REALITY CHECK

photo: home cooking, a currently lost art that is slowly returning to me.

If I look back through what I have been posting lately, the majority seems to be food of the unhealthy, sugary variety. Aside from the frozen yoghurt (I can't give it up, too delicious, it will stay as a special treat) all of the other stuff is no longer.

(Says the girl who ate an ice cream sandwich yesterday.... well I suppose I will be weaning myself off the sugar slowly.)


I had the "oh my gosh, if I don't make a change, it won't just be extra kgs in my new Rimowa I'll be coming home with" moment perhaps two weeks ago, and since then, have been attempting to make the change. It hasn't been easy here.

The biggest (and most difficult to implement) change has been cutting down on the amount of big, high carb meals. Unfortunately it is these meals that are cheap, but health comes first, and vegetables on these plates are sparse.

This is no longer....

Now it is all about this -

This requires more planning and more money. The convenience factor of the local food is such a draw, and it is super difficult to find something healthy if you are on the go.

Cooking at home is now a more common occurrence. I was originally very keen on doing this but was put off by the prices (I was comparing them with China which was unfair of me). Prices are actually on par with NZ for most things, except special imports of course. Maybe I can open a "Protect Caitlin from obesity, high cholesterol and diabetes " donation fund for you all to contribute to?

Still it is totally impossible when eating with a big group of others, at a restaurant that only offers noodle or rice dishes to avoid it. Every now and then, when I've had a particularly effective session at the gym, I think it's ok, everything in moderation and all.

Unfortunately I just have to learn that my body doesn't know how to metabolise these things! Enough with "the locals are thin and they eat it" mentality.

Coming soon: The health store phenomenon in Taipei; the Taiwanese Gym experience; Taipei supermarkets.

haha can you tell I'm on a bit of a health kick right now?

P.S All photos were taken on my iPhone, notice a difference? (excluding the dodgy bedroom lighting in the last 2 pictures of course!)

P.S2 In the interest of full disclosure I did not make the sushi, I did however boil water and add the miso powder to make the soup :)

P.S3 My English is getting really bad! Being surrounded by people for whom it is their second (or third or fourth) language is taking a toll...