What I eat in a week #4

Hi everyone! Welcome back to another blog on what I ate in a week! This is a belated post because I went on a Christmas getaway trip with family to Melbourne and started school right after. Again, as tasks piled up, I never got the chance to update this blog. However, I’d like to do a special blog dedicated to my eating in Melbourne whilst addressing some concerns that some of us might have when eating out or during holidays. I loved recalling all the delicious food I had in Melbourne, and I hope you find this blog helpful too!

Breakfast

Start your mornings right!

I love to get in as much movement as possible during my mornings, so every day during my trip I started my morning with a walk to grab coffee or a light session at the gym. Not only do I feel better and more productive starting my mornings like this, the increased movement also allows me to eat more later! It’s also completely fine to sleep in, but make sure to eat something to ensure you’re not overly hungry by the time lunchtime rolls around which sets you up for overeating.

As you can see, my breakfasts are mostly surrounded around eating whole foods and consuming some sort of protein (yogurt, eggs, seafood etc.) I’m sure it isn’t and won’t be your last time hearing it, but protein is the most satiating macronutrient group so it’ll keep you fuller for longer. No matter where I am, I always aim for 20-30g of protein in the morning!

Lunch

Yummy yummy in my belly :p

As our days were spent exploring the city of Melbourne, we walked loads and tried such a wide range of cuisines! I loved my foodie crawls in Australia and honestly lunch was probably my favorite meal of the day. Let me know if you’d be interested in some of these restaurants in the comments below~

Because I’ve gotten used to going to the gym in the afternoon while my parents rested in the hotel, I focused on eating the majority of my carbs for the day during lunchtime to ensure I’m properly fueled for my workouts. This is because carbs are broken down into glucose in our cells, which provides short-term energy for our bodies. “Fast” or fast digesting carbs are great pre-workout because they enter as glucose into your bloodstream quickly, providing energy for you with minimal digesting time.

A great example of me prioritizing this is when I had a warm, soul warming bowl of Lanzhou beef noodles during lunch. Despite the dish being so simple, it was genuinely one of my favorite meals during the trip. Hand pulled noodles isn’t something you can find easily in Hong Kong, so I knew I had to try some authentic ones in Melbourne (where lots of Lanzhou locals have migrated to). If you order a clear beef broth, everything is actually really healthy. Another thing I’d encourage everyone to do is to try to make a high carb meal as balanced as possible: for example, I ordered a side of smashed cucumbers as my veggies and a small plate of beef on the side for protein. Again, I always ensure I’m eating my protein because I love the taste, texture and the fulfillment it provides.

Dinner

Oooh… Looking back, I feel that the dinners I had were also so good, so maybe lunchtimes weren’t my favorite… Anyway, I definitely had more fun eating out than I do at home, but when you’re out on holiday, all you want to do is explore everything a city has to offer. So, it’s totally fine to eat intuitively without panicking over the calories. Just make sure you’re constantly asking yourself: Am I full/satisfied already? Am I eating just for the fear of FOMO? Should I still shove dessert down my stomach when I’m already 85-90% full? Most of the time, the answer is yes to all of the above, so make sure to always check in with yourself. Also, if you really do want the dessert, ask to share with your family so you still satisfy your cravings whilst preventing yourself from feeling horrible afterward!

Huge tip: Take a 15-20minute walk post-dinner to help with reducing bloating and aids digestion!!! I cannot express how helpful this tip has been because not only do I get to spend more time with family, but I also feel significantly better after a really heavy meal. I initially came across this trick on Instagram, but after some digging, I feel that this article lays out its best benefits most clearly. Be careful because there’s a huge difference between taking a nice stroll and running 5km immediately after a meal; One makes you feel better while the other one makes you feel sick.

Indulgences

Though I always try to sound ~wise~ in my blogs, I’m also just another human who experiences as much anxiety as the next person does, sometimes even more. That said, I always remind myself the purpose of travelling whenever that intrusive, less loving part of me starts to creep in, which is that I’m here to relax and enjoy. I’ve had great pastries and sweets during my trip in Melbourne, and I’m eternally grateful and happy that I did. That double-baked chocolate cake… Wow, best I’ve ever had in my 16 years of living.

If there are tons of goodies you want to try, try it with your friends and family. This is because 1. the joy of eating food then becomes communal, and the entire atmosphere is undated in dopamine released from the sugars and 2. you get to try many varieties AND avoid overeating just by sharing each portion with a few people.

This post has been a long time coming because I’ve spent a lot of time organizing and reorganizing the structure at which I want to present my tips and tricks (whilst showing off all the good food I ate during my trip hehe). Anyway, I hope you've found this blog useful or enjoyable in any way!

Thanks for reading, and see you all in a bit.

-Winnie 25/01/2025