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I feel much healthier, both physically and mentally, in Portugal than I did in Canada, despite of the stress of starting in a new place at the age of 47 in a place where I don't even have a single friend. From my sinus to chronic insomnia to my eternal depression, everything seems to have improved here 🤷‍♂️

My husband and I have had the exact same experiences. Every time we spend time in Europe, we eat EVERYTHING we want and still loose weight. I think the walking is a big part of it. It's wonderful! :)

Fun fact: In Banja Luka (Bosnia and Herzegovina) McDonalds opened and few months closed down because people were not into it. There are so many other better options. Fast food in US has too much weight (pun intended) in peoples' food choices.

I noticed the same thing when I was over there. My first two weeks in Europe were in Portugal and that's where I noticed the biggest difference. I was walking/exploring more. My stress level dropped to NOTHING and my food seemed much healthier. I went over with a 31" waist and came back to the U.S. at nearly a 30" waist. My 2-liter became a six pack again and I honestly felt 10 years younger. We had Sangria and Gelato on a regular basis but I just have a feeling that everything was more natural and not full of preservatives. Of course, not having the 24/7 work ethic to deal with made me relax for the first time in years and I noticed that change in day 3. I hate to say this but the U.S. lifestyle is just sh*t compared to Europe. Too demanding and too much stress. No one should be on call/working 24/7. The balance is way off. Thanks for the great video. Your transformation has been amazing. I wish more Americans could take four weeks and go there to experience the difference. I also like the "SauDave" tattoo that you got. No need to manscape as you are going to look great anyway as you progress. I have two friends moving to Faro in October and I suspect I won't be too far behind.

I lived in Barcelona for a year and the same thing happened to me. And I ate all the things; fresh bread and other baked goods, fried things and drank wine everyday. When I returned to Los Angeles I was lighter than I ever was, and had zero food allergies. Here in L.A. I find it beneficial to eat low carb, gluten free and abstain from alcohol if I want to feel good and not gain weight.

I remember when I lived in Canada as a young man, we would meet European nannies fresh off the boat, slim and good looking. Six months later most of them gained a lot of weight, grew pimples and some became unrecognizable. Its not as if suddenly they started eating twice as much as before. Not only is the food more fattening but they stopped walking since they lived in the suburbs where you get nowhere by foot. I am now living in Portugal and I just eat whatever I feel like and don't gain weight. I eat out often but restaurant food is just as healthy a homemade.

Americans also have the effect of air conditioning adding to the obesity epidemic. Summer heat naturally reduces appetite and is a time when people would naturally slim down, but that doesn't happen in much of the US anymore. Also it causes people to remain indoors because we've lost our heat tolerance.

The thing I notice in the US is that apart from the ridiculous portion sizes, everything is incredibly sweet. I don’t know if more sugar is added to everything in the US but I definitely eat much less sweet things in Portugal

I am from Poland, and I am just back from US, been there for 7 weeks, in Washington DC. Beeing there just for few weeks I didn't have a car. OMG how much walking I had there!!! 😂 Distances between blocks, and to nearest grocery store were double, that in Warsaw. I walked a lot!!!

There are a few crucial differences indeed. In Portugal is more the norm to have a lunch break at work where we are expected to sit down at 30 to 60 min to eat, have a coffee and socialize. Most companies have a cafeteria with the dish of the day. Or there are restaurants nearby offices with the meal of the day concept, which is usually a vegetable soup, main dish with dessert as optional and with prices close enough to a fast food menu. Then there is the thing that grocery shops are everywhere and long term shopping is not required. That translates in less storage of long duration food at home and more fresh produce being eaten. This makes fast food not a necessity but rather a personal preference. To be honest it seems to also be a cultural change for the younger generations to abandon the traditional way of Mediterranean eating in favour of fast food. Who knows how population will look in 10 or 20 years...

Ditto for me. I spent nearly a year in Spain and there was NO fast food. I only worked a fraction of the time than in the US, so I took 7-mile walks along the Mediterranean daily, previously I would walk about 5 miles a few times a week. No scale, but I think I dropped 50 pounds. Had to buy all new clothes. In EU food is of a different quality and that must play a role. Whole Food stores here are just regular stores in the EU, without the mark up in prices. The lack of crime is great, and the political divisions are minimal.

