An American in Asia

[blue]

Originally Posted by caserene

There are pros and cons to living in Asia and dieting. Generally, people eat very healthy and portions are small but the region comes with caveats:

ALL THE DAMN RICE. I don't eat it.
Corn sprinkled on everything (salad, sandwich, pizza...enough with the corn)
No leftovers. It's tough to get restaurants to give you doggy bags so you end up feeling guilt-tripped into eating everything on the table.
No side-dish substitues. It's not common that a restaurant will grant your request for veggies instead of fries. Customer isn't king!

My "safe" foods here are:

soft-boiled, salted eggs (my favorite! they are exquisite)
raw fish, especially tuna, salmon and squid
smoked salmon
pig and cow tongue (I know it sounds gross, but it's very yummy)
tripa (cow stomach?)
tofu (and sesame tofu and peanut tofu...it's like dessert!)
seaweed, like wakame
red beans
pumpkin

Basically everything that's NOT noodles is very expensive...esp. fruit (the cheapest I see apples right now are $3 per apple!)

Anyway, my diet is going well thus far

I feel for you!

Seriously, at my lowest weight I was bigger compared to some of them..
As for the rice issue, I've trained my taste buds to dislike white rice.. make that rice in general. When co-workers and I go for lunch, I don't usually order the rice and they look at me like I'm an alien.. then I just say that rice makes me feel ill. Then they go into this conversation on how rice is so filling and tasty ( no taste and hunger pangs in a hour for me!). It's something instilled into them since birth- "no meal is complete without rice".

Salted eggs are so good!

Where I am at fruit is extremely cheap but squash costs a ridiculous amount. Raw fish (except in a Jap rest) is BAD as you could get worms ect. Smoked salmon= ridiculously expensive.

In all honesty, I would just bring my own tupperware (odd, I know) for the food and tell them to pack it in that. Usually the restaurant don't buy tupperware a they think it's a waste of money. Most of the places here follow my directions (except for the liberal amounts of oil they put on everything ). The worst oil problem I've had was not in Indonesia but in China Town in London.. then they said it was 'part of the dish' when the person next to me obviously didn't get a cup of oil in their noodles.

Wondering if you are white and when you walk down a street, do people just look at you funny?

[caserene]

Originally Posted by Intrinsicality

Sounds like me too! - your current weight is my goal weight at the moment - but wow - are you telling my thighs are STILL going to touch?!?!

Horror.

the only way I can make a thigh gap now is if I put my feet together and then bend over.

It IS a horror!!

I had a tiny thigh gap at 45kg (99lbs) so it's possible you may have one too at that weight since you're taller

[caserene]

Originally Posted by blue

I feel for you!

Seriously, at my lowest weight I was bigger compared to some of them..
As for the rice issue, I've trained my taste buds to dislike white rice.. make that rice in general. When co-workers and I go for lunch, I don't usually order the rice and they look at me like I'm an alien..

I have to have the "I`m American and my body isn't built like yours and I`m too sensitive to carbs to eat them" convo with EVERY SINGLE person I eat with. They just can't comprehend that I wouldn't eat rice or pasta. I think it would be easier to be vegetarian in Asia and vegetarians live thru hell all the time (meat extract in every soup stock...lol)

Wondering if you are white and when you walk down a street, do people just look at you funny?

They look at me because i`m white, yes...and for other reasons too I think