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Cyclists in Modena, Italy. Photo by Ian MacKenzie
There’s nothing like travel to lose a few pounds. Especially if you do budget traveling. Unless you’re being chauffeured around in an air-conditioned tour bus the whole time, you’ll spend quite a bit of time walking. It could be pounding the pavement in a big city or trekking up to the mountains.
Brave New Traveler had a great article about The Traveler’s Diet. It throws out a number of intriguing ideas, namely how cultural differences can actually work in your favor to losing weight.
Have any of you come back from a trip with a fitter physique as a souvenir? Share your stories in the comments.
September 18th, 2009 at 10:35 am
Great point but may be Modena in Italy (as for the picture) should not be your first choice if you are on a diet: Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, tortellini, balsamic vinegar and wine (Lambrusco) are just a few of the great (but not so light) options in the city.
September 18th, 2009 at 9:22 pm
I lose 3-5 pounds every time I go to Mongolia, usually for about three and a half weeks (four trips and counting).
I think it’s a combination of portion control at the ger camps, more exercise than usual trekking around watching and photographing wildlife for my paintings and, this last trip, my first in the summer, eating “white food” (dairy) whenever I got the chance: aruul, airag and yogurt. I also really like mutton. All of them are almost pure protein and low or no fat, unless you eat the sheep’s tail, which is pure fat. I’m fortunate, so far, that my system seems to thrive on Mongolian countryside dairy products. I nibble on aruul(dried yogurt) for a snack as needed, having bought some at the earliest opportunity.
For anyone going there though, be cautious and only eat or drink a very little of the dairy stuff until you know if your body will tolerate it. I’ve been told that if the airag (fermented mare’s milk) is a problem, you will know a few minutes after imbibing. I really like it and would compare the taste to fizzy yogurt.
September 18th, 2009 at 11:45 pm
[...] The Travelers Diet [Vagablogging] [...]
September 20th, 2009 at 11:42 pm
My man and I each lost about 10 pounds over a year of travel, mostly through Asia. Two months now after getting back to California, and the 10 pounds are back. It’s the fastest I’ve ever gained weight in my life!
We were constantly walking, biking, and hiking on our trip – that, with the occasional bout of food poisoning helped the pounds drop off. Since we’ve come back, we’ve been very sedentary, and have been shocked by the amount of sugar and white flour in our diets – even with our efforts to avoid both.
We’re working our way back down the 10 pounds but it will take at least a year and a whole new lifestyle change.
September 23rd, 2009 at 11:42 am
tnx for the information. District Swabi
November 6th, 2009 at 1:15 am
I started working out 45min a day 5 times a week, and at first I would just starve myself, I would eat like an apple and some juice, for the day. I lost weight, but once the weekend hit I totally caved, and I was like oh well I can just diet again once the week starts, but I would really like to know what food and how much of it I should eat.