Portugal is such a fabulous place to live if you are health conscious! It’s not just the healthy food, but fabulous clean air too.

100%.. I want to move to Europe as well. I felt so much better over there. I love the culture and the walking and public transportation.

Hi Dave, Terry & Jennifer in Caldas, we experienced the same as you after moving to Portugal! In 2019 we spent 3 months in Spain to see firsthand life in Europe. We both slimed down about 10 pounds. The food quality is off the charts when it come to fresh fruits and vegetables. I discovered I could eat bread without any problems. Upon our return to the states to apply for visas, covid hit and delayed our return! Gained it all back over the year and started dropping weight as soon as we returned.

I think the mental or psychological component probably has a big impact, perhaps even larger than the physical component. Having higher quality food, better public transportation (more walking), having small grocery shops everywhere (walk to the shop, instead of driving), etc, for sure helps a ton, BUT... The mental component for me is the main thing. Life is just more peaceful. In most of Europe work is a means to an end, not the end itself. Success in most of Europe is making enough to be comfortable and happy, and enjoy the right to be forgotten. "Leave me in peace with my family" sort of thing. the fact that you don't feel so stressed all the time, the fact that you feel safe in Europe, be it from a crime standpoint, or health, or unemployment, etc, gives you an insane PEACE OF MIND! Less stress (no "work work work/ get rich" culture, better food quality (higher food standards and regulations), and easy access to that food (no car centric culture) and health services (free or nearly free, and cheap even if private) seems to do the trick. Enjoy Europe, and spread the word. Europe needs good people that bring an open mind.

I am from Spain and worked one year in Atlanta and four in the Miami area. I missed the "menu of the day" concept and all the choices we have in Spain for lunch in labor days: many restaurants within walking distance, cheap (11-12€), good quality and we stop longer time for lunch. In the US I had to drive to the food court in a mall and all the choices seemed repetitive, mechanized and not of very good quality. It reminded me a feed hopper in a farm; no individual dishes are cooked unless you pay extra. The Americans told me it was my perception, but seriously, it is not, you just need to know. The bread also, I remember buying that at Publix's... it was not crunchy, it was spongy. On the flip side, the working experience in the US was the best, as well as many other things of the US culture. Americans are open to criticism, while many Europeans don't want to take critics from foreigners (especially from other Europeans). I see many videos comparing America and Europe saying how good is Europe... Well, I agree about the food in Southern Europe, where we have a good diversity of products and we love olive oil, part of the Mediterranean coussine.

Sadly, my husband had developed a sensitivity to bread in the US and tried to avoid it. We were hoping he would be able to eat it in Portugal with better results. After two months in Portugal, we can say yes still sensitive to bread, but he ate so much more of it because it was delicious.

YES! I am in better shape now that I moved to Portugal. Mostly plant based, limit the sweets and bread, But I love the bread here. I don't indulge in big restaurant meals too often. To me, walking has been the bigest change in my life. I walk 10,000 steps regularly.

Another excellent video Dave. You’re making it so much easier for me and my husband to plan our trip to Portugal in a few months. Hoping to be there semi permanently in 2024. Many thanks to you!

I believe you, we spent a couple of months with the kids this summer in Spain/Portugal and we all felt +look healthier without consciously trying. Accessibility to fresh foods and slower pace of life works wonder to body and soul. Hope to return soon. ✈️

Good on you Dave! A great progression in the lifestyle change, keep on keeping on...

Dave It’s beautiful to see your natural transformation in Portugal. All the variables you mentioned are 100% valid. I think the quality of food is a huge factor because foods in Europe are naturally organic while in the US organic just means 30% organic hence truly organic foods don’t really exist here, not even at Erewhon. When I moved to the US from Venezuela at the age of 21 I gained more than 15 pounds in the span of a few years. Needless to say I was highly depressed and didn’t even recognize myself in the mirror. On my quest to get back to my Pre-US “normal” I enrolled to train for three triathlons and ten marathons but I even had to become a personal trainer and part time yogi in order to loose all that extra weight. Further even these days I have to watch every bite I take and do IF. Luckily I get my break whenever I visit Europe in the summer and like you I am able to indulge on breads, fatty foods, desserts and wines galore and not gain a kilo. What’s your favorite Portuguese wine? I fell in love with the Alvarinhos.

