Living in Thailand is making me fat

[davidst01]

I was always a skinny guy in the past and now aged in 40's and when I look down I have a gut growing- slowly but surely. The gf makes fun of me. I still do sit ups and push ups every morning and night before eating but not even this is helping anymore. I purchased a pushie (bike) and dont take taxi's anymore but this is not helping. I walk a lot but still getting a fat tum.

Im assuming my metabolism is slowing but suspect I should cut down on anything that has sugar in it- I started asking the lady to not add a tablespoon of sugar to my pad thai dish. I dont drink soft drinks or eat french fries and generally have a balanced good diet. I dont even drink alcohol much anymore.

Does anyone else have this problem? Any advice?

many thanks

[CharlieH]

Health forum might be better for this, I would also say watch the coconut milk/cream used in many dishes here, the right balanced diet, more fruit and vegetables and regular exercise is usually the right recipe.

More members will undoubtedly add shortly.

Edited February 27, 2014 by CharlieH

[Ajaan]

Same problems here when I moved to Thailand (early 40s then)...slowing metabolism, lack of exercise (BKK is not exactly one of the world's premiere "walking cities"--at least not at first glance!), all exacerbated--at least in my case--by a huge increase in beer intake!

If you share the beer "problem," haha, well, the solution is not fun at all, but simple: stop for a while. When I did only that, about 7 years ago, I lost over 30 lbs (about 13 kg) in 2 1/2 months time...and even though I went back to drinking after that, it took a LONG time for some of that weight to come back (and it never ALL did, thank gods!). I did combine that non-drinking period with some brisk walking, but not a huge amount (maybe 4 miles/5k+ per day).

Now that I'm 54, almost 55, it's gotten a LOT harder to lose the weight. Simply stopping drinking does help, but not in the noticeable way it used to! Note that for me, diet has never really been a problem; I don't eat any Western fast food, lots of vegetables, protein, not a lot of empty carbs, etc.

Now--I'm back living in the West--I have a much more active exercise program: I walk 7+ miles (12k) every day, and do regular sets of burpees ("prison workout"). Great for legs and upper-body and back strength...but the gut is always a problem.

Note that you CAN make Bangkok more of a walking city, if you try. There are parks (my favorite is Benjasri, next to Phrom Pong mall), and they open at 5 am...nice and relatively "cool" temps, if you can handle the early rise! And while I didn't walk that much when I lived in BKK, now when I visit several times a year, I average 10-15k a day...I just walk everywhere I need to go if it's 3k away or under. I guess I "go" a lot of places, haha! So while walking around BKK will never be "pleasant," it is doable if you put your mind to it.

Other strategies you can incorporate into your daily life: take the stairs. I have a rule for myself of never taking an elevator or escalator if I'm going less than 7 floors.

If you really want to lose the gut, you gotta pull out the big guns: HIIT (high-intensity interval training)...look it up. I still haven't started doing it, but I keep hoping to give myself the kick start to begin...basically you do incredibly intense exercise (running, biking) for 8 seconds, followed by "regular" exertion (say, jogging pace) for 12 seconds...repeat until 20 minutes are over. There's been lots of scientific research on this recently: do that 3 times a week and the fat will "melt away," guaranteed. But man, it sounds like hell. Though so do "burpees," to a lot of people, but I've grown to love those !!

Edited February 27, 2014 by Ajaan

[kimbathewhitelion]

In the same boat, skinny until living in Thailand. Cutting the alcohol is a start with exception of larger countries, but also consider you're not Thai, thus not eat like them. Cut out the noodles & rice. The vegetable soups here on the other hand are healthy & fantastic. Just don't buy it from a restaurant (say "restaurant", not sidewalk & food stall) which you don't know, MSG also leads to fat and death. This country will deny the good drugs to kill pain but allow everything else a company can sell to kill you.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[Datebayo]

Do you eat alot of Thai food? Next time when you order a Thai dish, say ''Mai mee pom chuu rot'' Means ''no MSG'' That stuff makes fat. You mentioned sweets and sugar, but also the oil. They use alot of oil, the unhealthy kind, in their foods. Say'' maanh noi krup'' Means little bit oil please. When ordering something which comes standard with sugar, say '' waan noi'' means little bit sugar.

