In 3 months and 6 days, which is how long I have lived here in Zürich, my lifestyle has changed.
I do not own nor drive a car. When we need a car, Petra rents one from a local car sharing place. It can be as cheap as CHF10 per hour. So if we need to transport a large item that requires a car, we do that. It is certainly cheaper than renting a car or paying for delivery.
I walk more. Zürich is pedestrian-friendly. The design of the city prohibits autos in many small streets and pedestrian crossings must be respected by all forms of transportation except for busses and trams. So, if you want to cross a street at a pedestrian crossing without a traffic light, all cars, motorcycles and bicycles have to stop to let you cross. Urban planning encourages walking. The market, bank, pharmacy, playground, church, and tram/train stations are within walking distance in many neighborhoods of the city. We also hike the many hills and mountains of this beautiful country with some frequency.
I ride the bicycle very often. For longer distances, like going to downtown Zürich, or the lake, or the river, we use the bicycle. Bicycling in this town is a workout for sure because of the hilly and mountainous landscape.
Walking Mia, our beagle dog. She needs to be walked twice a day. Although Petra walks her most of the time, I do walk her, and generally in the hilly woods behind our house.
I eat and drink a bit less than I used to when I lived alone in Miami Beach, but not much less. The quality of the food is definitely better here than in Miami and San Juan. It is also noticeably more expensive. Organic food is available widely and it is not always more expensive than non-organic food. The non-organic food is almost-organic because of the agricultural practices in the country.
More love. I give and receive more love with Petra. That is indeed a significant change in lifestyle.
So, in 3 months and 6 days, which is how long I have lived here in Zürich, and with all these lifestyle changes, I have lost 14 lbs. (almost 7 kilos). I went from 172 to 158. I was not looking to lose weight, but I feel healthier, happier and with more energy than before. The only downside is that some of my clothes are too big on me now.
Hmmm…
Atkins did it, Weight Watchers charges beaucoup money for their diet…so does Jenny Craig, and Arthur Agatston and Marie Almon did it with the South Beach diet!
So why not The Zürich Diet: the European way to lose weight! Well, in the States, European is not necessarily a good adjective for a brand, especially among Republicans. Maybe just The Zürich Diet. Those Republicans won’t know where Zürich is anyway.
Nah…forget about it…
…it works for me but I cannot guarantee that it will work for others.
Gotta go, I’m hungry.
¡Buen provecho!