The Recession Diet
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Three weeks of feasting on delicious (read: fattening, carb-laden, coconut milk-based) food in Singapore and Penang contributed two kilos of excess body baggage upon my return. This is not a surprise, nor is it unexpected.
Singaporean and Malaysian food has the ability to pile on the kilos in a mere couple of weeks. This is supported by my own empirical studies gleaned from my twice-yearly trips to Singapore in the last four years.
So with the added disadvantage of coming back to winter in the southern hemisphere where the body naturally craves more fattening food like chocolates and biscuits in order to build up the buffer against the cold, I knew I had to take drastic steps.
I decided that first of all I had to cut down ('cut out' is the point of arrival, but let’s be realistic here) my carbs at dinner. This meant rice, pasta, potatoes, noodles, bread - all the usual comfort food close to my heart and tummy. So instead of a whole portion of carbs, I dish out a couple of spoonfuls with a big serving of vegetables and protein (usually fish, but occasionally chicken or beef). And then I have to deal with the hunger pangs just before bedtime when dinner has been well and truly digested. The Boy’s solution is for me to drink a big glass of water. I feel really poverty-stricken whenever I hear him suggest this; it makes me feel that I am doing this because of the economic situation rather than out of personal vanity.
Next, all the lovely sweet stuff and desserts have to go, at least on the weekdays. On the weekends, I can reward myself with a treat or two. No more biscuits (though in my memory I can still taste that heavenly fig and ginger cookie I had on Saturday morning with my coffee), cakes (I’ve refused to re-stock the eggs so I am unable to bake the little orange cupcakes or raisin rock buns I whip up whenever I need some baking therapy), or any other desserts (keeping me away from the Thai supermarket and those colourful little glutinous rice and coconut confections). This is bitterly hard for someone with a sweet tooth. But it has to be done.
They say diet is 80% of any weight-loss program. So I tell myself, whether for reasons of vanity or economics, all the fattening luxury treats will have to be massively reduced. And this is until I lose five kilos (two more than the additional three for good measure) or I find a new job, whichever comes first (since a new job will call for a celebration and that means cake).
So with the added disadvantage of coming back to winter in the southern hemisphere where the body naturally craves more fattening food like chocolates and biscuits in order to build up the buffer against the cold, I knew I had to take drastic steps.
I decided that first of all I had to cut down ('cut out' is the point of arrival, but let’s be realistic here) my carbs at dinner. This meant rice, pasta, potatoes, noodles, bread - all the usual comfort food close to my heart and tummy. So instead of a whole portion of carbs, I dish out a couple of spoonfuls with a big serving of vegetables and protein (usually fish, but occasionally chicken or beef). And then I have to deal with the hunger pangs just before bedtime when dinner has been well and truly digested. The Boy’s solution is for me to drink a big glass of water. I feel really poverty-stricken whenever I hear him suggest this; it makes me feel that I am doing this because of the economic situation rather than out of personal vanity.
Next, all the lovely sweet stuff and desserts have to go, at least on the weekdays. On the weekends, I can reward myself with a treat or two. No more biscuits (though in my memory I can still taste that heavenly fig and ginger cookie I had on Saturday morning with my coffee), cakes (I’ve refused to re-stock the eggs so I am unable to bake the little orange cupcakes or raisin rock buns I whip up whenever I need some baking therapy), or any other desserts (keeping me away from the Thai supermarket and those colourful little glutinous rice and coconut confections). This is bitterly hard for someone with a sweet tooth. But it has to be done.
They say diet is 80% of any weight-loss program. So I tell myself, whether for reasons of vanity or economics, all the fattening luxury treats will have to be massively reduced. And this is until I lose five kilos (two more than the additional three for good measure) or I find a new job, whichever comes first (since a new job will call for a celebration and that means cake).
Here Is The Writer : bobo-gal
bobo-gal is a Sydney-based bourgeoisie-bohemian masquerading as a corporate suit in financial services for the last 12 years. She has been constantly dreaming of having a flea market stall selling crafts and baked goods, and trawling auction houses for vintage furniture to re-sell to city workers with too much money and too little time. However, with her imminent departure from her job in the city, she might soon be just bo-gal, having to drop the bourgeoisie portion of her name as she dabbles in reupholstering chairs.
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