I also used to be lean. But now I see my belly grwoing to proportions of a beer belly, and I don't even drink beer that much. It is because my gf is always cooking Thai food for me and we eat Thai food 99% of the time.

You need to eat more vegetables and fruits. Take a colon cleansing. There are many colon cleansing shops in Thailand, I have used them, it has been a wonderful experience, very gentle and great service, unlike the colon cleansing shops in the West. Also You might have a worm in your stomach that eats up all the good stuff. Go to any pharmacy and tell them you have a worm in your stomach and they will give you a special anti-biotic

[Datebayo]

In the same boat, skinny until living in Thailand. Cutting the alcohol is a start with exception of larger countries, but also consider you're not Thai, thus not eat like them. Cut out the noodles & rice. The vegetable soups here on the other hand are healthy & fantastic. Just don't buy it from a restaurant (say "restaurant", not sidewalk & food stall) which you don't know, MSG also leads to fat and death. This country will deny the good drugs to kill pain but allow everything else a company can sell to kill you.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Are you also very worried about NSA is watching you? And the big pharma is selling you crap so you die early?

[CryWolf]

I guess you lack the asian rice-gene

[kimbathewhitelion]

In the same boat, skinny until living in Thailand. Cutting the alcohol is a start with exception of larger countries, but also consider you're not Thai, thus not eat like them. Cut out the noodles & rice. The vegetable soups here on the other hand are healthy & fantastic. Just don't buy it from a restaurant (say "restaurant", not sidewalk & food stall) which you don't know, MSG also leads to fat and death. This country will deny the good drugs to kill pain but allow everything else a company can sell to kill you.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Are you also very worried about NSA is watching you? And the big pharma is selling you crap so you die early?

Hahaha...funny. Only a trapped or ignorant American would think such, though I do know & the reason I moved to Thailand is America is Corporate owned.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[attrayant]

Rice is a big problem for many westerners who aren't active all day long. If you eat it with most meals, that's a lot of starch and triglycerides. If you're not active (sit at a desk all day) then much of that will go into storage around your waistline.

You mentioned sit-ups and push-ups, which are good for toning muscles but they really don't burn a lot of calories. You'll deplete your muscles of ADP before you start tapping into your blood sugar, and it still takes another 30-45 minutes of constant exercise before your blood sugar is exhausted and you start tapping your body's fat stores. This is what endurance athletes refer to as the "second wind" - the moment when your blood sugar has been depleted and your body starts tapping its fat stores for energy. This happened to me when I used to cycle. I'd typically do about 80 km round trip, and somewhere around the 45 minute mark, just when I feel like I can't go any further, I would always get my second wind. Fat, being a more potent energy source, provides a huge burst of energy and you suddenly feel like you could go another 100 km. So the best exercise is cardiovascular exercise like swimming, cycling or jogging - something that gets your heart rate up for an extended period, and gets your whole body into the groove. But please consult a health professional before starting a strenuous exercise routine like that, especially if you're middle-aged or older.

Dropping soda and beer is also a great move - it's always a good idea not to drink your calories.

Edited February 27, 2014 by attrayant

[Datebayo]

In the same boat, skinny until living in Thailand. Cutting the alcohol is a start with exception of larger countries, but also consider you're not Thai, thus not eat like them. Cut out the noodles & rice. The vegetable soups here on the other hand are healthy & fantastic. Just don't buy it from a restaurant (say "restaurant", not sidewalk & food stall) which you don't know, MSG also leads to fat and death. This country will deny the good drugs to kill pain but allow everything else a company can sell to kill you.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Are you also very worried about NSA is watching you? And the big pharma is selling you crap so you die early?

