gaining weight while on vacation in Asia

bts1234

Hello everyone. I'm currently on vacation in Asia to visit some family. Every time I come back, my relatives would feed me alot and in Asian culture it's kind of rude to refuse food or eat very little during meal times. I usually don't eat breakfast or very little for breakfast and lunches I also don't eat alot. On vacation I feel like I'm eating dinner proportions for all 3 meals! They also feed me alot of snacks/small meals throughout the day. A lot of the food I eat has alot of oil and sauces. I also don't have access to a gym or much outdoor areas where I can exercise.

Sooooo I would like some help on how I can prevent myself from gaining too much weight (realistically speaking, I'm probably going to gain weight haha). Should I drink more water? Indoor activity tips? Any tips and advice would be great!

Thanks in advance!! :happy:

ianthy

I have travelled in Asia and last year spent 6 weeks in Thailand. I came home heavier - why because I ate like a westerner on holiday and not like a local. You will notice generally they are generally small people. They eat small portions and maybe 2 meals a day with some very light snacks in between generally fruit. I ate dim sum, fried foods, tempura, ice cream etc but in large quantities and no little or no exercise. too hot but I could have got up in the morning and walked or there was pool at the villa that i could have used. Lesson learned - stick to small meals and eat the same portion sizes as your hosts. Of course you want to enjoy your holiday and may gain a few pounds but I always felt that my holiday memories were slightly spoilt when I got home and found that I had gained 7lbs and needed to work hard for the next 4-6 weeks to shift it. It just did not seem to be worth the extra dim sum, tempura and ice cream. Remember you can choose what you eat on holiday.

carymom

Are you doing a lot of walking? I know that helps me. I just got back from a short vacation and even though I walked 12,000 steps a day, I gained some weight. Not as much as my husband, though, so I count walking as a successful part of that. Good luck.

kk_140

Man I had the opposite problem. When I went to China I couldn't bring myself to eat much of anything. Real chinese food and what American's eat as "chinese food" are completely different things lol. But I can see your dilemma. I'd recommend staying away from anything fried and the carbs are killer, rice and corn are calorie bombs.

I also agree with an above poster, eat like the locals!

eslcity

I've lived in Korea for 12 years... the best thing here is to just say you are on a diet... most Asians are very self aware of body image.. and understand when you tell them...

Remember people are people no matter where you are...

annekka

My past 2 breaks, I have lost 1.5 kg and put 1.5 kg on. Remember that Asians do eat less and a lot slower. Avoid the western food and anything fried. Now that I'm closer to my goal I've been having more and more trouble. From the first vacation I learned that I wasn't doing as much damage to myself as I thought I was doing since I lost 1.5 kg. The next vacation I was in Bali and wasn't walking as much and indulging in gourmet food.

Remember that you are on vacation and some of these things you may never get to try again. And opt for the stuff with lots of veggies. They have very very creative ways of doing veggies in Asia that will make you a convert!

Just keep on moving and doing it. Right now one of my friends is visiting his family back in India and complaining of this same problem.

RaggedyPond

I live in Japan and get plenty of ramen, curry, and fried chicken. Nom NOm. Going on vacation back to the states soon. That will be the real challenge.

discofrog88

I am going to China for 2 weeks in June and was wondering how to add the food that I eat there to my diary. Is the foods the same, or do I find something similar. I know that I will not stay with my calorie range, but I at least want to try. Any suggestions??? Thanks...

nxd10

I found almost everything in Chile, Brazil, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, and South Africa in MFP. Which was pretty amazing. Have no idea about China, but there are lots of Chinese entries. Although I don't know if you'll be able to find the right words in translation.

irleshay

I say just eat what you think is reasonable and refuse the rest. And you can see from my pic that I'm of Asian descent, and I'm well aware of the cultural norms. I don't think it's worth it to eat too much and pack on weight only because you don't want to be rude. There are ways to give and receive affection that don't involve over-eating. Tell them you're trying to be healthy, and leave it at that. And in my experience, they won't hesitate to tell you that you're fat, and then encourage you to eat more.
Also, consider eating breakfast and lunch every day -- your weight and blood sugar levels might be more stable that way.

chrisdavey

Wouldn't you be out and about sight seeing? Plenty of activity there.

Typically, I lose weight on holidays because of lots of activity. I don't track but guesstimate cals. I also fast until lunchtime or so and just stick to 2 big meals per day typically.

That has worked for me in Japan and Thailand. Limited damage in the US too despite some serious buffets :laugh:

annekka

I am going to China for 2 weeks in June and was wondering how to add the food that I eat there to my diary. Is the foods the same, or do I find something similar. I know that I will not stay with my calorie range, but I at least want to try. Any suggestions??? Thanks...

Good luck. I've been living here 2 years and it's still a guessing game. Enjoy your time in China and don't worry about the food.

TiberiusClaudis

I go on several business trips to Asia each year. I find the food outstanding...but lots of sauces some high in calories but almost all very high in sodium (i.e. soy sauce).

I try to stick to eatting as much steamed shrimp and vegs as possible. Also I eat a ton of sushimi.

And of course I stick to green tea.

Good luck!