Living Abroad: Have you moved away from your "home" country and gained weight?

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SaraAhmad117
SaraAhmad117 Posts: 43 Member
in Motivation and Support
Anyone living outside of their home country finding it hard to adjust to the new food culture?

I moved from the northeast US to India a little over a year ago (after I had lost about 13kg./30lbs. between MyFitnessPal, my Planet Fitness membership, and a job at a UPS Store that I walked a mile to and from everyday). I never bought a new scale, started working from home as a freelance writer, and stopped using MyFitnessPal because I was overwhelmed by all the new foods in this new culture. Surprise! One year later, I have gained all 13 kgs. back.

January 2016 has found me inadvertently hopping on the "resolution" bandwagon. I ordered a scale, started taking walks for at least 30 minutes everyday, and am back on MyFitnessPal with a goal to drop all of this weight by summer. Has anyone else gained weight after moving abroad?
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Replies

  • SaraAhmad117
    SaraAhmad117 Posts: 43 Member
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    Seriously? No one? Wow, it's lonely in here :-/
  • kuranda10
    kuranda10 Posts: 593 Member
    edited January 2016
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    I moved to Australia.
    Not too much difference in food culture. Just a few new additions and a few "uh, OK" entries.
    Big adjustment was limited Mexican ingredients (I would LOVE chipoltes) and missing a few held dear American products.
    But by far the biggest adjustment was the price. I cook at home because I refuse to pay $18+ for what amounts to a 1/4" thick frozen hamburger patty. If you add a drink in for my husband, we can easily do $70+ for two for just a random sit down mediocre meal.

    McDonalds is the same price.

    ETA: I gained weight when we lived in France, because bakeries do a twice daily bake of baguettes and, and well, FRESHLY BAKED BAGUETTES. Plus the pastries and bread are subsidized by the government so all the yummy stuff was inexpensive.
    I lost the weight when we moved to Australia and then I quit smoking. 20 kgs in 90 days. still trying to lose it.
  • Hoooooooooo
    Hoooooooooo Posts: 27 Member
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    We moved to New Zealand 4 years ago and I gained weight. I have spoken to lots of people who moved countries and all reported weight gain.
  • AuthenticSports
    AuthenticSports Posts: 3 Member
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    No problem here since German food is so healthy!!!

    I gained about 25 pounds after living here for a half dozen years ... I started using a MyFitnessPal in December and added a Fitbit Charge HR a couple weeks ago ...I have lost roughly 8 pounds so far ... the weather has been mild so far this winter so that has helped.

  • SaraAhmad117
    SaraAhmad117 Posts: 43 Member
    edited January 2016
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    kuranda10 wrote: »
    I moved to Australia.
    Not too much difference in food culture. Just a few new additions and a few "uh, OK" entries.
    Big adjustment was limited Mexican ingredients (I would LOVE chipoltes) and missing a few held dear American products.
    But by far the biggest adjustment was the price. I cook at home because I refuse to pay $18+ for what amounts to a 1/4" thick frozen hamburger patty. If you add a drink in for my husband, we can easily do $70+ for two for just a random sit down mediocre meal.

    McDonalds is the same price.

    ETA: I gained weight when we lived in France, because bakeries do a twice daily bake of baguettes and, and well, FRESHLY BAKED BAGUETTES. Plus the pastries and bread are subsidized by the government so all the yummy stuff was inexpensive.
    I lost the weight when we moved to Australia and then I quit smoking. 20 kgs in 90 days. still trying to lose it.

    20 kgs in 90 days is amazing! The difficult thing about India is that ALL the food is affordable, but it can also work to your advantage if you can get yourself to buy the fresh fruits and veggies instead of the fried foods. I just picked up six amazing oranges and a ton of grapes for $1.30- the same amount of fruit of a much lower quality would cost at least $10 in the US!

    I miss Mexican food so much and YUM freshly baked baguettes!
  • SaraAhmad117
    SaraAhmad117 Posts: 43 Member
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    Hoooooooooo wrote: »
    We moved to New Zealand 4 years ago and I gained weight. I have spoken to lots of people who moved countries and all reported weight gain.

    To be fair, I gained weight even when I moved from state to state around the US. I think it's always difficult to keep up a routine in any new environment.
  • totaldetermination
    totaldetermination Posts: 1,184 Member
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    I lived in Italy for 6 months as a student.
    yep. i gained weight.
  • SaraAhmad117
    SaraAhmad117 Posts: 43 Member
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    AuthenticSports wrote: »
    No problem here since German food is so healthy!!!

    I gained about 25 pounds after living here for a half dozen years ... I started using a MyFitnessPal in December and added a Fitbit Charge HR a couple weeks ago ...I have lost roughly 8 pounds so far ... the weather has been mild so far this winter so that has helped.

    German food is healthy? When I think German I think sausage and beer, haha!

    These apps and devices definitely help a lot. These days there's just too much food, it's so easy to get lost without them!
  • kuranda10
    kuranda10 Posts: 593 Member
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    Affordable fresh food is not always a thing here. Right now a head of lettuce is over $4.00.
    Strawberries are $7.98 for 250g.
    Caged eggs are $3.00+ , range free eggs can be up to $8.00 a dozen
  • SatuAholin
    SatuAholin Posts: 1 Member
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    I've lived abroad three times. I'm actually living abroad now too. I'm originally from Finland but I've lived in the UK, Germany and now The Netherlands. In all of those countries you're able to eat healthily and groceries are cheaper than in Finland, so I've actually lost weight every time when living abroad. In England I lost the most, something like 13 kg in three months but I also attended to Weight Watchers meetings back then. I'm moving back to Finland in the end of this month and I'm a bit worried what happens to my healthy lifestyle that I learned here in Holland.
  • SaraAhmad117
    SaraAhmad117 Posts: 43 Member
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    totaldetermination wrote: »
    I lived in Italy for 6 months as a student.
    yep. i gained weight.