The fact that there is less obesity in Europe is connected to a combination of multiple factors. People eat less, what they eat has less preservatives and is generally of higher quality. People in Europe as a whole walk a lot more than Americans. The advertising in the US for fast food and the consumption of high carb/high processed sugar food items is off the charts. Pretty much why Americans have a life expectancy that is approximately 5 years lass than Europe.

I just moved from Hong Kong to California and gained a bunch of weight. Sure, in large part it is likely a result of comfort-eating/drinking to deal with reverse-culture shock stress, but also I attribute some of this to the car culture here. I walked so much more in Hong Kong on a routine basis than I do here - in California, I really need to make the extra effort.

I was shocked at the transformation, really happy for you

One thing. When you mean Portugal, don't say Europe. The laidback countries of southern Europe have nothing in common with the Nordic countries of northern Europe. Just as little as Western Europe compared to Eastern Europe. US is one country, Europe is a continent with many different countries.

Congratulations Dave! Keep focusing on your goals! Love your videos.

I lived in Seville for one year and lost 35 pounds, doing nothing different than I did in the states.

I think Portugal amplifies the experience as (warm weather and city design lends itself to more walking and activities). My wife and I always feel we get a health boost from 2 weeks out in Portugal (although being on holiday / not working probably helps also!). Thanks for the content and great to see the body transformation 👍🏾.

I had similar results traveling in Europe, Asia & Central America. And when I lived in Africa, I could eat as much bread as I liked without inflaming my joints. That bread would go stale in a day or two, because of a lack of preservatives. It was effortless weight loss.

Before a two-week trip to Portugal last spring I decided to lose a couple pounds because I knew I was not going to hold back eating and drinking there (duh). For two weeks I ate whatever I wanted and had wine every day. And walked A LOT. After returning, I got on the scale to see what the damage was and was shocked-I had *lost* two more pounds! And for the record, I gained that back a week in the US before going to Japan for three weeks, and the same thing-ate and drank whatever and walked A LOT and came back two pounds lighter. And then regained the two pounds and more since then while in the US despite watching what I eat and drink.

We lived in Belgium for a year and despite eating chocolate every day, we lost weight. Food was local. There were farms just outside the city where the shops got their food. No big processing plants. We walked everywhere. I stopped eating meat in the U.S. because it makes me feel ill. I am pescatarian. I stopped drinking alcohol in the U.S. because it makes me feel ill. I can drink in Belgium without feeling ill.

What a great perspective to bring to light! Keep up the good work, Dave!

Also, topography.. hills, walking, olive oil, you have moved to a blue zone compared to Michigan. Where I am, but I know what to do.

Totally THIS! I tend to eat very healthy just because I like to graze and I graze on the simplest foods. The feeling of being different disappears when I'm in Europe. There's just so much more healthy food than unhealthy, and the walking that becomes part of every day is effortless. It certainly doesn't hurt that there's so much to do outdoors, either. It's just a better way to go and part of the reason I'm working to move to the Algarge beaches within the year.

Thanks Dave. I was in Europe for 6 weeks walking the Camino and time in Paris, the food quality in Europe is so much better than the US.

Thanks Dave, loved the beaming smile at the end. 😊🎉

Each time I go to Europe, I lose weight. For me, I know it’s the walking. I spent a month between France and Portugal last June. I lost 10 lbs. I’ve never drank so much wine in my life and walked up so many stairs and hills! Mainly, because it’s so expensive in California, I felt I had to maximize the discount by drinking as much wine as I could. I love fish, so I mostly had fish. But, I had a lamb and beef as well. I was missing my usual quality of vegetables, while in Portugal. That probably balanced out the wine and sangria I was drinking. I’m gluten sensitive, so I didn’t eat the pastries. Another thing that helped. My next trip, I’ll cut down on the wine, I’m sure. 🤥🤦🏾‍♀️😜

Dave, it's great to see that you are so healthy and happy to be living in Portugal 😀

Your video is on point! I returned from being on the Amalfi coast for three months and my A1C was lowered by almost three points! I lost five pounds as well! I can definitely attribute it to the food and lots of walking almost every day! The people, slower pace of life, and still ate gelato about every other day, pasta dishes, veggies and fruits! I’ll be going back next spring 😊

3:46 A supermarket in an urban area with a parking lot five times it's size... serving exactly ... less customers than a European supermarket with 20 car spots and 100 spots for bicycle parking. Bonus of grocery shopping with a standard bicycle is that it is very tempting to cut out soda.