Hahaha...funny. Only a trapped or ignorant American would think such, though I do know & the reason I moved to Thailand is America is Corporate owned.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Totally agree about USA being corp owned. But, do you wear a aluminium hat?

[Ajaan]

Do you eat alot of Thai food? Next time when you order a Thai dish, say ''Mai mee pom chuu rot'' Means ''no MSG'' That stuff makes fat. You mentioned sweets and sugar, but also the oil. They use alot of oil, the unhealthy kind, in their foods. Say'' maanh noi krup'' Means little bit oil please. When ordering something which comes standard with sugar, say '' waan noi'' means little bit sugar.

I also used to be lean. But now I see my belly grwoing to proportions of a beer belly, and I don't even drink beer that much. It is because my gf is always cooking Thai food for me and we eat Thai food 99% of the time.

You need to eat more vegetables and fruits. Take a colon cleansing. There are many colon cleansing shops in Thailand, I have used them, it has been a wonderful experience, very gentle and great service, unlike the colon cleansing shops in the West. Also You might have a worm in your stomach that eats up all the good stuff. Go to any pharmacy and tell them you have a worm in your stomach and they will give you a special anti-biotic

Where do people GET this crap?! MSG has absolutely nothing to do with fat (other than possibly leading to you wanting to eat more of the food it's in...is that what you mean?)...and "colon cleansing"?!? PLEASE...utter nonsense. The human body is self-cleansing. And antibiotics for worms?! You don't really believe this stuff, do you?

Oh wait...I just recognized your username...you're the guy who just had a moderator close a post you started because you're obviously a troll. Never mind.

Edited February 27, 2014 by Ajaan

[jonw8uk]

eat a fist full of brown rice, protein and veg (broccoli is good) 3 times a day.

Go to the gym ( a mans gym) and forget about all the chicks in-make up trying to look hot.

log on to bodybuider.com, follow a program. all involves doing weights until failure....

theres a lot of science out there, and i believe its proven - a run for x kilometre/day ups your metabolism for the day...

u work out and lift heavy shit, your're metabolism is up for 3 or 4 days repairing (read: building new muscle).

I've seen the benefits - a guy i know has a serious body going on, after following strict programmes, it works but it takes some serious dedication, verging on addiction....

[kimbathewhitelion]

Do you eat alot of Thai food? Next time when you order a Thai dish, say ''Mai mee pom chuu rot'' Means ''no MSG'' That stuff makes fat. You mentioned sweets and sugar, but also the oil. They use alot of oil, the unhealthy kind, in their foods. Say'' maanh noi krup'' Means little bit oil please. When ordering something which comes standard with sugar, say '' waan noi'' means little bit sugar.

I also used to be lean. But now I see my belly grwoing to proportions of a beer belly, and I don't even drink beer that much. It is because my gf is always cooking Thai food for me and we eat Thai food 99% of the time.

You need to eat more vegetables and fruits. Take a colon cleansing. There are many colon cleansing shops in Thailand, I have used them, it has been a wonderful experience, very gentle and great service, unlike the colon cleansing shops in the West. Also You might have a worm in your stomach that eats up all the good stuff. Go to any pharmacy and tell them you have a worm in your stomach and they will give you a special anti-biotic

Where do people GET this crap?! MSG has absolutely nothing to do with fat (other than possibly leading to you wanting to eat more of the food it's in...is that what you mean?)...and "colon cleansing"?!? PLEASE...utter nonsense. The human body is self-cleansing. And antibiotics for worms?! You don't really believe this stuff, do you?

Oh wait...I just recognized your username...you're the guy who just had a moderator close a post you started because you're obviously a troll. Never mind.

