Pardon me American lady, is that your butt or a snow plow?

Average French 40 year old woman.

der·ri·ère also der·ri·ere  (dr-âr)

n.

The buttocks; the rear.

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[French, behind, from Old French deriere, in back of, from Vulgar Latin *d retr : Latin d, from, of; see de- + Latin retr, back; see retro-.]

 
Yeah.  We are an obese nation or culture or people or whatever.  We are fat, on average, and getting fatter.  Along with that comes climbing rates of juvenile diabetes, high blood pressure, early joint failure, heart disease, etc.

Fat, fat, fatty.

I was at a stateside restaurant with the wifey (who is a knockout at post the big five-oh) and noticed a family next door that was made of three generations.  Grandparents (I assume here), parents and grand kids.  All of them were dumplings.  And, sloppily dressed ones too.  Poor kids...what do they know?

In all of France, including a few hours of people-watching in a public area, I saw two overweight ladies.  Two.  And they were just plump, not obese.  I saw a few men with bellies, but nothing that a bit of time on a stairmaster would not fix.  I never have seen so many 40s, 50s, and above ladies who had kept themselves up.  They were just 'trim'.  And they actually could move along under their own power at a good clip, none of the fat person, bad knees, ankles, out of breath death march I see in the US.

Very attractive.  And the French dress well too, guys included.  I liked that.  Americans are very casual dressers.  I am not suggesting we go back to Ozzie and Harriett and wear suits, ties, and pearls for dinner at home, but a bit of care and style is a good thing.

Shame on us.  I am not sure if it is the diet, the portions, the culture or what, but it was striking.  Oh, I am sure that in some areas of Europe that weight can be an issue, but not what I saw in that part of France or the time I spent in Germany.  I never saw a fast food food joint in town anywhere.  No supersized sodas full of high fructose corn syrup.  Food portions were moderate most of the places we ate and people seemed to eat more often, but have less of it.

My first day back at work I was in the supermarket and out of the 5 women that were in line ahead of me, 3 were very overweight, not to mention the cow in the moo-moo at the dairy box.

I know this.  If I ever need to find a new lady in my life (God forbid), I may just have to shop overseas.  Wanna' know one reason that America is falling behind in the world?  They are out of breath.

Vive la France...Vive la Derriere.