Hi Dave - I just retired at 67 and I plan to move to Portugal once my situations in US are settled. I also was born in MI, lived 5 years in Spain, returned to America [Colorado] in 2005 and now, I plan to retire in Portugal. I enjoy watching your videos!❤ My concern is that I know I will someday be homesick - this is so confusing... you know that moving to a foreign country is a nighmare - I am 67 - woman on my own...

You've definitely adapted (even subconsciously) and are supportive by healthier environments -- the food, the activity, the slow values. I don't doubt the positive changes people who've moved over have had. Every time i've left the U.S. for minimum 2 weeks to 2 months, i've lost significant weight. All the time inhaling crêpes, chocolate croissants, ice cream, barbequed or stewed meats with rice, pasta, vinho verde, cake, biscuits, sandwiches, etc 😄. I was also easily walking 10 or cycling 20 miles a day or exhausting myself in the Pacific. Also i was free from work stress, home stress... so maybe it's about living the life you want the way you want to? When my work as a carer is done, i aim to relo to Portugal to recover from assorted traumas and live the life i choose/can. 🤲🏼

Omg i love this Dave! Also! You should probably talk about Évora too since it has a lot of history and cultural things, its really interesting! 💞💞 You’re amazing man thank you for doing this for Potugal!🫶🏼🫶🏼

This is so intriguing to me. I have IBS and I can't have any dairy, regular butter, etc etc. I'm so hopeful going abroad will allow me to eat something I use to love.

Been in Lisbon for 2 weeks, just had red fish, fresh bread, olives, butter (from the Azores), tomatoes and onions for dinner - and fresh fruits for dessert. And I had to walk to get it! However, I wouldn't necessarily call Portugal a panacea for health foods. While it is much easier to buy fresh seafood, meats, dairy, breads and produce - their packaged baked goods, snacks, cereals, etc - are still largely ultra-processed, industrialized concoctions, loaded down with cheap palm/vege oils, much like in the U.S. Their produce seems more seasonal as well - wonder how the department will look in the dead of winter. But, on the whole -- totally agree, it's much easier/less expensive to eat a healthy Mediterranean diet in Portugal!

Great content! Thanks!

Ciao. Same experience here i lived 4 years in Italy. I admit that the stress is less here than in Canada. No performance pressure. It is more la dolce vita e dolce far niente. And healthier food for sure. You have to move more to get to the comparable thing or situation. Ex no elevator, no automatic doors, no close parking...

The main similarity in Europe is walking on food every where. In a lot of cities you can walk on food from the suburbs into the city center. All streets are provided with side walks. In the cities there are often predestrian zones, with shops. And after work we walk outside for a relaxation in medium ir slow speed. In the USA I would miss my daily walk.

Dave this is amazing and I 100% agree with everything you said. The US food culture is so bad. After visiting Italy last and Spain in 2019, I have been yearning to outright move to Europe. We will be in your next of the woods next week so we will be looking out for Mario and his tuk-tuk. Ansioso por Portugal!

Experienced the same thing moving to Argentina from the US

Great videos Dave, and yes, you look far more handsome now! Not only by being healthier but by adapting the style of your new home. You look great! Congrats!

The big reason you see this difference in food quality in Europe is that the EU very strictly regulates food and does not allow for any adulteration, it is called the General Food Law and can be read on the EU website, it is quite expansive and what keeps Europeans generally healthier than Americans.

Good on ya Dave!!!!Cheers from Down under!!

Moved from LatAm to US and I always feel ill after meals. As if the food isn’t nourishing my body like it did back home. I’m planning a move to Europe next year, and the quality food is what I’m looking forward to the most.

Another excellent video... as usual!!! Well done!!

Excellent episode. Yes, please more videos as you mentioned!

My family is going to be in Portugal on Thursday! Love watching your videos. Can’t wait to magically lose weight in Portugal! Lol love your content!

Congratulations on your transformation. A great example of the incredible benefits of living a slower-paced, more active lifestyle where good quality food is readily available. Organic, high-quality food is so expensive here and it shouldn’t be the case.

