| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
pdx
Joined: 19 Jan 2007
|
 Posted: Fri Feb 02, 2007 9:00 pm Post subject: how is it? |
 |
|
This I do not understand.
My friend and I were at Costco today. We each got a chicken bake and a drink... by the end I'm feeling incredibly overstuffed. I even feel a little bit self conscious as a white girl with a chicken bake all to herself.
Except then we look around at every other table and there are groups or two or three with clam chowder, pizza, chicken bakes, etc., so much food!
I swear, there has to be something with genetics when it comes to being skinny. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
SuperFly
Joined: 09 Jul 2003
Location: In the doghouse
|
| Posted: Fri Feb 02, 2007 9:03 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| I never understood how my 5 foot 2 inch tall wife can stuff away 2x the food I can. I'm 6 feet tall, and a 31 inch waist btw. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Homer
Guest
|
| Posted: Sat Feb 03, 2007 5:00 am Post subject: |
|
|
I hear ya superfly!
My wife packs it away too, had a child and she remains thin....
The key is probably that outside of this snacking (the one mentioned above in the OP) that many Koreans do not eat gigantic meals. I could be wrong....also...their diet is not based on bread, milk products and cereals so perhaps that plays a part...who knows.
My wife does excercise however and that contributes..... |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
rumdiary
Joined: 05 Jun 2006
|
| Posted: Sat Feb 03, 2007 7:50 am Post subject: |
|
|
Soft drin ks can really pack on calories and many Korean restaurants don't even sereve them. When they do they are also much smaller portions.
That being said soju has a lot of calories and somehow they stay thin.
Superior genetics? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
dogshed
Joined: 28 Apr 2006
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
ella
Joined: 17 Apr 2006
|
| Posted: Sat Feb 03, 2007 9:59 am Post subject: |
|
|
Body type is determined by genetics. Ectomorphs are slender and have difficulty gaining mass - muscle as well as fat. They can eat a lot and not "gain weight." Endomorphs are at the other end of the spectrum; they're naturally round and store bodyfat ("gain weight") very easily, although they can also build muscle mass and be quite strong. Mesomorphs are the ones in the middle, lean and muscular, generally the ideal for males in Western cultures, while the ectomorph is the ideal for women. Silly, really, since it's determined by genetics and is unchangeable. What you do with that body, as in how you exercise and feed it, is up to you, but genetics determines the window.
Seven years ago when I first started coming to Korea I didn't think there were many endomorphic body types in this gene pool. Recently I've noticed a lot more of them - but only in the younger generation. I wonder if the more traditional Korean diet kept bodyweights lower and endomorphism less obvious, and now that they're eating more Western foods it's become more evident? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
stevenisi
Joined: 17 Jul 2006
|
| Posted: Sat Feb 03, 2007 11:04 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| two words for you: Margaret Cho |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Novernae
Joined: 02 Mar 2005
|
| Posted: Sat Feb 03, 2007 11:40 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| ella wrote: |
Body type is determined by genetics. Ectomorphs are slender and have difficulty gaining mass - muscle as well as fat. They can eat a lot and not "gain weight." Endomorphs are at the other end of the spectrum; they're naturally round and store bodyfat ("gain weight") very easily, although they can also build muscle mass and be quite strong. Mesomorphs are the ones in the middle, lean and muscular, generally the ideal for males in Western cultures, while the ectomorph is the ideal for women. Silly, really, since it's determined by genetics and is unchangeable. What you do with that body, as in how you exercise and feed it, is up to you, but genetics determines the window.
