Americans differ from the rest of the world in a few ways, even from those peoples that were once our ancestors.

Our country was established predominantly by Europeans who felt strongly enough to leave their homes, families, land, countries - in short, everything they knew. They sought the land of opportunity, where there were no limits to what they could accomplish. There was no class system to hold them down, and no religion to oppress them. They could have it better; they could acquire more assets; they could climb the social ladder faster; give their children an easier life than they had had.

Better, more, faster, easier. What could be more American than that?

If you're saying that you have different ancestry than that, that this doesn't apply to you, think again. You and all your American ancestors have been bombarded by these same ideals for all the generations your family has lived here.

So who were these people? Who would seek out such a land of opportunity, risking all they knew for a chance in a land they didn't know? Were they brave? Cowardly? Industrious or lazy? Smart or foolish? I don't know, but I do know what kind of person takes a chance on opportunity. An opportunist. These opportunistic people set sail from around the world to take on the ultimate opportunity. It's almost as if we were unnaturally selected to be the most opportunistic culture in the world.

When we see more food that costs less, we assume its better. When it gets to our plate faster, or with less effort, the same must be true. If the food tastes better, than it just is better. It would be UnAmerican for us to think anything different.

I decided that if American eating habits and American behaviors were making me heavier, I would do the very opposite.