There is no magic, but there’s choices. Living in Europe my whole life, Poland and now UK, I can see how much healthier I was when eating what my parents cooked for me back home, they used to cook from scratch, with healthy farm fresh ingredients, than having Indian and Italian takeaways all the time. I think the secret to being healthy is as you said, everything in moderation, moderate portion sizes, no junk food (or very occasionally), walking culture definitely helps, pavements everywhere, drinking more water, teas and coffees. Looking at my parents, both in their 60s now, I can confirm non-smoking, non-alcohol drinking, and making your own food from fresh ingredients definitely helps to keep fit as well.

Great channel. Great pace of speech. I love it. Thank you!

I've had the opposite experience, I'm from Europe and I've been in the US for the past few months for an exchannge smester, the lifstyle here (the food, no walkable cities...etc) makes me sick. My body feels wrong, I'm craving good food (not like the fluorescent cake frosting they give us every morning for breakfast), I want to walk but I can't here. And the worst, is when I talk about it to people living here, no ome sees a problem. They've all become so uaed to it that it seems normal.

We moved from the U.S. to southeast Italy this past January. The same thing happened to us! We both lost weight and our cholesterol levels dropped. We do walk much more since we don't own a car, eat fresh food including fish, lean meats and lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. It's wonderful and we feel great! Really enjoyed this video.

Hi Dave, I spent two weeks in Portugal last month, and my wife and I had a great time! I’m 62, and I’d been wondering if Portugal would be a good place to retire. I’m a technical writer, and my wife is a Psychotherapist, and we both work remotely. I’m also a diabetic, and I ate such good food, and I walked and cimbed so much, that I lost nine pounds, and I didn’t need to take short acting insulin every day. I’m a Canadian living in the States. Since I returned to the States, I’ve been watching your videos while I exercise on my elliptic trainer. I’m impressed with your writing skill, your performance skill, your production skill, and your drone piloting skill. Kudos to a job well done! I haven’t made any serious plans to return to Portugal yet, but I’d like to return in a year or so. If/when we return, I’d love to meet you (maybe take you out for dinner). I love your shows. They’re making me fall in love with Portugal. Keep up the good work Dave! You were meant to do this work. :-) Chris Boorman

England and Ireland are famous for their walks on the moors, or wherever. So it's not just southern Europe where people walk. I can tell you that people walk and cycle in The Netherlands.

Exactly the same thing happened to me when I moved to France 14 years ago!

This video is very well done :)

Just noticed your house in Rio Major, where we stayed 10 years ago ! I know that nice place !

This is what I can say for experience being a young adult born and living in Genova, Italy (the best city in the world according to me). First I've seen an influencer type person mention how after moving to Italy, american food made her stomach upset. And how American food tastes very different over here because of food regulations in Italy. Next, since the EU has lots of regulations the food you can buy at discount stores is only going to lack in taste or have lower quality ingredients. And that doesn't make the food unhealthy and bad. One other thing is depending on the city, you may see lots of people love to shop at local markets. Which can be a bit more expensive than your local cheap-ish supermarket but have the most amazing fresh produce. Like fish, meats, fruits and veggies. Also a lot of these countries are built on poverty and farmers. So there's a lot of good seasonal foods implemented in the cuisine. I went to Altamura and ate at Dino's (or something) where they served me tons of dishes made from scraps and seasonal veggies that come from farmers' traditions and they were not only really filling but also really tasty. Another thing to do with food is we eat way less of it and it's I believe less calorie dense food compared to American's fast food. We also have smaller fast food joints like Rooster and Strike (to name a few from my city) that one makes only chicken based products with free range chicken and good quality ingredients. The other one makes genuine meals inspired by American fast foods. So you can imagine the quality. Another big aspect is walking is heavily prioritized in Europe. Expecially in small towns. And in big towns to avoid having to deal with parking and traffic people prefer to use the bus. Expecially Andre cheaper with plans. We have one in our city that costs roughly 400 euros. It's the standard plan for anyone over the age of 26. And it grants full access to all their city buses. Basically not the regional coaches, only the buses that travel within the city. They're very different from one another. And it can be used on all sorts of transportation they have in the city that aren't buses. Like a ferry boat from the center to another district, funiculars, lifts to name a few (except the transportation that is pay to call). And all regional and fast regional trains within the confines of the city. And Genova being the 6th most populated city in Italy, it's a sweet deal. Since it's way cheaper than owning a car and it's quite reliable with an app where you can check bus transits for every stop in real time. I also had a pleasant experience in Nice France. The transportation is not only on point but pretty cheap. And public transportation makes you walk. Expecially if the next bus is a long wait compared to the walking distance. I feel like on average a working Italian does at least 7000 footsteps a day just going to work and back without a car. Also since we live in beautiful cities built for their citizens going on walks to parks or around the city is not only a priority but an activity enjoyed by many. I always see a group of old ladies near sunset times walking together and talking around where I live. It's not only pleasant but good for your health. You see old ladies go places all alone. Because of that daily exercise. It's definitely an all in one. Expecially since good food impacts the way you feel and your health, which leads to more walking, which is proven to improve mental health and mood and your health overall.