Seven years ago when I first started coming to Korea I didn't think there were many endomorphic body types in this gene pool. Recently I've noticed a lot more of them - but only in the younger generation. I wonder if the more traditional Korean diet kept bodyweights lower and endomorphism less obvious, and now that they're eating more Western foods it's become more evident? |
It's not the food. High fat cuts of meat and spam with lots of white rice or isn't what I'd call healthy, and definitely no healthier than Western fast food. It's the lifestyle. The younger generation has less and less activity since computer games are taking over. We're seeing the same fattening here as was seen in North America when activity was drastically reduced. (kind of like when a construction worker retires but keeps eating as if he were working physical labour 10 hours a day) |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Homer
Guest
|
| Posted: Sun Feb 04, 2007 6:06 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
| High fat cuts of meat and spam with lots of white rice or isn't what I'd call healthy |
Novernea, being married to a Korean woman and close to her family...I can tell you they very rarely eat spam (if they do it is a small portion in a side dish), that the white rice almost never comes just as is but is more often mixed with beans, peas or other veggies and that the high fat cut meats you mention are not consumed in very large quantities....
Just my two cents.
I agree weight is becoming a problem here slowly as kids are less and less active and play more and more videogames. I would say junk food plays a part too. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Novernae
Joined: 02 Mar 2005
|
| Posted: Sun Feb 04, 2007 8:05 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Homer wrote: |
| Quote: |
| High fat cuts of meat and spam with lots of white rice or isn't what I'd call healthy |
Novernea, being married to a Korean woman and close to her family...I can tell you they very rarely eat spam (if they do it is a small portion in a side dish), that the white rice almost never comes just as is but is more often mixed with beans, peas or other veggies and that the high fat cut meats you mention are not consumed in very large quantities....
Just my two cents.
I agree weight is becoming a problem here slowly as kids are less and less active and play more and more videogames. I would say junk food plays a part too. |
You're right Homer, the home is different than what is served out of the home, however, the same can be said for North America. When I look at the junk food in Korea, I have to say that much of it is not western (ramien, deep fried street foods, etc.). I would say that the change is really in overall lifestyle change. As food becomes more readily available (ie, people don't have to scrimp and save for an egg) people are able to eat more comfortably, however, as has happened in North America, the lifestyle has become less active and overall people's diets haven't compensated for that change.
As for typical eating habits of Koreans, my only experience has been at the workplace. I'd say that this year, nearly every single one of my coworkers orders restaurant food every day. At my last school, the only people who didn't order out every day were those who were health conscious enough to recognise the negatives of Korean restaurant food.
I guess I didn't make my point very well. I don't remove all blame from the food, but I don't for a minute subscribe to the idea that western food deserves the blame, and that Korean food is inherently more nutritious (comparing of course home to home and restaurant to restaurant). |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Homer
Guest
|
| Posted: Mon Feb 05, 2007 5:10 am Post subject: |
|
|
Western food per se does not deserve the blame.
Western eating habits and life habits deserve the blame for obesity.....
The same trend may be starting here with bad eating (junk) + less and less exercise...an unfortunate trend to be sure.... |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
periwinkle
Joined: 08 Feb 2003
|
| Posted: Mon Feb 05, 2007 6:13 am Post subject: |
|
|
I saw a segment on tv last night about a guy that has drunk 1 liter (yes, that's 1 LITER!) of soybean oil for the last 20 years.  He is lean, and he drinks it purely for taste. He was even shown eating some concoction of oil and mayonnaise with bean sprouts as an accompaniment (sp- sorry...) to his rice. His liver was tested, as were his cholesterol levels, and he was normal or lower than normal in his results.
I think Koreans have amazing metabolism. I see a lot of ppl exercising, as well. The amount of ppl hiking (especially older people!) amazes me. My MIL (who is almost 70) hikes several times a week, swims everyday, and only eats health food (she recently swore off meat, and stays away from sugar) |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Homer
Guest
|
| Posted: Mon Feb 05, 2007 6:40 am Post subject: |
|
|
peri...I echo your experiences when it comes to older Koreans!
My mother in law is super active. My Father in law is 65 and hikes all the time.
My wifes favorite aunt is 77 and works on her farm. She is the picture of health.
The younger generation however seems to excercise less and less and eat more and more junk...this is a deadly combination. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
