With many of us on lockdown in Asia it would be extremely easy to become a fat bastard, so we’ve therefore decided to give our advice on how to lose weight in Asia.
Now we realize that Asia is a bloody big place, like huge, practically massive, so therefore our interpretation of Asia is more aimed at losing weight in East Asia, or South-East Asia, alas that does not make a catchy blog title!
So, if you live in Eastern Turkey or on the wrong side of the Ural Mountains, this blog will not help you out.
Avoid Beer
This, in theory, is quite easy as most beers in this region are not all that good. We have previously written about the Ten Best Selling Beers in the World. Snow beer from China is the best selling in the World.
If you still need to get your drink on, Vodka is readily available (mix it with soda water) or just get involved with rice wines like Baijiu, LaoLao, or the now ever available Soju.
Fun fact Jinro Soju is the best selling liquor in the World!
Go Easy on the Carbs
Because Asians tend to a lot less fat than us westerners, we seem to think that obviously means rice is excellent for you. In fact, rice is the devil carb. You can eat it, but chomping down on bowls and bowls of it isn’t, and it will make you fat.
Keto Is Pretty Easy in Asia
Keto is the diet where you pretty much just live on meat and meat alone. This makes it an awesome diet, and it is easy to do in Asia.
Dairy Is Easy to Avoid
Cheese and milk might be fantastic, but they are not that good if your mission is to lose weight. Generally speaking, it is less available and more expensive in Asia, so use this opportunity to simply avoid it.
Eat Spicy Foods!
Spicy foods make you sweat it all out, and for some fancy science, reason makes you full quicker. Feeling full quicker equals eating less, equals losing weight.
Fruit Juice Isn’t That Good for You
Whatever diet you decide to do, most tend to agree that too much sugar is bad for you. It might make you look king of the cool hipsters by sitting on a beach drinking a fresh avocado shake, but slurping down glasses of sugar doesn’t aid losing weight.
Eat less
One of the best things about eating meals with people in Asia is that often times it is shared dishes. I have a friend who hates sharing, but if you can be grown-up about it, multiple dishes mean having a little bit of everything, and thus eating less becomes easier.
Sashimi is king!
OK, so maybe this is a personal bias, but raw fish and raw meat to me are not only the tastiest of dishes but are extremely healthy. They are also not limited to Japan and can be found in most destinations in some way, shape, or form.
Maybe Exercise a Little
Now, this might be stating the obvious, but it is easy to forget, notably when the sun is beating down on you, and particularly if you are on lockdown. We managed exercise by merely pacing around our tiny apartment, worrying about the impending doom of a mass pandemic.
Everything in Moderation, Particularly Moderation…..
When you come from countries where it is $10 a pint, and a massage genuinely means a massage, it is very easy to go to another country and just go crazy. You still need to eat, drink and party, have fun, but not too much fun, OK.