Wow this is truly amazing

I think TV is another factor. Our friends in Italy didn't even have enough seating for everyone in the family to view the TV. Evenings were spent around the table and of course the evening walk. When my husband worked in Denmark, he told me that stores would have bowls of apples at the door for people to grab, and these were not food stores.

I was baffled once when a visitor from the US ordered an Uber to skip a 15 minute walk. Explicitly, to "not have to walk so much". On a nice day.

Everytime I see the clip of Dave walking up the cobble street hill- I laugh & click like. Lol great video about health in living in EU.

I admire your courage and ambition. Good luck!

This is so true. I have lived in Portugal since birth and I am so healthy due to my diet of bifanas, cozido, pastéis de nata and moscatel.

There is definitely a lot more walking. I lived there as a kid in Obidos. I would have to get a bucket walk all the way to the well, come back, and fill up the shower with it lol. The food there is very fresh so I agree with you. Even the ice cream tastes better. I miss the kinder surpresa eggs. I miss many things. I'm glad you're enjoying the beauty of Portugal. You look great btw! Hope everything works out for you.

Hi Dave. We went on two trips to Portugal in the past couple of years. We ate as much as we wanted, including lots of bread. We never had that sluggish feeling we got when we ate bread in the U.S. We concluded that it has to do with the GMOs in American food. We also walked all over Lisbon, Porto, and Coimbra. When we returned to the U.S., we both ended up losing a little weight. Same thing after we took a trip to Paris a few years ago. European cities are made for walking. Not so in the U.S. We really want to move to Portugal but we also don't want to be so far from our families. It's a tough choice. Also, if you don't mind me asking, what do you do to make a living there? Thanks for the video!

I personally experienced this also after living in Mexico for 3 months this summer.

Dave is absolutely correct in this video, but it's not just Europe. It's anywhere OUTSIDE the US. I found that anytime I travel outside the US, I seem to loose weight. I don't try to loose weight, I just do. However, whenever I travel within the US, I don't seem to loose weight. None of my travel habits change when traveling inside or outside the US, but I have notice the weight difference when traveling. With this in mind, I do try to travel outside the US more... or maybe it's my excuse to travel outside the US more...

Changes on your diet, whatever it might be, will impact heavily on your body. The fact that you have moved to another country implies that your diet will change even if you keep eating the same thing as in your country (ingredients for the same "food brands" differ from one country to the other). As an example, I moved in into the UK from Portugal 10 years ago, and I have instantly gained weight, even maintaining the same diet/meal routines and increasing my body work rate. This had to do with slight changes on the ingredients of some of the food that I was used to eat in Portugal (mainly pasta and bread, but also some biscuits and yogurts for example). The bread for example (freshly cooked), in Portugal the dough is prepared on the same day that it is cooked, while in UK it is mainly manufacturer by a big factory, frozen and sent to diverse bakeries across the UK. It is very hard to find one that does their own dough. Also, the ingredients used are slightly different, which impacts the way your body will react to it. Another factor is the weather. If you move from a cold/mild country into a hotter one, your body will try to get rid of some fat to balance the body natural temperature control, while the other way around also reflects (if you move to cold/mild country from a hotter one, your body will try to store more body fat to keep you warm).

I lived in the US before, and I would say it is a mix of everything you mentioned that caused you to become and feel more healthy. We do walk, bicycle etc much more in Europe. Many people eat healthier and smaller portions. We are aware of what's important for us to remain fit. However, it's a choice the individual has to make on a daily basis. Somehow, it's easier to make those choices here though! I live in Sweden by the way. Thanks for an interesting video!

