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.

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.