of them also drink a lot of water which helps keep their body flushed.  When I was dating a woman from Taiwan, she would often drink hot tea with her meals, which she states helps her body to digest her food.   I guess collectively the weight issues that plague other races isn't as prevalent because there's not a lot of obesity within the ranks and morbid obesity is extremely rare among them.

meowcow · Answer

Some people are just incapable of gaining significant amounts of weight. Chalk it up to genetics as the primary factor in determining whether a person is capable (but not necessarily WILL) be overweight.

Certain ethnicities have characteristic body traits regarding weight. Not everyone has these traits, but they are common enough to form a general stereotype. Like Brazilians and Latinos having big asses and lots of cellulite, or Chinese and southeast Asians having small breasts and physically aging slowly.

I can tell you that most of my Asian friends make no attempt at "letting themselves go". They eat like pigs. Fast food, pepsi, junk food...etc, and they'll stay in the 110-130 lb range regardless of what they eat. I'm a 5'6" male and weighted 135 pounds when I was 15-18 years old. I'm 33 now, and I'm only 150 pounds. But I drink about 2 litres of pepsi/day, eat lots of chips and generally avoid vegetables and feast on steaks and bbq.

Some people were just born skinny.

Cryostatic · Answer

Portion sizes, I think.

Chubby Asian women seem just as common as anyone else where I live, and you'll notice that in parts of the world where people are generally just thinner, they tend to eat significantly less food than we do here.

Calorie (portion) control is the only diet I've ever seen give people lasting success.

ZenQueen · Answer

lot fat, high carb diet(lots of rice, fruit and veggies) not a lot of meat or diary. Also their spicy/hot foods speed up metabolism. Americans have a fear of carbs and that just causes people to binge on bad carbs, we also have been brainwashed into thinking we need need loads of protein(big steaks)... and we have this crazy idea that diary is good source of calcium... those are lies that are pushed from the diary and meat industry which are huge in America...

MyNameIsJonas · Answer

I believe that centuries of a diet that is quite different from the west has had an effect on eastern men and women. Even today in Japan or most places in China food is very anti oxidant and both have a lot of sea food which is rich in many vitamins. This could have given most humans of Asian decent a predisposition to lower body fat content and also smaller size.

DanAG · Answer

Diet, genetics, different body types.

Just like average height can vary by almost a foot from one country to another. Unless someone suffers from serious malnutrition there is no way there is that much difference in height due to diet. That's just genetically different body types. Height, large/small bones, broad/narrow shoulders and hips.

kittyhoney · Answer

I think it is due to food. But it could be genetics too.

Being an asian, I do see that most girls around me are rather thin. But I am curvy and chubby at my place, but when I go oversea I guess I would be normal or small sized.

So it is not all the Asians are thin, just on average. And the definition of chubby and curvy are rather different in asia and Europe, from what I notice when I was in Europe.

Alexias · Answer

It is in their diet. Asian women (not really westerners) have a healthier diet. Also genetics do play part in weight but it's not something people should blame their weight on.

repetron · Answer

Lol, I think it's Asian men as well, I think it's the type of food that they eat.  Like people in Japan and China eat a lot of rice instead of noodles and other simple sugar carbohydrates.

satyam7487 · Answer

Eat simple food, avoid junk foods, hot dogs, cokes etc, and keep an active life style and exercise.

Premonition · Answer

Play Volleyball an Bag mitten, should help you lose a little weight. Its more about motivation over certain races.

palek · Answer

As children they're given three small bowls of rice per day and when they complain to their father he simply says "NO EGGROW FO YOU!"

AndyWes · Answer

They eat right, and exercise enough. Though you do see chubby Asian women as well.

badbadbadboy · Answer

its mainly genetics. Also not all Asian women are thin

the_sex_ex-pert · Answer

they tend to bake most of there food instead of frying it like you Americans do...

drjohno · Answer

How do they stay so thin? They live out of the US.

How do Asian women stay so thin?

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