Same results. I moved from Toronto to Prague, and even during the Lockdowns, I was starting to get healthier. After three years, I am doing way better. It's a mix of lifestyle, healthier foods and being to walk everywhere in the city.

Keep up the good work Dave! Sometime the content on these KZfaq channels is dubious. I think you show an insight we consumers seldom see. Your content rings true. I will buy you 2 beers someday. I will be in Porto for one day this trip. I'm not close to Alentejo or Lisbon either. But my retirement dream is gradually moving forward. Slowly. Yes! This is absolutely true. I've arrived in Potugal 3 times in the past 10 months I have dropped at least 10 lbs each time. Then I go back to the USA and gain it all back again.

As a Portuguese, the thing that I was astonished when I visited the US (Las Vegas specifically) was the amount of fast-food restaurants there were. I remember one morning a friend of mine decided he wanted to have doughnuts for breakfast, which we didn't have in the hotel (we usually had it there because of convenience since we had schedules to follow, we were both presenting projects at SEMA that year). So we decided to walk from the hotel (it was at the Fremont Street) to the show space. We walk for an hour and all we found was fast-food restaurant after fast-food restaurant. The only one that we found that had doughnuts was closed. And we only found one fast-food restaurant that had pancakes (all others were the typical menu that we eat at lunch in McDonald's in Europe - that was the menu for BREAKFAST). Even the restaurant we found that had the menu with pancakes and coffee, also had a sausage floating in fat... Of course it's not like this everywhere in the States, but both LV and Phoenix was pretty much this. And the only meal we managed to eat anything remotely close to European cuisine was under the Eiffel Tower in Las Vegas, which of course was considered "high-end cuisine". I remember both me and my friend (he's from Romania) looked at each other when they told us that, we were like "we eat this at every small joint in Europe dude, wth?".

I travel too much and indulge when I do so we haven't lost weight since moving, but with the built-in exercise that comes with walking and eating less fast food, its easy to get back to normal after a week or two of eating pasta in Italy or all the pastries in France.

The same thing happened to me when I spent a semester in Japan. All of the walking really made a huge difference, even though as a student I still ate plenty of Mcdonalds and curry rice.

Looking good Dave.

I experienced exactly the same improvements after moving from the US to Brazil and, except for the minor normal effects of aging (greying hair and a little loss of muscle mass), my health has improved with each passing year (over a 10 year period). Other than being careful about sugar intake I just follow the standard Brazilian diet, which actually most Americans would consider unhealthy: high protein (and a lot of red meat) and high fat.

Dave I thoroughly enjoy your videos. In Europe they have different traditions and eating habits. For example some European countries they don't snack, yes no snacks. They have a much better quality of food and are proud of it and have decades if not centuries of having their own garden patches, chickens, rabbits etc. very close to the city. I spent 2 yrs in the States and also enjoyed a lot of things there, especially I met lovely people there but not the food. They have fantastic libraries in each town and the country side is magnificent in the States. It is unfortunate that the American Fast Food Chains have inundated the European market. There is an excess of everything, too much stuff. Can you imagine drinking Giant Beverages every day?

Ohlala, what a transformation!

Looking good Dave

Experienced the same , coming from the US to Madeira. Only after 3 Months !! Kudos. Great video.

Covid derailed my husband and I. We were doing so well IF for 2 years prior and living a Ketovore/Carnivore and sometimes Mediterranean diet. We haven’t been able to get back into it fully due to the additional stress and anxiety. I long to live in Germany, where I grew up as an Army brat. I long for a slower pace of life

Hi Dave, I’m English but have spent many happy times in Arrifana , fantastic Fish and Pasteis de nata also I adore arroz doce, great video.

That before / after photo set of you is amazing. Likely the older you become the more pronounced the relative improvement ... whenever I travel to Europe (65 years old) I lose like 10 lbs ... I eat bread, pasta, etc. etc. and yet still do better than in the US. Take the wine ... US wines add so much f-ing sugar it is crazy. The whole US food culture is just terrible. Thanks for your videos. All the best !

One of the biggest things I noticed is plate portions and more walking

I think that I lead a pretty heatlhy lifestyle at the moment. But after I move to Setúbal in January, I hope to be even healthier!

When I’m in the states, I can’t believe how hard it is to find good food.

It's the food mostly as I exercise for living. "You cannot out-exercise bad food/diet". I have stomach problems in US all the time, specially after white bread and pasta.