I’m starting a low-carb diet today. Plus I got pills that are supposed to make me not get hungry. I still have to figure out how many cheeseburgers per day I can eat.
I’ve been doing low carb for 2 weeks-almost no carbs, in fact. Mostly veges and lean meat, eggs. Still eat a bit much, but have toned up-lost say 2-3kg fat. It becomes easy after the first 2 days of missing rice/noodles/bread. Energy on long hikes decreased, so I have focused more on weights to prevent losing strength.
I’ve been on somewhat a low-er carb diet for the past month or so, and at first, it’s hard being in Taipei. It’s true, there isn’t much choice if you want grilled chicken with some veg, except going to Subway (yuck!).
Then I started looking around and done some thinking too. I find that there are actually many places that has things that I’d like to eat, such as wonton soup (that is like a dumpling but has minimal flour skin covered meat or seafood) with veg or cold dish like beans or seaweed that they have at those noodle places, or even boiled tofu.
Actually, at all those noodle or rice places in Taiwan, you can just get some of the veggies or meat or tofu that they have at the front of the shop. Mind you, some of them may be stir fried, but it keeps the nutrients! They have cold dishes as well, which is great in the summer. OR there’s also Sushi Express that has a choice of affordable sushi and soup, the quality, however is …
Other than that, maybe cooking for yourself is the best way yet. Make a big pot of stew or something that will last, then bring it with you and ask to use the 7-11 microwave to heat it up if you need.
By not having any sweet tooth in me, it’s easier. I think that’s the point in having a lower carb diet: to rid yourself from the craving for sweet things. Besides, the hot weather really helps to do that right now. So good luck peeps!! 
IMO Atkins is a recipe for disaster besides being hard to follow in Taiwan. I don’t recommend it because it isn’t sustainable long term. Focusing on meat, veggies, and fruit as staples of your diet is much more sustainable.
But if people are wanting to go lower carb instead of no-carb Atkins, then buffets are a great choice. Taiwan Buffet and their many competitors have lots of meat and veggies to choose from. You can easily skip rice, noodles, etc. Some places may use MSG or too much salt or oil but on the whole, I think the buffets do a pretty good job.
If people insist on Atkins, i would recommend that they stock on the excellent local jerky (rou gan). The International Beef Store near the Guting station Starbucks has excellent jerky that they make themselves. XindongYang is a brand widely available in Welcome, etc. The Singapore place MeiZhenShang (?) also has excellent stuff but it’s a bit pricey.
Pork rinds are another excellent choice for Atkins snackers and they’re readily available in most wet markets. You can buy them by the huge bag full.
I’ve been on and off low-carbing for 6 years, originally when I got divorced - lost 50lbs in about 9 months with the low carb thing and regular gym. Then up and down but never put back on more than 25lbs of the original 50, even when work in Taiwan brought serious stress and even with the lack of easy to find low carb yummy stuff here.
Over the years I’ve found some ways to do the higher protein and vegetable thing, but it costs some money:
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Tuna fish (canned tuna) - find a brand you like here, I bring back 20 cans whenever I return to the US because I haven’t found a brand I like here for a reasonable price - but if you try them out, you might find one, that’s a high protein low carb meal. All the stores have it - RT Mart, Costco, Wellcome, Matsusei 0 though of course the more Asian stores have only strange looking Asian brands. Buy a low fat mayonnaise (I think costco has low fat Hellmans, Matsusei has some regular hellmans, look around you’ll find something) and mix in - I shit you not - wasabi. Taste test so it doesn’t get too spicy. I throw a little dill in too. Some people like to add the gherkins in too, I prefer wasabi’d fish.
