Carboload

The Atkins Diet -- or the South Beach Diet or any of those low-carb lifestyles -- would single-handedly destroy the food industry in Taiwan, if it were ever to catch on here. It won't, of course, because you soon realize that to support a decently healthy diet here that isn't high on useless high-glycemic carbs, you just doubled or tripled your food expense.

That, plus the fact that Gold's Gym charges $40 USD per month for a membership. And that's on a one-year signed contract. With a student discount. And they only have one location in all of Taiwan. I mean, yes, it's a damned nice one with tons of Cybex and free weight machines, but still. $40 USD per month for a society that generally makes half of what North Americans do??

It's a wonder these people aren't all fat and/or dead already.

(I know, I know, I'm trying to keep an open mind. I did have a Starbucks Caramel Macchiato yesterday, where they charged me another $10NTD/$0.30USD for the whipped cream. WTF?)