"Are you.. (silent) getting fatter?"

If you ever gained 10kg out of eating then you'll understand what I'm talking about. You'll hate the statement, "Are you fatter?" that your friends or relative sprout while looking sympathetic at you. Really? Sympathy?

That was my Friday-moved-to-Sunday talk with K. We finished our weekend gym routine (cardio-standing in awe of the pool-sauna-steam) then hungry enough to eat so much of mayo-full sushi/salad/takoyaki.

I guess we both had the experience of being in an unshapely form of a female (sorry babe) during our uni year gaining more than 10kilos due to a diet of KFC, Nando's and huge single portion of chinese food for lunch and dinner and no sport. (Well, she went for gym while I pretend I didn't need one) We didn't really care though at that time, being an Asian in a country populated by big boned caucasian was an advantage.

Then come Summer holiday and we're packing our way home. One of our girlfriend even got into panic attack the week leading to our departure date. But she has the right to be panic, we must have been looking like 'giantess' compare to the Indonesian liliputh.

Well, we did. But now, after living in Jakarta for almost three years, I am almost my high-school weight again. Why, you may ask. Here's K answers:

1. Food portion here is way smaller. Which is so true, portion in Melbourne is twice of what we are eating here and we usually eat it up to the very last rice. So basically food in Indo is not necessarily cheaper. It is just smaller and fit our stomach perfectly.

2. Mother's dietting factor. My mom is not that bad, but I know that K's mom is (again, sorry babe). But then again maybe my Mom is rather lazy and she usually told me to exercise rather than cutting my food intake. K told me that her mom watched her food portion. Well, we did ate a whole chicken at once so maybe we were a tad over the top.

3. Peer pressure. As I told you before, about my girlfriend who freaked out going back to Jakarta. Have you seen girls here? Small. Tiny. Ugh. Thennnnn.. extended family who usually said, "Kak, are you gaining weight?" "Kak, your ass look big." Then friends who told you to reduce your eating portion and praised you once you were losing some weight. Those carrot and stick approach is sickening but very effective.

Anyway, above all those losing weight tips, I guess being healthy is more important than being skinny. Haha. Learned it the hard way. (But being skinny and healthy is always another option).

Watch what you're eating. Green is good (although gross). Water is supposed to be your BFF. Exercise well. And for me.. no more fried food (dammit).