Posted by
elionkg
16 yrs ago
I moved to HK 18 months ago, when I arrived I had a 26 inch waist and 17% body fat. Before moving here, I worked out about 2 hours a day doing cardio and weights. I ate a good diet, mostly vegetarian. Well, 4 weeks after moving here I was still working out, my diet actually got better b/c I switched to fruits and veggies only and my stress levels have decreased from what they were before moving here.
However, after living here for 4 weeks, something happened, I put on weight, a lot of weight. Between week 4 and week 8 I packed on 35 pounds and lost all muscle tone despite keeping the same workout routine.
I have been to several doctors and been tested for everything - thyroid, Cortisone, Diabetes, ect.ect and everything was normal except my sodium levels are low. The Dr. said he thinks I am drinking too much water and is having me limit my water intake to 2L/a day which I follow strictly.
So here is my question: Anecdotal stories I am hearing from other Caucasian expat women are that moving here has caused them all major weight gain. One said her Dr told her it was water retention, another friend said her Dr. told her that moving from dry climate to wet climate causes weight gain, another friend said that moving from high altitude to sea level contributes to weight gain..... I don't know what to think as my Dr. has not said any of these things but I am from a dry climate, and very very high altitude.
HAS ANYONE ELSE HAD THIS HAPPEN TO THEM? Rapid weight gain right after moving to HK that they can not attribute to a lifestyle change? I am in my early 30's and its really upsetting because I have always been very active and healthy. is been 16 months since the weight came on and its NOT COMING OFF! Anyone else going through this? Any one gone through this and done something that really helped? I am not sure what more I can do after 2 hours of working out and a vegetarian, healthy carb. diet.
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STK
16 yrs ago
YES!! This sounds so familiar, it did happen to me and I really couldnt work out why. Do you also feel bloated in your stomach?
Anyways I got rid of the weight by completely changing my exercise plan, I started yoga and it just fell off, now people say Im to thin (cant win in HK can you!!)
Try Yoga and also try eating a big breakfast and then two lighter meals.
Good luck!
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Unless you have an underlying medical condition, look again at what you are eating. You can't override physics.
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You're either putting in more calories than before or not working out as hard, do some calories counting for a while, check portions and also all the calories you drink.
Maybe you're metabolism is slowing down and it's time to push your work out routine to the next step, start running.
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Make sure your eating enough protein for your muscles.
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Are you drinking fruit juice? If so, that may be the problem. Best to follow a diabetic or GI diet so the sugar is only released slowly into the blood. Cut out all processed food, all bread - unless it is wholemeal. You can eat fruit but not drink fruit juice as the sugar will zoom into your blood stream, insulin will immediately be produced and the excess sugar will be stored as fat. It's a bit like taking an aspirin or dissolving it first in a glass of water. If the aspirin is taken in liquid form then the pain relief is much quicker. Also, being a westerner, may have something to do with it. If we come from cold climes then it stands to reason that those who couldn't store fat efficiently would have been gradually killed off in the past. If you are a caucasion and you want to keep your figure past 30, you need to eat like a monk - unless you are very fortunate. Exercise helps but it is not the panacea people think it is. You probably need to run 26 miles to work off a pizza. Also, don't drink.
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I have a pretty rocking figure and I don't eat like a monk and I have reached the frighteningly old age of 40! No need to scare her silly Loyd!
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Yes true no need to scare her off, if she ate a 500g pepperoni pizza which would be about 1400 Calories she would only need to run about 20km in 2 hours to burn it off, not 26 miles ;-)
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Sometimes I will be out of HK for a few months and upon returning I will also have some physical changes. Twice I was very swollen and then broke out in a rash & hives for over a month that no western doctor could cure even with steroid creams and baths. So I went to see a Chinese medicine doctor who only listened to my pulse and looked at my tongue (never showed him my rash) and said I was having a sort of allergic reaction to HK and must have a rash and hives spreading from my belly to back and down my legs. He was totally correct. Dr. explained that some western people's systems have difficulty adjusting to the different toxins in the food and water and HK and their body reacts accordingly by inflammation, etc. He prescribed 10 days of Chinese medicine and acupuncture but by the fourth day my rash and swelling had completely disappeared. You may wish to consult a Chinese doctor to see if you have an imbalance like I did. Good luck!