Everyone are different, excessive sodium (MSG) can lead to fat. ...and better conversations with those who ARE NOT haters.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[Datebayo]

Do you eat alot of Thai food? Next time when you order a Thai dish, say ''Mai mee pom chuu rot'' Means ''no MSG'' That stuff makes fat. You mentioned sweets and sugar, but also the oil. They use alot of oil, the unhealthy kind, in their foods. Say'' maanh noi krup'' Means little bit oil please. When ordering something which comes standard with sugar, say '' waan noi'' means little bit sugar.

I also used to be lean. But now I see my belly grwoing to proportions of a beer belly, and I don't even drink beer that much. It is because my gf is always cooking Thai food for me and we eat Thai food 99% of the time.

You need to eat more vegetables and fruits. Take a colon cleansing. There are many colon cleansing shops in Thailand, I have used them, it has been a wonderful experience, very gentle and great service, unlike the colon cleansing shops in the West. Also You might have a worm in your stomach that eats up all the good stuff. Go to any pharmacy and tell them you have a worm in your stomach and they will give you a special anti-biotic

Where do people GET this crap?! MSG has absolutely nothing to do with fat (other than possibly leading to you wanting to eat more of the food it's in...is that what you mean?)...and "colon cleansing"?!? PLEASE...utter nonsense. The human body is self-cleansing. And antibiotics for worms?! You don't really believe this stuff, do you?

Oh wait...I just recognized your username...you're the guy who just had a moderator close a post you started because you're obviously a troll. Never mind.

You can research these subject on the internet, they are all scientificaly proven and tested.

As for me being trolling. Well, you seem to like to dance with the trolls, aparently

[attrayant]

You can research these subject on the internet, they are all scientificaly proven and tested.

The problem with using the internet for research is that it's a hotbed of junk science and misinformation, and most people don't have the critical thinking skills necessary to separate the wheat from the chaff, so to speak. For example, some people consider natural news dot com to be a source of "scientifically proven and tested" information, when in fact it's nothing but a clearinghouse of hokum and medical quackery. The same is true for most blogs and commercial web sites.

We did the whole MSG thing a few months ago, so let's not go down that rabbit hole again here.

Edited February 27, 2014 by attrayant

[CryWolf]

Do you eat alot of Thai food? Next time when you order a Thai dish, say ''Mai mee pom chuu rot'' Means ''no MSG'' That stuff makes fat. You mentioned sweets and sugar, but also the oil. They use alot of oil, the unhealthy kind, in their foods. Say'' maanh noi krup'' Means little bit oil please. When ordering something which comes standard with sugar, say '' waan noi'' means little bit sugar.

I also used to be lean. But now I see my belly grwoing to proportions of a beer belly, and I don't even drink beer that much. It is because my gf is always cooking Thai food for me and we eat Thai food 99% of the time.

You need to eat more vegetables and fruits. Take a colon cleansing. There are many colon cleansing shops in Thailand, I have used them, it has been a wonderful experience, very gentle and great service, unlike the colon cleansing shops in the West. Also You might have a worm in your stomach that eats up all the good stuff. Go to any pharmacy and tell them you have a worm in your stomach and they will give you a special anti-biotic

Where do people GET this crap?! MSG has absolutely nothing to do with fat (other than possibly leading to you wanting to eat more of the food it's in...is that what you mean?)...and "colon cleansing"?!? PLEASE...utter nonsense. The human body is self-cleansing. And antibiotics for worms?! You don't really believe this stuff, do you?

Oh wait...I just recognized your username...you're the guy who just had a moderator close a post you started because you're obviously a troll. Never mind.

You can research these subject on the internet, they are all scientificaly proven and tested.