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Poor Mans Dinner (that’s what we used to call it in Philly, when I was most definitely po’) - get yourself a can of baked beans, they have some off brands in all the supermarkets, or splurge for a good US or British brand at Jasons or City Super if they have it. Also, get a pound of ground beef (city super, jasons, sometimes costco) or ground pork (everywhere), and I like to do a good sausage (Breeze supermarket sells Andouille, Cheese Wursts, Brats, etc in 2 packs frozen behind the sausage counter for about 120NT), tho a hot dog’ll do. Plus some mustard, either dijon, spicy brown, german, colmans - something quality with a rich taste. Now drop half the beans in a small pot, cook em up, grill up 1 sausage then drop it in the toaster oven 10 minutes, fry up the ground meat in a little olive oil, pepper and spice it (no salt needed). Throw in a half-tablespoon of the mustard into the beans, cook it up, then add the cooked meat, stir it in, and chop up the sausage throw it in. Huge protein, yeah its fatty, low carb ratio, excellent taste. The pound of meat is two days’ worth.
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Chicken breast meals - my wife makes an awesome Dijon Chicken Breast, also a Chicken Breast in Sherry with Stewed Mushrooms and Apples, very easy to make, a little costly with the Dijon mustard, the cream, the sherry, but very high protein low fat and truly tasty, defrost the chicken breasts in the morning, whip up the sauce, then pan fry a few minutes and pop in the toaster oven for 10-15 et voila. I can pilfer her recipes on request.
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Low fat/low sugar granola bars - all the western supermarkets have things like Alpen Light and Muesli Pause low fat low sugar bars to help fill you up, maybe 120NT for a 6pack, lasts a couple days?
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Easiyo Yogurt Maker - costs about 900 NT, you buy flavored packets for about 210-250 each, lasts a week, super simple to make, and it’s the more solid, “greek” yogurt (as they call it in Australia) as opposed to the watery shite they have here and around Asia in general. Made overnight. Great flavors. Medium carbs, high protein. Throw some fresh fruit and those little granola packets on top. Great frickin invention. From NZ.
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Salmon/turkey and Cheese - low fat cream cheese, pack of smoked salmon for 200-300 for maybe 3-4 servings, low fat (or splurge on the real stuff) cheddar or something like Danish Havarti with Dill (expensive). Once we had an oven (no more), my wife got rye grain at a place in Banqiao (thanks to Dragonbones I believe) and baked some rye bread for reduced carbs - throw the salmon and cheese on that with some red onion slices. Otherwise, try whole wheat bread, or use low sugar crackers like Carrs, pile on the salmon and a bit of the cheeses in each bite. Now cit cuper has sliced deli turkey breast, breeze sometimes, jason’s too. Not terribly expensive (though about 2-3 times as much as in the US) - the turkey is lower fat than pork or beef, taste is great, I prefer non-smoked but personal preference, and it’s fairly high protein. You can do that with the low fat cheddar too, dip it in mustard - for that I usually just skip any bread or craackers, just fold the turkey around the cheese, dip, eat - maybe with some gherkins
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Salads salads salads - Ken’s makes a truly heroic 0 carb caesar dressing, find yourself the lettuce of your choice - I go romaine or anything deep green - mix in your red onion, some nuts, maybe some diced feta (see recent thread on where to buy packets - Costco had a 4 pack real cheap), maybe raisins, cherry tomatoes if you got em - then throw in your pan fried chicken breast, or buy a chunk of ham at the supermarket and dice it up
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Breakfasts - some of that yogurt, a banana and/or apple, one of those granola bars, cereal (basic cornflakes with low fat milk), fry up your eggs with a bit of the cheese from the salmon and maybe a couple slices of left over sausage, also those oatmeal packets/tins are available a lot of places. Every once in a while, splurge on a Dan Bin (thin pancake crepe wrapped around an egg, I get the pork patty inside - about 300 calories, so only once a week maybe if you’ve been good).