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Denisiel, I'm always breaking out in rashes and hives. Which Chinese doctor did you see?
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Shoe Girl - The first time, I saw a doc on Caine Road toward Pokfulam - he is also a professor at HKU for Chinese medicine but I forgot his name. He doesn't speak English so I had a friend translate for me. But the second time, I went to the Chinese medicine clinic in Tai Po, which was much cleaner and they speak English. So I think you can ask a friend for a referral for a good Chinese medicine doc or look at this website for a centre near you: http://www.ha.org.hk/chinesemedicine/search-area.asp?lan=en. These clinics are divided into acupuncture and Chinese medicine. Hope this helps!
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Thanks a lot, Denisiel. I've heard there is a good one in either Wellington St or Stanley St and was wondering if that's where you went I'll check out the link. Thanks again.
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Have you been tested for:
PCOS - Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
or
Insulin Resistance
Both have symptoms of weight gain even when you are exercising regularly and eating healthily. Need to restrict carb intake, even foods like fruit.
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To bmiami, at least you wouldn't be mugged on your walk home, or shot, or honked at. There are good and bad everywhere.
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Addison's disease shows most of the symptom's you've described...low sodium, loss of muscle tone. I think the stress of the move pushed a hormone balance out of line. It sounds you've seen an 'endocrinoligist' and had most obvious possibilities checked out. If you have had no change for 15 months I think most doctors wouldn't be concerned about it anymore. I've had a few similar worries and found this place to be better than others:
http://www.qualigenics.com/
Also make sure you have a check for pre-diabetes which can only be found by having the test where you drink a big glass of sugar water (impaired glucose tolerance test). Most of the doctors aren't knowledgeable about this and the usual tests don't show anything its already too late. hungry for sweets (such as fruit) all the time, feeling thirsty constantly, these are classic symptoms.
Be careful not to eat too much tropical fruit and don't drink fruit juice as they are actually very fattening, stick to apples/oranges,etc. I gained a lot of weight for a bit eating the 'healthy' fruit boxes from the local shops. And much better to eat balanced meals including protein and vegetables.
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hey elionkg, where in the world are you from? i think differences in climate and temperature can affect you, even if keep the same diet. for one, metabolism may be affected, and same amt of food may be more in relative terms here.
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KrisL
16 yrs ago
Something similar happened to a relatve of mine a few years ago. She gained about 40 pounds of weight in less than a month, due to water retention after taking some chinese herbal medicine (forgot the name of the herb). Actually, if your weight gain is due to water retention, which is probably the most likely explanation given the amount of weight gained in such a short time, I strongly recommend you go and check this up at the hospital, as it could eventually lead to serious complications.
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http://www.marksdailyapple.com
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Maybe not applicable to an unexplained weight gain - but for those who want to spend a fun day and learn the way to permanent weight loss - without ever dieting again - then this may be for you... with this program I went down 3 dress sizes & lost over 25kgs and it's staying off. It's been the only way that's worked for me - I seem to have tried every diet before & this isn't a diet!
In this day you will learn how to overcome food addictions - not just there but something you can do as & when you need to. That in itself is worth attending for... plus all profits for this and the following day are going to a HK children's charity. check it out: http://www.makeyourlifefantastic.com/hongkong?event_id=2
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oofy
16 yrs ago
Saw a TV documentary on Nat Geo a few years ago: The Fat Plague: a virus that causes usually a 30-40% rapid weight gain over a period of 3 to 4 weeks originally carried by yes.. once again chickens! The virus when caught makes it impossible to return to your previous weight, as many twins have found out when on of the twins catches it and the other twin does not. The fat plague virus is thought to be contained in one of the many cold viruses, strange but true, try searching for it.
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