if anyone has any tips on dealing with weight loss while being abroad, please let me know! I'm working abroad for six months and people have been really rude when I've asked them to prepare my food a certain way. Plus I feel guilty, because I'm abroad! I should just enjoy. I was in Germany before, but I'm currently in Italy, where it is much, much worse

Hi Bakabeth,
I´m sorry to hear about your horrible experience... some people are just ignorant idiots, who externalize their issues by making someone feel bad so they can feel good... I feel quite sad for them actually, this just means that they are sad little things...

And you are amazing, uau, you had the courage to pack up and live in a completely different culture for a year, you had the guts to get out of your comfort zone.. you should be proud of yourself !!

I imagine you are in Italy ? Given that you mentioned you don´t speak italian... What city are you living in ? Italy is amazing, one of my favorite places in the world, so much history ! And although you had a bad experience, generally italians are quite plesant and fun, usually easy-going, but can get passionate about anything...

Food is amazing in Italy, and I can relate to your drama, I lived in France for a while and more than once went into restaurants outside Paris, where ordering a diet coke was like saying you came from another planet, finding low fat, low sugar products was a challenge and since the food was so good and easily available it was very hard to say no... at first, then it gets better, and it is possible to loose weight while abroad (I´ve lost 5 pounds in France, in 1,5 months and 20 pounds in Spain in a year)... here are a few tips that I hope it will help:

1) Europe is amazing and very safe to walk, you can walk everywhere, so instead of taking the metro or the bus, I walk everywhere that is up to one hour away on foot, and I plan accordingly to make sure I have time to do it so, even if it means 1 hour less of sleep

2) Low fat, low sugar options are limited specially in small neighbourhood supermarkets, but you can find a wider choice in bigger chains, usually in the outskirts of town

3) Salads are amazing, and you can find plenty of veggies and fruits in the local supermarket... the fish is usually very good as well... so I try to make sure I always have healthy options to cook at home

4) I try not to eat out too much, usually I tell my friends that I´ll meet them after dinner/lunch/brunch, or I invite them over and cook myself ... when I do go out to eat, I indulge myself once in a while, because afterall you are living in a new country and should experiment with the food once in a while... when I go out and there is no room for indulging, I stick to the salad, with no dressing/and or Olive oil (I use mustard as dressing) and depending on my cal intake for the day, I allow myself a glass or two of wine

5) Living in a new country, sometimes I would find myself after a couple rough days, sitting bored on a sunday with no will to do anything but eat and sleep... that´s when I pick myself up off of the counch and forcingly go somewhere, anywhere... usually I try to pick places in town I haven´t seen yet, or I make quick train trips to near by historic towns (another big plus of Europe, an hour in a train can take you to amazing new places)

6) Do you like any group sports ? I used to play volleyball back home, so I made sure to find a league where I could play... you stay active and make new friends...

Well, I hope these help a little and hang in there ! Believe in you, feel proud for what you´ve achieved and make sure to leave the past in the past... and enjoy this amazing experience that you´re living right now !!

I'm so sorry about what you're going though! That's a tough situation.

Carol has some great suggestions and I dont think I can possibly add anything. I hope 3FC can help provide the support you need.

And