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7-11’s - they have passable salads - dont get the white or pink nasty dressings, try to use that Ken’s, if not, get the sesame dressing. I hate to say get the hot dogs, so I wont. get the apples, bananas. The microwaved dumplings aren’t too carby (compared to the intestinal torpedo that is their hot dogs) - check the box. The breakfast sandwich is too fatty, and 330 carbs I think (equivalent to a Mc D’s breakfast sandwich). Yogurt is nasty unless you like liquid yogurt. So I usually get the fried chicken breast if I must - the grease is fatty but the sugars are low and there’s a chicken breast hiding under there somewhere - peel off most of the crust, dip in their “sweet chili sauce” for the hot dogs.
Like I said, a lot of this stuff aint cheap. But it DEFINITELY works. When you go to Chinese food, try to find Gong Bao Ji Ding (diced chicken in spicy sauce with nuts, Kung Pao in the US) and some Kong Xing Tsai (fried morning glory in soy sauce with garlic - in Thailand, it’s fish sauce or oyster sauce and oh so much better) - yeah it’s fried, wish they had olive oil for it, but still better than Mickey D’s.
GNC here doesn’t seem to have meal replacement shakes like in the US - I think I saw them once at Jasons for a ridiculously high price - I usually bring back 2 to 4 cases in the extra suitcase on the way back from the US. If you have an extra free luggage o your trips home, definitely do not waste them, for like US$30 you can get a huge cheap one and throw in all your home goodness.
[edit] sorry everyone, didn’t mean to post so long, but I realized I wish someone had posted some of this for me when I got here new, took me a couple years to get the whole system working. I should also say that I do 2-3 days a week on upper body building at the gym and 3 days on cardio very regularly, so I’m not just slimming down - this is for people doing a little bit o’ weights (nothing too serious) and need the protein, and cant stand what the Chinese call food in these parts
with the price of lean beef, lean chicken pieces, and sometimes cut fish-I go to Matsusei and get last day reduced prices-it’s very cheap to do this type of eating.
boil up some chicken with salt, onion, herbs, soy sauce, chuck in a few veges last minute, egg on the side and it’s cheap, nutritious and good after exercise.
still, the thing is not only reduce carbs, but limit calories. smaller meals, more frequent, and few unhealthy snacks.
I also have a jin lee tang almost every day for vegetable quota.
I also have a protein powder breakfast, usually with nut combo, a little oats, some cut fruit, and water.
Skip the buns, doc!
But I love buns.
After one day, I’m still fat. I’m not sure it’s worth it.
[quote=“Dr. McCoy”]But I love buns.
After one day, I’m still fat. I’m not sure it’s worth it.[/quote]
nah, you’re right. Give up. It’s not worth it. 
Day 2: still fat.
Day 3: still fat.
While we wait on pins and needles, here’s a little inspiration. Kirstie Alley:]
and Carrie Fisher
[quote=“TwoTongues”]Easiyo Yogurt Maker - costs about 900 NT, you buy flavored packets for about 210-250 each, lasts a week, super simple to make, and it’s the more solid, “greek” yogurt (as they call it in Australia) as opposed to the watery shite they have here and around Asia in general. Made overnight. Great flavors. Medium carbs, high protein. Throw some fresh fruit and those little granola packets on top. Great frickin invention. From NZ.
. . . Breakfasts - some of that yogurt, a banana and/or apple. . . .[/quote]
Agreed, great stuff. Someone gave us an Easiyo maker. I wish they had a plain flavor, with less sugar (at least I’m not aware of one), but we eat the peach, banana and berry flavors, it is pretty tasty and it couldn’t be simpler. I’ve been really virtuous about our breakfasts for some time now, too, making a fruit salad almost every day. Chop banana, apple, kiwi, mango, etc., mix in some Easiyo and throw in some chopped walnuts. :lick:
Great way to start the day. I also have some bread and coffee with it, but have been cutting back the bread portion. Perhaps I ought to cut the bread out completely and just eat the fruit and yogurt.
I also pack just a salad and piece of fruit for lunch a couple days a week which is a killer way to cut weight. . . . so long as you don’t get weak by teatime and go eat some garbage to make up for the light lunch.
