You are what you eat.

I had come across this very sentence for quite a lot since I became increasingly aware that I am getting frighteningly fat by each day.

I still remember the day I went to college, aged 17. I weighed merely 46 kg, having a perfect BMI. While I was not a person who loves doing sport so much (I am a lazy person, I know), I did some kind of ‘exercise’ when I am in the mood of exercising. Like cleaning, washing (I don’t have a washing machine back then, so I washed my cloths by hand) or merely strolling. I would cycle if I got my hand on one of my friend’s bicycle, once in a blue moon.

I ate like an ox (yikes!) but I watched out for the serving size every single time. I didn’t stuff myself with food after I finished what’s on my plate. I drank a lot of plain water too.

Hence, my weight was pretty stable back then.

In the 3 months of waiting before going off to the UK for university, I gained 2 kg and I certainly blamed my mum’s delicious cooking and the weight stayed at 48 kg when I boarded the plane.

BUT!

Whenever I came home for summer holidays, my weight increased, usually a kilo per month. And imagine summer holiday was about two and a half month (shudders)!

I managed to control my weight after going back to UK mainly because;

a. I walked and walked and walked to everywhere. From the school to the city centre (only 5 minutes walk) to the grocery shop for my groceries to the restaurants I visited once in a while.

b. I had a very little intake of rice.

c. I ate a lot of fruits or fruit-based products.

Four years passed, I am home for good but (as expected) at home = gaining weight. T___T

After a lot of thinking, I compiled every picture of foods that I consumed for breakfast, lunch, dinner and desert while I am in the UK and while I am here.

The result?


S.H.O.C.K.I.N.G...!

Take a look.

BREAKFAST

Cardiff: Usually a slice of buttered toast with a glass of hot chocolate milk. If I’m late, I ate a slice of bread without any spread on my way to school.

Ipoh: While I did not eat at 7 a.m. each morning, I went for ‘morning break’ at approximately 9. Choices include a yummy nasi lemak, 3 currypuffs, or a serving of pau ayam. And a glass of warm water (thank God for that).

LUNCH

Cardiff: I usually didn’t eat a lot for lunch. Either grabbed a box of sandwich (tuna and mayonnaise each and every time) cost around £1.30 and a bottle of mineral water. With a pack of crisps if I felt like having it. OR got myself a cheese and onion pasty from Greggs. OR just cook a pack of instant noodles. Any flavour available. Be it tomyam or asam laksa.

Ipoh: Lunch = Nasi. No nasi = die. So it’s either nasi campur from any Malay restaurant around, nasi ayam (usually Ipoh Hainan Chicken Rice Shop’s) OR bihun sup or any other foods that filling my stomach to the brim.

DESERT

Cardiff: Yogurt or yogurt drink or a piece of banana cake (courtesy of Charlene who is always a great cook) or Ben and Jerry Ice Cream! Occasionally, if there’s some pounds to spare, a glass of mango lassi. Yummy!

Ipoh: Mak’s pudding laici is my favourite. Hands down. But since I am currently 300 km away from mak, I took comfort in mamak’s cendol (the one at Tesco Extra Ipoh was so delicious!) or have SS Ali’s famous popia basah (does popia qualified as a desert? I believe so).

DINNER

Cardiff: Dinner can be tricky in a way. Because I cooked whenever I feel like cooking, but usually the things I cook include chips, hash browns or potato wedges. But if there were times when I'll just have some Kellog’s K cereal or the bar, a ring doughnut or two, OR a chicken kebab from Chicago Bulls. The size of the serving was so big that you will feel full as long as you can remember before falling asleep. Banana will be consumed if resources were a bit tight at any time in the month. OR I'll cook rice and telur mata. If I'm in the mood, I'll cook a serving of tomyam or chicken curry.

Ipoh: Again. Dinner = Nasi. No nasi = die. Nasi goreng kampong with telur mata. OR nasi campur again, usually self-cooked. Or bought. OR, if there is pasar malam that day (in Ipoh, we have pasar malam every day in various places. Talk about conveniences) I’ll have yong tau fu, murtabak or a burger Ramli too. A special one at that, with eggs.

Now.

Looking at all of these, I realised 2 very important things.

1. While I am not really eating healthily in the UK, I certainly have lower intake of carbs. Thus, less weight gain.

2. Now I am eating things I shouldn’t be eating in the period a day. Just by looking at those foods, they would certainly exceed 2000 calories, which was recommended for a career woman like me.

Cik Atun: Oh God. This is downright scary. I should eat more healthily.