Wow, clothing sizes have been fluctuating like Wallstreet lately. Quite a few women speak of Marilyn Monroe being a size 16, but was she really? At most her waist measurements were the modern day size 8, and very likely during her early years she looked to be a moderate size 2 or 4. With expanding waists comes shrinking numbers to match our vanities and insecurities. Banana Republic, Gap, and many other chain stores have quietly "adjusted" their mannequins to cater to the general public. With stores creating sizes such as "extra, extra small" or "double zero" it's only a matter of time when -2, and -4 will come around. (Boston globe article here)
What is that? -2? Or a double zero?
It's certainly a change from European sizing, ranging from 34-48 or in Asia where a size large would be a size small or 4 at most. Considering that America has magazines, networks, Oprah, constantly in our face on how to trim down, where are we going wrong? As I trudged my backpack a decade ago along the streets of Europe and Asia I can tell you this, I never once spotted a gym (they do have some of course, but are rare). Not one. So what are they doing that we're not?
They walk.
They always walk.
They walk EVERYWHERE.
Instead of planting their bottom in a nice car to get to point A to B most of the locals hoof it down the sidewalks for at least an hour a day to get to and fro. So if you want to whittle down the pounds? It's literally one step at a time.