If you really want to lose weight I think you need to feel hunger pangs. To me, those are a great sign that your calories intake is below maintenance level and the body’s starting to burn its reserves. Otherwise, if you’re not feeling the hunger at some point in the day (and not caving in and feeding yourself then), then you’re not making a serious effort and won’t see progress.
I have an easy solution to the afternoon sleepies: a 3/4-can sized bottle (250mg?) of Red Power Juice has 100 calories and sufficient caffeine to get you through an hour or two. Hey I’m not jokin, people drink fruit juices with tons more sugar and no caffeine, or coffee with tons more caffeine but teeth-staining and maybe you already had one on the morning and need a cool, change of pace…
This is often repeated, so I’ll do it again, just because I like the Doc.
Don’t skip breakfast. If a kiwi and half a grapefruit won’t do you, eat an enormous salad. That will get your day begun.
Exercise in the morning, walking, short hike, or a barefoot jog! Get sweaty. Drink water. Go back home and watch baseball.
Get your body used to doing what you want it to do. I started the exercise routine first, for three or four weeks, THEN I altered my diet and the pounds just vanished.
I’m no jack lalaine. I just keep it simple. Running and pushups. Never was fatfat per se, but now I’ve lost about 10kg in two months, feel great and my manboobs are a respectable a-cup.
good luck and can’t wait to see you in that summer bikini! 
It’s been one week. 7 days. I’ve assiduously stuck to the proscriptions of the diet. Ne’er straying. But I’m still fat. Disappointed.
I was 238lbs dropped to less than 188 in about 9 months through serious low carb diet and regular exercise. But it took me over a month to start really noticing any results on either the tubby belly or added muscle - actually, the new muscle took closer to 2 to start showing up. Since then I’ve been up and dropped 10-15lbs at a time at least 3 times in the past 6 years, and every time, it’s been about a month to start the weight loss and 2 to see noticeable muscle regain. But it ALWAYS DOES.
Keep it up man, it will happen if you stick to it. Guaranteed. It’s like physics or something, man.
Just an update on my condition: it turns out that I had an undiagnosed soy and rice allergy, and that was why I felt so much better when I stopped eating carbs. I’ve been officially off rice since November and have lost 7 kilos without trying. I’m so happy to finally have an explanation for my body’s thriving on Atkins when so many of my friends felt ill, but disappointed at the same time to have to say a permanent goodbye to some of my favorite foods. You would be amazed at how many things have rice and soy in them–from granola to donuts, and mayonnaise to french fries! 
Anyway, now I eat pasta and potatoes in moderation–in my own homemade sauces–and I’m not suffering from any carb or soy comas, loss of appetite, or acne.
I’d put it off for years, but home-cooking really is the way to go!
Did you continue on with this? How did it go?
I’m starting a slow-carb diet as popularized in the Timothy Ferriss book The 4-Hour Body. I felt slow and crappy all day. But I’m going to keep going. If anyone else is doing this diet, let me know where you eat at as I’m out of the house most of the time and now I have to cut out a lot of the places I used to eat at. At least there are salads and tea eggs at 7/11. Sigh.
Slow carb isn’t that hard to do. All the buffets have a good selection of meats and veggies. They’re a great source plus they have a bigger variety than you’d likely cook yourself. Salads are available in some bakeries, most Western restaurants, and steakhouses. I think Subway still makes salads, too. In Taipei, Telarmo has an especially good selection of salad and veggie dishes.
If you make your own (highly recommended) then the organic places have great veggies that are much better than Wellcome junk. The carrots, lettuce, peppers, etc. we get from the organic places have lots of flavor while the Wellcome produce is bland and tasteless. It isn’t that hard to prepare all the veggies you’ll need for several days of salad at one time.
For cooked slo-carb stuff, check out Robb Wolf’s Food Matrix: robbwolf.com/wp/wp-content/uploa … Matrix.pdf
It doesn’t get much simpler than that.