Japanese New Year Food
 

Hi and Happy New Year,
As you can see in my profile, I live in Japan.
Christmas is not such a big deal here but the New Year is.
Families gather on New Years day and eat from early morning to night (and many continue for a few days). Having lived here for ten years I new what was install for me - lots of fish, beans, strange vegetables all prepared with sweet sauces and a lot of unknowns and of course deep fried crumbed prawns (shrimp) and pork. Even before I started LC I was not so keen on tradition Japanese New Year Food. It looks great (see picture below) but it's one time of the year that I try and avoid the usually GREAT tasting Japanese foods.
So what did a good Low Carber on Atkins Induction do?????
I made my own "Bento" (Japanese for lunchbox) and WOW was it good. So good that the rest of the family wanted the same.
Apart from introducing a Japanese tradition I wanted to show the kind of lunchbox that anyone can make (for picnics, everday lunches or dinners, etc,). Take a look at My FitDay for January 1st and although my calories are a little high (usually 2000 - 2400) the all in important Carb count is only 22 - 5 (fiber) = 17g. I definatly ate too much roast beef that day but the scales still went down.
Hope you find the pictures interesting.
Have a good 2003.
Simon.

Hi
 

:wave:
Wow I haven't seen food like that since I moved from Hawaii when I was 13! What memories :cool:
Your lunchbox looks terrific, can you tell us what is in it?
Just so curious :D

Hi Kassie,
Thanks for your reply.
I wasn't sure if anyone would be interested in my pictures but I posted them anyway.
My Lunchbox details are as follows -

Shrimp (6 large/boiled/shelled),
Tartar sauce (0.5oz),
Roast beef (about 8 medium slices),
Dijon mustard (1.5 teaspoons),
Cheese - brie, gouda, cheddar (one cubic inch of each),
Lettuce (2 large leaves),
Egg (medium size/hard boiled),
Pumpkin (equivalent of about half cup mashed/boiled),
Cauliflower (1 floweret/boiled),
Broccoli (2 flowerets/boiled)

Calories = 1466 (approximately)
Net Carbs = 10 (approximately)

(Note: My Fitday entry for Jan 1st is a little different as it also includes what I ate for dinner)

Simon.

Hi again
 

I think you did a great job! You know, I haven't had pumpkin that wasn't in a pie, is it like butternut squash?
I really would like to try and make my own, sure would make lunch great!

Wow! LCing in Japan! What do you tell them about not eating rice? I got so tired of the "Can you eat rice?" question, I started answering "No." Which of course led to more aggravating questions, so I stopped.

Anyhow, enough revealing what an obnoxious foreigner I was. How's it going? Do you think it's harder than to do LC in "gaikoku"? I'm thinking of returning to Japan, and LOVE LCing, so I'm very curious. :wiggle:

Hi,
At first I thought LCing in Japan would be difficult but I am doing fine. I have explained about LCing to all my Japanese friends and although they can't grasp the idea that eating protien and fat will help me lose wait they are impressed by the results. I often hear a comment like - "I'll give it a go for a week" but when I tell them that they can't just do it for a week and that they must give up rice forever they soon change their minds. They often say that Japanese MUST eat rice and that LCing is impossible for Japanese.
I tell them that bread and potatoes were my staple foods for 39 years and I have now given them up completely but they always say - "Oh, that's different, we are Japanese we must eat rice".
It's all in the mind.
As far as buying foods go here in Japan, we can get almost anything except for foods made for LCers. I do have trouble with the labels sometimes but it's getting a bit easier. Eating out is sometimes a problem but my three favorites (even before my LC life) are Yakiniku (BBQ), Yakitori (skewers of meat and vegetables) and Indian food (I just skip the rice and bread). The first two are available everwhere but I do have to drive 40 minutes or so to reach my favorite Indian shop.
Anyway, I hope to be living proof of LC success by the middle of the year so I'm sure some of my Japanese friends will give it a go.
Simon.