Diet Daze (days!)

It seems here in Hong Kong that after a while if you are anything larger than an Australian Size 12 in clothing (US 14) you have to give into “diet duty”.

 

The petite Asian figure does not require large sizes on sale in stores here. Even up market fashion houses like Escada or Ralf Lauren don’t seem to cater for the larger size.  A friend of mine was visiting from overseas and she was trying to purchase something in a European 44 – 14 Australian – at Escada.  They had only one outfit that was her size but clearly not her colour.  So even these upmarket fashion stores do not cater for the tourist, let alone a larger size Asian.

 

Believe me not all Asian women come in a size 6 or 8 – it’s a myth.  Some days I see women larger than me and I feel like asking them: “Hey where did you get those jeans?”  The answer is they probably do like I do, buy overseas or go to a tailor across the border in Shenzen.

 

But after nearly 4 years of being over my pre-babies weight I decided to do a sensible diet.  So I chose one of those more sensible systems and low and behold 16 weeks later I am much lighter in weight.  I can now even go into a local store and look for something in MY size.  I don’t have attendants saying to me “we don’t have anything for you” or ‘we don’t stock your size’ and glare. In fact I’m happy to report one attendant offered me a ‘SMALL’ the other day.  You feel like kissing them.

 

Once I decided to try a diet that had a reputation.  I found that just about everyone else I knew on Hong Kong Island was also doing the diet.  That’s the nature of living in a relatively small community.  Though 7 million people live here the expats ‘hang together’ – so those wanting to loose a few pounds were there too.

 

The fall out from this diet was that my helper has also lost weight but she feels she’s lost enough now and as a result has no incentive to continue the program.  I on the other hand want to loose a few more pounds and insist we still eat as per the diet.  Every now and again she tried to ’sneak’ in a non-diet dinner.  It’s rather cute and humorous but I can assure you if I gain weight – it won’t be.  My husband is keen to loose weight.  He said well put me on it too.  I’ve told him he won’t like it.  Hardly any butter, none of the cheese he loves, drops that after dinner drink and very few sweets.  Time will tell if he can do what I have done.

 

Anyway this was the perfect place to take on a diet, hand the cookbook to the domestic helper and tell her to deal with it – not so daunting and having to wonder what to cook each night!  Had I had to struggle with that it really would have been a diet daze!

 

With not having to worry about the dinner has meant I’ve had more time to go out and buy a new wardrobe!   Plus I’m enjoying the sales at the moment, a new experience for me in Hong Kong.  No where else in the world would a shop assistant keep her job and call a customer ‘fat’.  They’ve been known to do it here. 

 

Tongue in cheek

 

©Expat World 2008