SCANDINAVIAN SNAPSHOTS

"Living a healthy lifestyle will only deprive you of poor health, lethargy, and fat." Jill Johnson~

In a whirlwind trip of several Scandinavian countries my mind is awash in new experiences and impressions which seem worthy of sharing. In the past week Vaughn and I spent three days in Copenhagen, two days in Gothenburg and are now in Stockholm for two days. It is 8:40 a.m., nine hours later than at our home in the Seattle area.

In this blog I want to talk about walking, biking and eating, and how the Scandinavians do it right. But first I have to walk down to the Scandinavian breakfast that is awaiting us, so that I don't miss it. I will return to give you some fascinating insights. . . .

. . . .Back again after a huge Swedish breakfast buffet with all kinds of meats, cheeses, rolls, hard tack, fruit and fruit juices, eggs, bacon, sausage, nuts, cereals, and various beverages. I tried to be weightwatcher restrained, but it’s hard to do. How do the average Swedes and Danes eat like this and not be as overweight as many Americans seem to be? Portion control is a first step. My plate was loaded, but people around me exercised more control. More important, I think, is the lifestyle I see all around me.

In the U.S. everyone from age sixteen on seems to have a car, and seems to want to park the car as close to their destination as possible. Here walking and bicycling are the popular form of transportation, with walks of fifteen minutes or more from where one parks his or her car or bike to the intended destination.

Our hotels in Gothenberg and Stockholm were near the central train station, and people were hoisting their luggage off and on the trains and wheeling them down the street to wherever they were going. Bike racks are filled to overflowing everywhere one looks, and pedestrians seem to walk rapidly and with purpose. Here I should mention that my 82-year-old cousin met us at the train station in Gothenberg after riding fifteen minutes by bike from his home, just to be welcoming and mannerly. He escorted us to our nearby hotel, then rode fifteen minutes back to his home, only to return later by car so that we could go out to dinner. No doubt he would have walked there if it hadn’t been for us. The amount of calories burned and money saved in gasoline is mind boggling.

Today, on the news, we heard again about the obesity problem in the U.S. Perhaps we should take a page from the Scandinavian lifestyle book, and began to ride bikes and walk wherever and whenever it is possible. I remember doing so as a child, and I was skinny and healthy in those days. As the years have gone by I have found that while I live a long but doable walk from the local QFC, I still drive my car. I also get as close to the entrance as possible. The same is true of other errands I run. Walk or ride a bike to the mall, six miles distant? Never! But certainly my cousin would do so carrying a backpack for his purchases.

I wonder how many people here need to join Weightwatchers or Nutri System in order to lose weight. Probably not as many as in the good old U.S. of A. From what I can see, they walk with vigor, ride their bikes when possible, and eat sensible portions. I’m going to pledge to add this kind of discipline to my daily regimen. Hopefully there will be a smaller, healthier mini me in a few months. Care to join me? I’d love some company and moral support. Besides it will be good for us. Right?

Stay tuned for more Scandinavian insights. I’m looking forward to a subway ride to Bromma. After a long walk from the station to visit a place I lived as a student long ago, I’ll find a small restaurant where I can enjoy a nutritious and portion controlled dinner. Ummmm! I feel thinner already.