How are Spanish Women So Thin and Gorgeous?

March 28, 2011
How are Spanish Women So Thin and Gorgeous.

How are Spanish Women So Thin and Gorgeous?

Before deciding to travel to Spain, I knew there would be differences between the women in Spain and me. I’d read countless articles about behaving well and not perpetuating the crazy, drunk American girl stereotype.  I figured that shouldn’t be too hard; I just wouldn’t get drunk and crazy.

But I didn’t realize that so many factors other than my imperfect Spanish language skills and potential to have Girls Gone Wild moments would separate me from Spanish women. Mainly in the looks department.

Spanish women dress impeccably and for the most part have fantastic bodies and gorgeous hair.  I was prepared for the fashion differences (this is Europe after all), but I’m still confused as to how they maintain their bodies. And their perfect hair.

How are Spanish Women So Thin and Gorgeous?

Either the women in Spain have found running paths that have eluded me, or they rely on walking to keep their figures.

Since living in Spain, I have not seen a single Spanish woman run. I’ve seen a substantial number of Spanish men running, either in spandex bodysuits or down coats. I enjoy the spandex because most American men wouldn’t be caught dead in skintight attire (except triathletes, who do their own thing). Their down coats, though, make me laugh. It’s February and it’s 50 degrees!

So I know that people run here, but either the women in Spain have found running paths that have eluded me, or they rely on walking to keep their figures. I wish I could do this, since running in Nervión, my neighborhood, involves a lot of stoplights and inhaling an abundance of cigarette smoke and car fumes.

But even with my second-hand smoke filled runs, I still have trouble putting on my jeans in the morning after late-night churros con chocolate. Or our frequent meals consisting of French fries, fried eggs and croquetas (deep fried balls of dough filled with meat). Spanish food is wonderful, so how are Spanish women so thin without constant exercise?

Spanish women’s perfect hair also blows my mind.  Because of the economic crisis in Spain right now, water and electricity are exorbitantly expensive; therefore hot water for showering costs a lot, meaning showers must be extremely short.

When I do run, I definitely am an anomaly, which is highlighted by the excess of ogling and catcalls I receive as I jog to the Parque María Luisa. I am nothing to stare at during my runs, with my tomato-red face, flying sweat and embarrassingly slow pace, but men are riveted by the fact that I’m moving at a pace above a brisk walk.

Neither Spanish women nor Spanish men feel the need to move aside to give me room on the sidewalk, which makes my pace even slower. I receive countless hostile looks as well as air kisses as I make my way through the throngs on the street. This perhaps accounts for the fact that Spanish women prefer not to run: female runners are either objectified or resented.

After the seventh catcall on my hour run by a 60-something man, I almost decided to embrace my fried food weight.  But the warm weather and orange trees in February make up for dodging immobile locals and enduring sketchy leers.  That, and I don’t want to have to buy all new jeans when I get home.

How are Spanish Women So Thin and Gorgeous?

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Spanish women’s perfect hair also blows my mind. Because of the economic crisis in Spain right now, water and electricity are exorbitantly expensive; therefore hot water for showering costs a lot more that it used to. Meaning, showers must be extremely short.

My showers consist of washing my hair in a frenzy, slapping on some body wash and perhaps shaving half of a leg every other day– resulting in hair that I pray doesn’t have too much conditioner residue in it and legs that shouldn’t be permitted to see the light of day.

I know short showers aren’t unique to my host family’s home here, so I’m still amazed at how Spanish women manage to make their hair look so sleek, and I’m in awe of how great their legs look in mini skirts.

I know short showers aren’t unique to my host family’s home here, so I’m still amazed at how women manage to make their hair look so sleek. And I’m in awe of how great their legs look in mini skirts. The women definitely sacrifice comfort in the “cold” for fashion; they’re much tougher than the male runners in down coats.  They must know what hair products to use and must have perfected shaving in the sink.

Blending in with Spanish women while living abroad is a near-impossible task. Especially since I will never be able to perfectly emulate their language or their style. But my affinity for running and my inability to shower properly irrevocably separates me from passing as a true Spanish woman.

What I find completely hilarious is the fact that to date, four tourists have asked me directions in stilted Spanish while I’ve been running. Yes, really. They’re either comforted by the familiarity of a runner, or haven’t realized that real Spanish women miraculously don’t need to run.



gorgeous spanish women

 

How are Spanish Women So Thin and Gorgeous?

Related Reading

Spanish Culture: Machismo Dominated Social Attitudes

 Have you traveled to Spain? What do you think are the secrets of how Spanish women are so thin and gorgeous? Email us at [email protected] for information about sharing your experience and advice with the Pink Pangea community. We can’t wait to hear from you. Photos by Unsplash.com and Sarah C. 

 


About Sarah Crocker

Sarah Crocker attended Northwestern University and studied abroad in Seville.

18 thoughts on “How are Spanish Women So Thin and Gorgeous?

  1. November 17, 2014
    Reply

    A great read!

    I lived in Salamanca, Spain for my Junior year of college in the early ’90’s and can relate to what you say!

    Cheers,

    Katie O’Grady
    www.losogradysinmexico.com

  2. Sophia
    November 11, 2014
    Reply

    I agree totally, your diet of natural “live” foods such as fruit, nuts and olive oils are what keeps your figure, hair and skin so beautiful. Processed foods make your cells in your body go crazy and confuses your Cells and hormones. Your body does not know what to do with all those unnatural chemicals so it turns it into fat cells and stores it for later in your tissues. After years and years of storing in your body it dangerously destroys your health and wrecks your natural beauty. Spanish women are the most beautiful women their diet and genetics play a big part in it. Plus their upkeep of themselves too plays a big part.