    Italy! Wow Italian food is a huge weakness of mine, I'd be a goner!
  • SaraAhmad117
    SaraAhmad117 Posts: 43 Member
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    kuranda10 wrote: »
    Affordable fresh food is not always a thing here. Right now a head of lettuce is over $4.00.
    Strawberries are $7.98 for 250g.
    Caged eggs are $3.00+ , range free eggs can be up to $8.00 a dozen

    Are you in the US? Sure sounds like it. It's a serious tradgedy that healthy fresh food could be so expensive anywhere.
  • SaraAhmad117
    SaraAhmad117 Posts: 43 Member
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    HazelTrisEverdeen wrote: »
    The opposite happened for me. I'm from Hong Kong and I study in Australia, and find it easier to lose weight there than back home...probably because Chinese food is quite oily! FYI, we do NOT have fortune cookies around here.
    I spend the holidays at home (it's summer in Australia so I'm home right now) and I'm glad that I've at least maintained over the last month!

    LOL "FYI, we do NOT have fortune cookies around here." I had no idea haha. China has actually become number two in the world for obesity. I always blamed that on McDonalds expanding their market.
  • SaraAhmad117
    SaraAhmad117 Posts: 43 Member
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    SatuAholin wrote: »
    I've lived abroad three times. I'm actually living abroad now too. I'm originally from Finland but I've lived in the UK, Germany and now The Netherlands. In all of those countries you're able to eat healthily and groceries are cheaper than in Finland, so I've actually lost weight every time when living abroad. In England I lost the most, something like 13 kg in three months but I also attended to Weight Watchers meetings back then. I'm moving back to Finland in the end of this month and I'm a bit worried what happens to my healthy lifestyle that I learned here in Holland.

    I'm sure you can do it...my advice as this is my fourth time around on the cycle of gaining and losing, keep using MyFitnessPal when you move!
  • SaraAhmad117
    SaraAhmad117 Posts: 43 Member
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    kuranda10 wrote: »
    Affordable fresh food is not always a thing here. Right now a head of lettuce is over $4.00.
    Strawberries are $7.98 for 250g.
    Caged eggs are $3.00+ , range free eggs can be up to $8.00 a dozen

    Oh, I forgot, Australia right? Those are some pretty crazy prices :-(
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
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    I've been "moving abroad" all my life. Sometimes the environment requires significant changes in lifestyle which can result in weight gain. When I moved to Paris - 20 years ago - road biking was difficult because my schedule changed so radically. Certainly I gained weight. Moved less, ate more. I've lived in France, Mexico, US, France, Germany and yes, when moving around it requires a special focus to stay active and fit.

    Good luck.
  • Xiaolongbao
    Xiaolongbao Posts: 854 Member
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    I move every few years. Right now I'm in Bulgaria. Before that Japan. Before that China. Before that... you get the point. One thing I've discovered is I'm consistent. I can put on weight anywhere!

    For me the problem is that losing weight has only ever happened (and since I'm 42 and have struggled with weight my entire life I'm pretty experienced with this) when it is pretty much the complete focus of my existence. Moving countries makes it really hard to keep that focus. As does any other major life change. However there's not much I can do except suck it up. This is the lifestyle I chose to lead (and love) and so I keep plugging away.
  • SaraAhmad117
    SaraAhmad117 Posts: 43 Member
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    Xiaolongbao wrote: »
    I move every few years. Right now I'm in Bulgaria. Before that Japan. Before that China. Before that... you get the point. One thing I've discovered is I'm consistent. I can put on weight anywhere!

    For me the problem is that losing weight has only ever happened (and since I'm 42 and have struggled with weight my entire life I'm pretty experienced with this) when it is pretty much the complete focus of my existence. Moving countries makes it really hard to keep that focus. As does any other major life change. However there's not much I can do except suck it up. This is the lifestyle I chose to lead (and love) and so I keep plugging away.

    I can totally relate!
  • kuranda10
    kuranda10 Posts: 593 Member
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    SaraAhmad117 wrote: »
    kuranda10 wrote: »
    Affordable fresh food is not always a thing here. Right now a head of lettuce is over $4.00.
    Strawberries are $7.98 for 250g.
    Caged eggs are $3.00+ , range free eggs can be up to $8.00 a dozen

    Oh, I forgot, Australia right? Those are some pretty crazy prices :-(

    This is what happens when there is no water for crops so farmers have to buy it and the labour prices to harvest it are insane.
    Two years (?) ago, it was an excellent harvest year. But farmers were letting food rot in the fields to keep the prices high enough to cover costs. If they had harvested and sold what they had available they would have lost money.
  • SaraAhmad117
    SaraAhmad117 Posts: 43 Member
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    HappyCampr1 wrote: »
    I was perfectly stable weight for the three years I lived in Venezuela. It was upon returning to the US that I gained 30 pounds in six months,

    Don't even get me started on everything that's wrong with the way people have to eat in the US. The epidemic is sad over there. I hope MFP is working for you :-)

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