The European ‘quirks’ that helped me lose 20 lbs. without dieting — one shift changed everything
An American content creator who relocated to Portugal was surprised to discover several simple lifestyle “quirks” that helped her lose 20 pounds.
When Richa Prasad, 39, moved from Seattle to Portugal two years ago, she found that her consumption habits clashed with local traditions.
“I’d walk around with a drink in hand, sometimes even having my lunch on the go. I felt it was productive to knock out two tasks at the same time, but I noticed people kept giving me weird looks. Turns out nobody in Europe walks and eats,” she recently explained in a video posted to YouTube.
Prasad noted that even on workdays in Europe, meals are seated affairs that last one to three hours — not because people are eating more, but because they’re pacing themselves through conversation. She learned that the same ethos applies to drinking.
“In Seattle, nights out meant slamming drinks. In Europe, people nurse their drinks for hours,” she said.
This slow, steady, savor mindset extends beyond eating and drinking and into workflow as well.
“Whenever I meet new people in Europe, nobody ever asks me, ‘What do you do?’ In the US, that’s the first thing people want to know…In Europe, work is just one part of life, like going to a cafe. There’s no urgency, no drama,” she shared.
Prasad believes the US is a nation of extremes that could benefit in mind, body and spirit from a less severe approach to wellness.
“It’s shifting our mindset from dramatic high-stakes sprints to steady, consistent marches, meaning you commit to no longer pendulum swinging between being on a diet or completely off the rails,” she said. “Meal prepping with military precision or bingeing on takeout when life gets busy, then doing hardcore workouts as punishment for the binge.”
Prasad said that Europeans tend to eschew diets for consistency.
“They just exist in a steady rhythm, and that’s the shift that changed everything for me.”
In accordance with that steady rhythm, she noticed that Europeans who lose weight do so without measures like restrictive dieting, extreme fasting or keto eating.
Prasad maintained that most Europeans eat according to the principle of pleasure.
“Europeans eat real butter, full-fat cheese and croissants without guilt. They don’t eat with a restrictive mentality where, even as you’re digging into that croissant, every bite is taken with guilt, because guess what happens when you eat with guilt: you don’t enjoy it, you’re never satisfied.”
Does this mean we should all abandon ourselves to rich eating and a daily dose of butter and bread?
“Yes and no,” she confessed. “Because if you love food, you should eat real food that nourishes your body.”
Ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) make up about 60% of the US diet compared to just 14% of European diets.
UPFs have been linked to a host of adverse health effects, from obesity and diabetes to heart disease, depression, dementia and more. A 2024 study suggested that eating these foods may raise the risk of premature death.
Prasad recommended we emulate our European counterparts and aim to reduce our junk food intake from 60% to 14%.
“Most junk and sweets we eat tend to be out of cravings, not hunger,” she said. “So if we reduce the number of times we give in to cravings, the amount of junk we eat will all go down.”
A 2023 study found American adults average four meals a day — with one consisting entirely of junk food.
In addition to reducing or eliminating junk food, Prasad suggested cutting back on snacking, as most Europeans observe meal times and refrain from grazing in between.
“By and large, they don’t snack. They tend to eat at set meal times and engage in mini-intermittent fasting, lasting three to four hours between meals,” she revealed. “This, in turn, reduces the chances of giving in to cravings because you’re no longer making a decision every time an urge to eat strikes you.”
Prasad said these set meals should prioritize the inclusion of “one palm-sized portion of lean protein, one fistful of vegetables and one cup of water first. After that, you can eat whatever you want without guilt.”
She encouraged setting a timer to ensure your meal lasts at least 20 minutes and is free from distractions, such as screen time.
A 2024 study found that people who ate while distracted reported less enjoyment and satisfaction, a greater desire for further gratification and increased snacking afterward. Researchers call this phenomenon “hedonic compensation” — making up for the loss of pleasure by seeking extra gratification elsewhere.
In addition to mindful eating practices, Prasad wants Americans to incorporate more physical activity into their daily lives, but to avoid intense, hunger-spiking exercise that’s more about punishment than pleasure.
“Instead of parking close to your building entrance, park far away and walk. Instead of taking the elevator, take the stairs,” she urged. “Drive to a park close to you and go for a walk as many times a week as you can.”
She also suggests experimenting with different sports until you find one you really enjoy — and then optimizing your engagement for enjoyment, not improvement.
