State of the (Fat) Union

So vacation is progressing along nicely. The weather has cleared up, thank goodness. It was getting a bit depressing waking to gray, rainy skies every day.

The weight situation is both helped and hindered by being here. Let's take this step by step.

Good: Tasteless dining hall food means less eaten at meals.
Bad: Less eaten at meals means more snacks outside mealtime.

Good: No vending machines or fast food restaurants near dormitory.
Bad: Have discovered the grocery market candy aisle with new, untried chocolates. About half the aisle is now sitting in a plastic bag next to me.

Good: Often sleep through eating times.
Bad: Late night hunger means late-night kebab vans.

Good: Fun times with fun people.
Bad: Alcohol has a lot of calories, people.

So, in general, it's a wash. I did lose a bit of weight during the first two weeks I was here, from a combination of different factors (sleeping through mealtimes because of jet lag, lack of knowledge of where to find food, general unease/excitement, inability to eat a lot with strangers*). However, I have now become comfortable with Oxford and with my companions and am now hungry ALL THE TIME.

This may be PMS talking, but I love, love, love the kebab vans. They're like those Mexican taco trucks in the U.S., except that they serve instead, kebabs in pitas, chips with a variety of toppings, burgers, chicken fingers, hotdogs, and a plethora of other wonderfully greasy fried foods. They are also the only places open for food late at night, so you will see hordes of drunken students walking back into the colleges with containers of kebab late at night, fumbling for the passcode while eating some delicious gooey mess.

My favorite right now is Ahmed's "special chips" with hummus added. That's French fries the English way (thick-cut), topped with cheese, mushrooms, and fried egg. And hummus, because I love hummus, and whatever sauces you want on top. I like chili, ketchup, and mayo, but that's because I really just like sauces in general. Mmm, calories.

I'm still not eating much at meals, but I am snacking away whenever I can. Well, no, I'm actually not too bad with snacking, but I am thinking of snacking all the time. Which is probably worse.

Wow I am so excited for food right now. I think I might have to set my alarm early so I can go out and grab a sandwich once the stores open. Mm, sandwich. I'm still not a fan of British food, but I am a fan of food in general, which is why I don't think this weight loss will continue.

And I know, I should focus less on eating less and more on exercise, but it's vacation and I'm lazy and the gym is expensive and far away. Actually, the gym is fairly reasonable and only a 10 minutes walk away. But I am lazy, so there's that.

I have started drinking less though, which is good for my liver and my gut. I also try to work in a little bit of exercise (just room calisthenics) whenever I can, but it's usually only about 20-30 minutes a day.

I am so hungry right now. Only mind-hungry though, mind you. You know how it is. The stomach is fine, but the brain wants food! Now to look up when that sandwich shop opens...




*Does this happen to anyone else? Whenever I'm with people I don't know well, I eat much less, partially so I can make conversation instead, and partially, subconsciously, so I don't seem like such a fattie.