Living Abroad: Have you moved away from your "home" country and gained weight?
SaraAhmad117
Posts: 43 Member
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?
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
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Seriously? No one? Wow, it's lonely in here :-/0
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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.0 -
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.0
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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.
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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.
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!0 -
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.0 -
I lived in Italy for 6 months as a student.
yep. i gained weight.0 -
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!0 -
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 dozen0 -
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.0
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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!
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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
Are you in the US? Sure sounds like it. It's a serious tradgedy that healthy fresh food could be so expensive anywhere.0 -
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.0 -
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!0 -
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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.0 -
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.0 -
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!0 -
SaraAhmad117 wrote: »
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.0 -
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 :-)0 -
Oh no. Indian foods. Talking about delicious diet hell. ;P
I came to the US from S Korea 10 years ago and, unfortunately, used to joke that I came to the states "40 lbs ago." Yep. That's how much I gained. It was difficult to find ingredients that I was familiar with, so I went into "all American diet" for a (bit too long) while. I've dropped 20 lbs so far since I started using MFP and am on my way to "recovery".
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I lived in China for a short time recently and lost a pound. I did a ton of walking and avoided the ubiquitous fried breads. I tried not to eat any bread at all. The food was good and inexpensive.0
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I moved to Germany from Denver, CO just over a year ago. The food here is amazing, and I don't really miss any foods from the US. I am back here on MFP because I enjoyed the food, wine and beer so much over the past year and it is showing! LOL0
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Yes. I think when you first move there is so much on your mind (after all even a trip to the store can take a gps and the stress of a wrong turn) that it is easy to gain weight. After I settle in I always try to focus on my eating for a week or two and try and tell myself this is how i will eat here. The veggies and meats might be different but thats still the bulk of my diet. I currently live almost in Italy (so pasta, bread and pizza are main staples) but they aren't a big part of my diet.0
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When I retired from USAF & moved to UK from Germany (husband is English), I gained a lot of weight very quickly from eating total crap & sitting on my butt. I got a quick reality check when shopping for clothes (one of the most depressing days of my life), joined local gym the next day & started losing the weight. Food here is a mixture of shocking (fried potatoes with everything, unhealthy takeaways, loads of fast food) & healthy, but healthy is on the up. Lost the weight and more. Whew!0
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I'm from US (California), but lived abroad for 14 years. Louisiana (yes, I count that as abroad), Indonesia, Kuwait, and Kazakhstan. Plus well traveled throughout Asian and Europe. I've been back in California for 6 six.
I feel that for me, the sheer act of moving, uprooting entirely and dropping into an unknown culture, was very stressful and contributed to my weight gain. I dealt with stress by eating inappropriately. I never found a lack of good food, and I could have eating very healthfully everywhere I lived.
Part of living abroad is taking in the beauty of the culture and what it has to offer. Food is an easy conduit for connection with locals. I ate very delicious things everywhere we went! When I wasn't at home, I ate like we were on vacation, trying all sorts of new things. Fell in love with grits (with cheese and garlic) in Lafayette, LA. Could not get enough pineapple and Padang cuisine in Indonesia. Lebanese, and Indian restaurants in Kuwait were wonderful. In Kazakhstan, vodka in country, and loads of cheese brought from Amsterdam when traveling to and from.
Now that I'm back in CA, I've settled in, created a network of support, and am back to eating lots of fresh organic vegetables, healthy fats and pastured or wild sourced proteins. But not before I got my fill of pizza, fast food, restaurant eating, too much dairy and grains. That led me to very poor health. I can be very stupid, all over the planet!0 -
OH, I would gain so much weight living in NOLA. Oh yes, that would not do at all ...0
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My husband & I moved to Bahrain from the UK almost 3 years ago...I found out after we arrived that it is notorious for expats to put on weight here, my husband’s doctor said between 10-15% of your body weight! Arabic food is obviously healthy however the island is now full of fast food with every type of junk available 24 hours a day, it is the norm to see pizza and MacDonald’s delivers being dropped off before lunch time YUK…
Being an island everything is imported so fresh food doesn’t stay fresh for long, locally sourced vegetables are cheap but full of pesticides anything imported needs to be eaten the day you buy it before becoming shrivelled and tasteless…
We have a good supermarket that stocks many American and English products however there are some I really miss. On the plus side my taste buds have changed on return trips to the UK my previously beloved fish & chips and English 'curry house type' curries taste awful along with any processed bread. Nice ready meals are vary rare so you have to cook everything from scratch when short of time its hard not to have withdrawals for M&S food hall!
With the exception of 3 months of the year it is impossible to exercise outside with temperatures reaching above 40c it is far too hot and from June to September the humidity is a killer. Lack of fresh air, fresh tasty food and only drinking processed water out of plastic leaves me feeling sluggish and lethargic and yes although the button still does up on clothes I had before we came out here I have definitely gained wait approx. 6lbs on a good day!
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I moved from Latinamerica to Denmark 8 years ago. I gained a lot of weight (about 30 pounds, about 13 kg) in very few months, that lead to me having to change my entire wardrobe. In summer 2014, I managed to lose a lot of weight and got to a healthy weight for my height. Sadly, I've gained it all back and more. I've gained more than 40 pounds.
I think moving abroad is very stressful for most people and to cope we eat.
I'm in the "losing weight wagon" for the second time and I hope this is the last!0 -
Hi! I am originally from Portugal. When I moved to Switzerland I gained weight (all the chocolate and cheese
) but not too much. Then I moved from Switzerland to Canada (I am back in Switzerland) and that's when I gained a bunch of weight. It also coincided with me not living at home anymore so it was a "double effect" thing.
Food is cheaper in Canada (compared to Switzerland), specially restaurants and take out. Plus they have many many Asian restaurants and I love all kinds of Asian food... so I indulged.
On the other hand I never ate bread (not tasty! where is my baguette?) and almost never ate cheese because good cheese is so expensive there. By the way... what they call "Swiss cheese" is NOT Swiss cheese! There are all kinds of cheese in Switzerland and not one of them resembles what Canadians (and Americans) call Swiss cheese.
I know that if I went back to Portugal I would lose weight since I am able to eat (grilled) fish every day there, which I can't do in Switzerland. Switzerland has no sea (only lakes) so "fresh" fish is usually not fresh, not tasty and expensive! Frozen is just not the same...
I guess each country has its drawbacks and its perks!
Oh and I find North Americans are very lucky because there are so many different cultures there, they can find virtually any kind of food they want!0
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