Everything you said is true, but let’s be real—the quality of food in North America (at least in the USA and Canada—I can’t speak for Mexico, but I’d guess it’s similar) is pretty bad. Just looking at food here feels like it makes you gain weight. And sure, stress and isolation don’t help, but the food itself is a big part of the problem.

For the last 20 years, I’ve been traveling to Italy twice a year for work, and every single time, without even trying, I’d come back home five pounds lighter—despite eating whatever I wanted. The difference in food quality is crazy. That’s why my long-term goal is to save enough to retire somewhere with better food, a slower pace, and a bit more sunshine—maybe in northern Italy near Lake Garda or in Aegean Macedonia.