As for me being trolling. Well, you seem to like to dance with the trolls, aparently

From what I understand the scientists are devided on this subject.. I would guess the main factor is eating too much, without proper exercise. Have you tried changing your diet, taking in less calories/carbs? I know many people that have tried the LCHF diet with great success. Maybe worth a try

Why is it so popular to call everyone with a different view a troll? I get that alot too, so I wouldn't loose sleep over it lol

[Datebayo]

Do you eat alot of Thai food? Next time when you order a Thai dish, say ''Mai mee pom chuu rot'' Means ''no MSG'' That stuff makes fat. You mentioned sweets and sugar, but also the oil. They use alot of oil, the unhealthy kind, in their foods. Say'' maanh noi krup'' Means little bit oil please. When ordering something which comes standard with sugar, say '' waan noi'' means little bit sugar.

I also used to be lean. But now I see my belly grwoing to proportions of a beer belly, and I don't even drink beer that much. It is because my gf is always cooking Thai food for me and we eat Thai food 99% of the time.

You need to eat more vegetables and fruits. Take a colon cleansing. There are many colon cleansing shops in Thailand, I have used them, it has been a wonderful experience, very gentle and great service, unlike the colon cleansing shops in the West. Also You might have a worm in your stomach that eats up all the good stuff. Go to any pharmacy and tell them you have a worm in your stomach and they will give you a special anti-biotic

Where do people GET this crap?! MSG has absolutely nothing to do with fat (other than possibly leading to you wanting to eat more of the food it's in...is that what you mean?)...and "colon cleansing"?!? PLEASE...utter nonsense. The human body is self-cleansing. And antibiotics for worms?! You don't really believe this stuff, do you?

Oh wait...I just recognized your username...you're the guy who just had a moderator close a post you started because you're obviously a troll. Never mind.

You can research these subject on the internet, they are all scientificaly proven and tested.

As for me being trolling. Well, you seem to like to dance with the trolls, aparently

From what I understand the scientists are devided on this subject.. I would guess the main factor is eating too much, without proper exercise. Have you tried changing your diet, taking in less calories/carbs? I know many people that have tried the LCHF diet with great success. Maybe worth a try

Why is it so popular to call everyone with a different view a troll? I get that alot too, so I wouldn't loose sleep over it lol

People are sheeps, following other sheeps. It's like a culture here to cry troll and not even recognising real trolls. Being in toxicated with alcohol on barstools have damaged many a mind...

[sdanielmcev]

Being in your 40's probably has more to do with it than being in Thailand. Same happens if you stay in your home country. Sit-ups and push-ups really don't help reduce gut size unless you do a couple of hundred a day. Walking, swimming, bicycling, sex, basketball, are good aerobic exercises. Don't be a heart attack waiting to happen. If you eat it, burn it off.

Good posture also will help reduce the sag induced by gravity.

I also never heard msg causes fat build-up. I'd be interested to know where that came from.

[Cylon]

Before coming to Thailand to live, I was under the impression that Thai food was healthy in general. But I dont think I have ever eaten as much fried food as I do here.

[sdanielmcev]

You can research these subject on the internet, they are all scientificaly proven and tested.

The problem with using the internet for research is that it's a hotbed of junk science and misinformation, and most people don't have the critical thinking skills necessary to separate the wheat from the chaff, so to speak. For example, some people consider natural news dot com to be a source of "scientifically proven and tested" information, when in fact it's nothing but a clearinghouse of hokum and medical quackery. The same is true for most blogs and commercial web sites.

We did the whole MSG thing a few months ago, so let's not go down that rabbit hole again here.

Huh, I thought everything on the internet was true.

[balo]

The belly fat problem will not go away even if you ecercise daily . Because you're in your 40's and the body is changing . So you need to do really hard work outs if you want to look like you did 10 years ago. It doesnt matter if you live in Thailand or any western country , what you eat is only a small part of the solution .

.

Edited February 27, 2014 by balo

[smokie36]

Swim for at least an hour every other day and you will see the difference.

[finy]

Burn more calories than you eat.

Simples!

[kurnell]

I used to walk everywhere in Australia and was 78kg when I arrived. Sadly no more. Bangkok is not a good place to walk.

[johna]

watch this movie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mS0YA465ts

[Jingthing]

OK,

It sounds like you have an excellent chance of catching this early.