  3. Laura Schmidt
    August 24, 2014
    Reply

    HI. Thank you for the compliments. I am not used to Americans complimenting the Spanish or maybe it is because many of them assume we are hispanics and they do not seem to like them.

    I can tell you that I am from Madrid and I am naturally thin. I am thin because I never, never, never eat junk food or sweets. When I am depressed, I do not eat.

    If you were to come to my house, you would see that I only have beans, fruit, vegetables, nuts. My husband makes meat and I eat it.

    We were not raised with much butter. WE mainly use olive oil and garlic in our cooking to flavor and this contributes to the thin body. We do not really eat that many sweets. Most Spanish women do not like sweets the way American women do. We were not conditioned to like sweets and we never put sugar in anything we cook unless it is a sweet.

    Basically, our diet is the reason that we can eat what we want and not gain weight. Truly it is the diet. I have lived in the US and see what is given to children here and it is a crime. No one here knows how to eat. They do not like fish, unless it is fried, they put ranch on their salad when they should just use vinegar and olive oil, and they eat dessert every day and all the time. We have fruit for dessert.

    I also do not eat that many carbs.

    I do not suffer to eat the way I do, because this is the way I was conditioned to eat fromt he beginning.

    If yo look at what they feed the kdis here in daycare it is a disgrace. They put sugar in everything and ruin it, fry everythin, do not use olive oil, put ranch on salads…..they ruin the food and make it so that little kids grow up with this horrible habit of eating very unhealthy food that is not really good.

    It is the way we have traditionally eaten and eat. I still get together with Spanish women and if we snack it is on olives, chorizo…………….

    The hair, I do not know. I have terrible hair but you are right, Spanish women are so smart about keeping their houses very clean, organized and keeping themselves looking great. They have great taste and are actually quite hardworking, so maybe that perfect hair took a lot of time……..

    I definitley have terrible hair and need to learn from them…..in that department…….

    • Roxanne
      May 5, 2016

      HI
      I am Spanish too and raised in Australia. My Spanish roots are from Galicia, and when I was living at home I used to eat fish, prawns, langostinas, pork, poultry, and a little red meat. I hardly ate bread except in the morning, but we always always ate potatoes dressed in olive oil, salads, pulses and a little dairy. There were always bowls of fruit on the kitchen table, nuts for snacking and wheat stick crackers if you got hungry. For years I was thin, energetic and my skin was always flawless. Then I moved out and started to eat like my Australian friends. I added dairy and cream to my daily diet, a lot more red meat, soft drinks, toast any time of the day, cereal and milk any time of the day, cakes and biscuits with every cappuccinos, chocolates, lollies and office snacks – you get the idea.

      My fruit intake almost disappeared, and my nuts and legumes intake were practically non existent. I weighed myself consistently and every year there were about an extra 10 kilos added. To ‘ fix’ the problem I tried to go ‘ low carb’ which basically meant more saturated fat and meat, but then my health started to decline.

      It wasn’t until early this year that I decided to go back to my cultural roots. I’m slowly losing the weight. My visceral fat is going down considerably and my subcutaneous fat is now pinchable! Trust me, when you sub-cutaneous fat isn’t pinchable, you have a very ugly body. I realise now that the food of my ancestors is the right way to go and I completely detest the Americanised diet insanity that has gripped the western world. I have an enormous appetite that is slowly being curbed naturally with real nutrients from real food.

  4. Patricia Sainz de Rozas
    July 25, 2014
    Reply

    Nice post Sarah! I really enjoyed your observations about Spanish women as I believe they are all true. I am from Madrid, but have lived abroad since a young age and travelled to many countries in Europe, America and Asia. The more places I go, the more I realize that Spanish women are among the most beautiful in the World, no doubt!
    In my opinion I´ll say that we really care about how we look. Spanish people in general are all about fashion and follow the trends of the moment. We have the best low-cost fashion industry for a reason.
    Spaniards love food, but we eat the right food. (I´ll say Spanish food is the best in the World too!) The reason we have such good genetics is because the Mediterranean diet have been with us for centuries and its the healthiest diet you can have. We eat many fruits and vegetables, beans and legumes, lean meats and olive oil. (This last one may have something to do with our great hair and skin.) We like the natural look better, that’s why our hair look so nice, because we don´t treat it excessively like American girls do!
    It is true not a whole lot of girls work out because they don´t need it but a lot of us do it, to stay in shape and for fun too. More and more people (men and women) are practicing outdoor and indoor sports in comparison with last decade. I am very athletic as I have always loved practicing outdoor activities. I am a runner myself and love jogging in parks and trails, and I see many female runners wherever I go.
    As for the perfect legs Ill tell you a secret: Spanish women barely ever shave, we always use wax!!!

  5. cordovese
    June 22, 2014
    Reply

    I am spanish living in Northern Spain from andalousian background, a sporty woman but I avoid to exercise outdoors if my husband is not joining me because I am tired of the insistent male harassment, either locals or migrants. It is like to live in an Arabic country sometimes, even if things are better in large northern cities like Barcelona -not a lot if you are beautiful-. It doesn’t matter if you are beautiful, ugly, cover yourself from head to toes or you wear a sexy top. The secret is to exercise at home, walking a lot (you will be less harassed) or to workout in private sports clubs. Thanks by your funny blog.

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