The 10lbs Myth

fly2raven · Sep 11th, 2007, 18:52

When we first told our friends that we were moving to India the first response from most of the women was something like, "OH you will lose 10lbs so fast!" I even got some responses like that from men in my family

I have lived here for almost a year and I have to fight to keep extra weight off!! What the $%#@??

I guess this may seem to be a very vain post...but...I was really looking forward to magically losing those 10lbs

And it is not just me - I met a foreign women in a restroom at a hotel and she was talking to her friend about how she had been here for three weeks and was still waiting for the 10lbs to disappear...and I told her I was still waiting too!!

Have any of you had dramatic weight loss during travel or after moving here? Or is this just a myth?

New-South-Welshman · Sep 11th, 2007, 19:05

First time I went to India as a boy, I didn't notice any loss. 2nd trip I lost 10kg, and my recent trip this year I gained 5kg. I thoroughly enjuoyed my latest trip though. So the happier you are, the more weight you gain, right ladies?! Can I get an "amen"?

brownboy66 · Sep 11th, 2007, 19:23

yep - I got the same message too (from people overseas). Likewise when I arrived - everyone was saying the exact opposite. Not hard to work out why though. The food is soooooooooo good! Back home as a student - I would occasionally make the odd potatoe sandwich or chip buttie. Who would have thought there was a country that actually baked it into the bread! What a fantastic idea....

jujuma · Sep 11th, 2007, 19:38

It was true 20 years ago or more, but no longer. My parents took me on a tour of India when I graduated from high school. Between refusing to eat and being sick, I lost at least 10 pounds.
This time, I gained about 20 without even noticing. The people in the local Srikrishna Sweets were my best friends, and I had full thali whenever possible...
I've lost 10 of that now, but I think I'm stuck with the other 10. Old age and good hygiene are not always the best combination, I guess.

karuna · Sep 11th, 2007, 20:18

I dropped two dress sizes in 3 months. A combination of a lot of exercise walking around in the hills, and a lot of diarrhoea. Just eat in dirty places and you'll be fine!*

*please don't actually do this. Please.

ananda2193 · Sep 11th, 2007, 20:31

The first 3 times I lost alot weight because I was on a budget and did alot of walking. Usually when I travel I don't eat alot as my mind is on discovering and exploring and not on food. Plus lot's of times I've gotten diarrhea because I eat alot of street food and always like to travel to 3rd world countries.
Last time in India, spent all my time in Goa, had a motorcycle so didn't walk alot and drank lot's of beer, so didn't loose anything. But didn't gain anything also.

Milamber · Sep 11th, 2007, 21:30

The 10lbs rule has been true for me. I've only been here for 3 weeks so far.

I know my metabolism, especially on veg diet and fully expected this. I had an obligatory 2 day diarrhea/cramp spell. I was one of the fortunate ones to not be under attack from both ends. Other European people in the area fared much worse than I.

Jon

PeakXV · Sep 11th, 2007, 21:56

Eveyone's metabolism is slightly different and may react differently to Indian cuisine, the environment & other associated stresses. However, basically, weight gain occurs when calories in > calories out, and weight loss when calories out > calories in.

So if you've been there for some time and are only just maintaining or possibly even gaining from your "arrival weight" ..... then it might be time to decrease your "fork regiment" and increase your "exercise regiment" ... it's a proven tactic that is sure to get the results you desire!

crvlvr · Sep 11th, 2007, 23:53

I think most people lose the weight becuase they end up falling sick.

fly2raven · Sep 12th, 2007, 00:03

And do most foreigners really fall sick or is that just a myth too? I have lived here for a year and have never been sick...and I drink the local water and eat street vendor food...

I must have a stomach of steel!!

CliveG · Sep 12th, 2007, 00:05

We put on weight but I think that was through eating kilos of chille cashews!

hawaiiyogagrl · Sep 12th, 2007, 00:09

This past summer I had some dramatic weight loss. I was really ill and hospitalized. I think it's tragic that it takes being super ill to get to the "ideal" weight.
Be thankful for your health!

Nick-H · Sep 12th, 2007, 00:21

I still don't find the food nearly as appetising as a plateful of roast lamb, roast potatoes and veg in a London caf.

On top of some other stuff, I've just had to get my doc to give me an appetite stimulant!

Yes, I loose weight.

I've just acquired an electric oven. Don't see many sheep around here, but I'm going to have a go at an English-style roast chicken soon.

But what's the betting that it won't turn out quite the same?

Shaktipalooza · Sep 12th, 2007, 00:24

I've lost weight on every trip, about 2lbs per week. Not from being sick but being on the move all day, every day. When we actually start living there I don't think I'll be able to expect the same benefits.

dhans · Sep 12th, 2007, 00:55

1984 minus 7 kilograms (single)
1991 minus 5 kilograms (single)
1997 minus 2 kilograms (honeymoon)
1998 breakeven (honeymoon revisited)
2005 minus 1 kilogram (first trip with kids)
2006 minus 2 kilograms (second trip wit kids)

I'm not sure how these figures are correlated

.

Hans

Sep 11th, 2007, 18:52	#1
fly2raven Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Whitefield, Bangalore, India Posts: 67	The 10lbs Myth When we first told our friends that we were moving to India the first response from most of the women was something like, "OH you will lose 10lbs so fast!" I even got some responses like that from men in my family I have lived here for almost a year and I have to fight to keep extra weight off!! What the $%#@?? I guess this may seem to be a very vain post...but...I was really looking forward to magically losing those 10lbs And it is not just me - I met a foreign women in a restroom at a hotel and she was talking to her friend about how she had been here for three weeks and was still waiting for the 10lbs to disappear...and I told her I was still waiting too!! Have any of you had dramatic weight loss during travel or after moving here? Or is this just a myth?