My suggestion.

Tell us your BMI and waist size.

Calculate your BMI here:

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/obesity/BMI/bmicalc.htm

At the very least with effort you should be able to STOP further weight gain and hopefully lose a reasonable amount, though don't necessarily expect to get back to your most thin times.

Scientists know now for the vast majority of people weight gain is MOSTLY food intake related and your solution will also be MOSTLY through your food intake though it is also important to move your body.

My suggestion -- eat as you have been for one week and keep a detailed food diary. EVERYTHING. Note some extra details too like if you had pad thai was it street food or not. Note impressions about portion sizes. Post the one week diary on the forum. I guarantee you it's going to be obvious to some readers here why you are gaining weight when they read your list. Drinks too.

No need to try to count calories, I reckon the basic descriptions of the foods will normally give great clues about the problem.

For this to be meaningful, you'll have to eat as you have been for that time, and not start some kind of new program during that week.

Cheers.

Edited February 27, 2014 by Jingthing

[GinBoy2]

In the same boat, skinny until living in Thailand. Cutting the alcohol is a start with exception of larger countries, but also consider you're not Thai, thus not eat like them. Cut out the noodles & rice. The vegetable soups here on the other hand are healthy & fantastic. Just don't buy it from a restaurant (say "restaurant", not sidewalk & food stall) which you don't know, MSG also leads to fat and death. This country will deny the good drugs to kill pain but allow everything else a company can sell to kill you.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Are you also very worried about NSA is watching you? And the big pharma is selling you crap so you die early?

Hahaha...funny. Only a trapped or ignorant American would think such, though I do know & the reason I moved to Thailand is America is Corporate owned.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Totally agree about USA being corp owned. But, do you wear a aluminium hat?

It's ALUMINUM by the way, none of this English aluminium crap, but anyhoo, my hat is working fine, its stopped most of the zeta theta radiation which was surely causing me to get fat, plus I am no longer channeling Fox News 7x24 in my eyeballs.

But seriously there really is no simple answer to weight gain, especially in males of 'advancing' age. I personally don't really go with the rice argument, in fact when I lived in China for many years, it was a given, that as the Chinese got richer, ate less rice and switched to more meat they became fatter. Middle age (sorry once you're over 40 you're in the danger zone) does change the metabolism greatly and humans do tend to accumulate fat in the mid section more easily. Alcohol in general is a killer, for example my favorite tipple, Gin, not usually associated with the likes of Beer, 1 liter bottle contains over 1600 calories, its a stealth fat producer.

On the exercise front cardio is the only real fat burner. You can convince yourself that 'muscle burns more fat'...well good luck with that, and on your way to the gym buy a bigger waist size in pants!

Back to food. Your lady may be feeding you all good stuff, but more of it than you really should be consuming. If she's anything like mine, she probably believes you want/need to eat every hour, try cutting down, don't eat everything she gives you.

As my Dear Old Mom used to say, "Eat Everything in Moderation", probably as good advice as anything

Edited February 28, 2014 by GinBoy2

[Kitsune]

All the great civilizations were starch based; the Incas, quinoa, the Africans sweet potatoes, the Asians rice. People were trimmed and healthy.

Came the Western diet that gradually eliminated starch to replace it by fat and sugar.

Starch is not the culprit it's the solution.

[ttthailand]

Low carbs and after your daily workout suck in the gut and hold for 5 minutes or longer. Look in the mirror while holding you gut in and try to make it as flat as possible. We loose Muscle if we don't work them or tighten them.... I still have a little gut but could be a lot worse. Good luck !

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

[chrisinth]

OP, exercise and good diet is great, but what do you do during the time in between? How has your life style changed since you have moved here?

If you have moved from an active life style to one where you are lounging about all day (with the exception of your exercise regime) as so many ex-pats seem to do, then for sure, that will contribute lots to the spreading waistline..................