Sep 11th, 2007, 19:05	#2
New-South-Welshman Drunk Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Sydney, NSW Posts: 1,293	First time I went to India as a boy, I didn't notice any loss. 2nd trip I lost 10kg, and my recent trip this year I gained 5kg. I thoroughly enjuoyed my latest trip though. So the happier you are, the more weight you gain, right ladies?! Can I get an "amen"? __________________ Mr. Burns "Non-violence never solved anything!"

Sep 11th, 2007, 21:56	#8
PeakXV Naan.tering Nabob Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Abode of Glooscap Posts: 3,718	Eveyone's metabolism is slightly different and may react differently to Indian cuisine, the environment & other associated stresses. However, basically, weight gain occurs when calories in > calories out, and weight loss when calories out > calories in. So if you've been there for some time and are only just maintaining or possibly even gaining from your "arrival weight" ..... then it might be time to decrease your "fork regiment" and increase your "exercise regiment" ... it's a proven tactic that is sure to get the results you desire! __________________ We shall not cease from exploration and at the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started ...and know the place for the first time. T.S. Eliot Don't go to India ~ Pre-trip Warnings & Misconceptions?

Sep 12th, 2007, 00:21	#13
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 24,219	I still don't find the food nearly as appetising as a plateful of roast lamb, roast potatoes and veg in a London caf. On top of some other stuff, I've just had to get my doc to give me an appetite stimulant! Yes, I loose weight. I've just acquired an electric oven. Don't see many sheep around here, but I'm going to have a go at an English-style roast chicken soon. But what's the betting that it won't turn out quite the same? __________________ . IndiaMike Mod Team (The Grumpy One)

Sep 12th, 2007, 00:24	#14
Shaktipalooza Maha Guru Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Portland Oregon USA Posts: 894	I've lost weight on every trip, about 2lbs per week. Not from being sick but being on the move all day, every day. When we actually start living there I don't think I'll be able to expect the same benefits. __________________ IndiaGroove - Train finder now in beta! Pics from India 2006 Traditional Indian Dance

Sep 11th, 2007, 19:23	#3
brownboy66 the riff raff.... Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: New Delhi Posts: 1,867	yep - I got the same message too (from people overseas). Likewise when I arrived - everyone was saying the exact opposite. Not hard to work out why though. The food is soooooooooo good! Back home as a student - I would occasionally make the odd potatoe sandwich or chip buttie. Who would have thought there was a country that actually baked it into the bread! What a fantastic idea....

Sep 11th, 2007, 19:38	#4
jujuma Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Tamil Nadu Posts: 19	It was true 20 years ago or more, but no longer. My parents took me on a tour of India when I graduated from high school. Between refusing to eat and being sick, I lost at least 10 pounds. This time, I gained about 20 without even noticing. The people in the local Srikrishna Sweets were my best friends, and I had full thali whenever possible... I've lost 10 of that now, but I think I'm stuck with the other 10. Old age and good hygiene are not always the best combination, I guess.

Sep 11th, 2007, 20:18	#5
karuna umop apisdn Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: UK Posts: 845	I dropped two dress sizes in 3 months. A combination of a lot of exercise walking around in the hills, and a lot of diarrhoea. Just eat in dirty places and you'll be fine!* *please don't actually do this. Please.

Sep 11th, 2007, 20:31	#6
ananda2193 Maha Guru Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: you essay Posts: 1,234	The first 3 times I lost alot weight because I was on a budget and did alot of walking. Usually when I travel I don't eat alot as my mind is on discovering and exploring and not on food. Plus lot's of times I've gotten diarrhea because I eat alot of street food and always like to travel to 3rd world countries. Last time in India, spent all my time in Goa, had a motorcycle so didn't walk alot and drank lot's of beer, so didn't loose anything. But didn't gain anything also.

Sep 11th, 2007, 21:30	#7
Milamber Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Australia, Qld Posts: 53	The 10lbs rule has been true for me. I've only been here for 3 weeks so far. I know my metabolism, especially on veg diet and fully expected this. I had an obligatory 2 day diarrhea/cramp spell. I was one of the fortunate ones to not be under attack from both ends. Other European people in the area fared much worse than I. Jon

Sep 11th, 2007, 23:53	#9
crvlvr Guru Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Hollywood Posts: 4,303	I think most people lose the weight becuase they end up falling sick.

Sep 12th, 2007, 00:03	#10
fly2raven Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Whitefield, Bangalore, India Posts: 67	And do most foreigners really fall sick or is that just a myth too? I have lived here for a year and have never been sick...and I drink the local water and eat street vendor food... I must have a stomach of steel!!

Sep 12th, 2007, 00:05	#11
CliveG Maha Guru Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: PORTSMOUTH U.K. Posts: 605	We put on weight but I think that was through eating kilos of chille cashews!

Sep 12th, 2007, 00:09	#12
hawaiiyogagrl Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Hawaii Posts: 232	This past summer I had some dramatic weight loss. I was really ill and hospitalized. I think it's tragic that it takes being super ill to get to the "ideal" weight. Be thankful for your health!

Sep 12th, 2007, 00:55	#15
dhans Uru Buru member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 1,341	1984 minus 7 kilograms (single) 1991 minus 5 kilograms (single) 1997 minus 2 kilograms (honeymoon) 1998 breakeven (honeymoon revisited) 2005 minus 1 kilogram (first trip with kids) 2006 minus 2 kilograms (second trip wit kids) I'm not sure how these figures are correlated . Hans __________________ Tips for trips to India with (young) children: India with kids Stories about our travels in India: Journal

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