Korean Job Discussion Forums

[DorkothyParker]

After becoming a total lard butt in the last three months since coming to Korea, I finally sucked it up (so I can stop sucking it in) and got a gym membership.

I have a pretty good grasp of my aerobic ability, but I'm only just starting to use weight machines. I'd like to gain muscle and lose fat. I'm hoping someone can recommend a couple circuits with both aerobic and strength training elements that I can alternate days with (so I don't work a muscle two days in a row but still can keep an intense training pace). I'd like it to keep the whole thing under an hour and 15 minutes but not less than an hour. I'll be working out 5-6 days a week (Sundays varying as I call home this day).

I don't know the names of the machines so if you can post images or links to how to do the exercises properly, that would be awesome. Also I cannot do push-ups period. My coordination sucks too.

While we're at it, what Korean foods are good to eat for this? I know all the white rice isn't great, but it is a staple here and everyone is slender so I figure it can't be too bad. I really don't see a lot of veggies in food, though. :/

Thanks!

[Kurtz]

Good on you!

I read all of these health experts saying do this do that,eat this, don't eat that, but the simple answer is you must use more calories than you consume.

Firstly, keep a food diary. If you write down what you eat each day and calculate the calories, you might be shocked what you see.

I reckon 1 hour 15 isn't enough per day, unless the exercise is very extreme which really speeds up your metabolism.

Try build up to 90 mins of cardio 4-5 times a week, as well as strength work. Strength work might involve lat pull downs for the back, leg extensions for your legs and backside, arm curls with free weights etc. I'd concentrate on cardio though.

Korean food has a lot of salt which I'd avoid.

Avoid fats like dairy products and eat fish instead of red meat, lots of vegetables and try only eat junk food once a week. Stop drinking too as that is pure sugar, and don't snack on fatty food. Don't starve yourself, eat 5 small meals a day instead of 3 big meals. Eat a good healthy breakfast as that gets the metabolism started.

Losing weight isn't easy. Just going to the gym for an hour or so isn't going to make things happen for you.

Best of luck.

[Captain Corea]

I've lost 5 kgs in the last two months.

Something very simple for you.

#1 - don't eat rice, pasta, bread after 5:00pm.
#2 - Do your cardio on an empty stomache (before breakfast or way after dinner).
#3 - When doing cardio, get your heart rate to about 130bpm... not much higher, not much lower. Do this for between 30 mins and one hour.

That's it.

[itaewonguy]

losing weight all happens in the kitchen not the gym!

drop your calorie intake down.. no more sugars, no more fatty foods, no more beer! (wine is better)
do cardio ,MORE CARDIO, and then some more CARDIO!
do that for 3 months... and you will of lost the weight..
AS LONG as you keep to your diet!

not to mention diet is so much easier than sweating it out at the gym on the weights..

do not starve yoursef either.. that old myth is bs.. you need to feed your body, so 5 small meals a day is better.. just enough food to keep you going through the day without getting frustrated and then going to MC donalds and loading up on junk cause you are to hungry..
good breakfast, eat lunch, eat dinner.. couple snacks in between classes..
small meals, clean meals.. treat yourself with a chocolate bar if you really want.. treat yourself with some ice cream or pizza if you really want.. dont fight temptation to much, just eat those foods responsibly.. once a week or twice a month you know..

korean foods?? you dont need to eat korean food to lose weight..

go to Emart.. they have VEGES, salads, salmon, fish,chicken, more VEGES!, fruit.. nuts...

you really want to lose weight.. then FOOD is where it all happens!

you joined the gym... stay away from the weights for now..
just use the treadmill, bike etc.. for the first couple months anyway..
then once the weight is off, then find the weight routine ...

[Captain Corea]

Sorry man, I beg to differ.

FOOD is not the absolute. Sure, WHAT YOU EAT is important, but when you're eating it is just as important.

I eat bread and cake everyday for breakfast - yet still lost 12lbs.

It's not the food, it's the 'when'.

[itaewonguy]

[BoholDiver]

Some people are just lucky, while others are unlucky.

If I cut out all of my exercise, I will gain 5-7 kg, but not more. If I also pigged out a lot, then 10 kg. As long as I stay reasonable with food and keep active (jogging for 1 hour 2-3 times a week), I will stay where I am.

OP: 1 kg at a time. Try small lifestyle changes. Trying to change your life upside down makes it more difficult and more likely for you to quit.

Try what you're doing now with the gym and check your weight at the same time everyday. Drinking water or skipping a meal can trick you.

[DorkothyParker]

I should mention that I used to have a pretty good routine back home as I rode my bike 10 miles daily in good weather and went jogging a few times a week. I am technically not overweight (BMI 20) but I am chubby for Korea. I would like to lose 10-15 lbs (a stone for you non-Americans, or 5 Kg) with the expectation of gaining some muscle weight.

I really just want some routines that will work my whole body that I can modify for difficulty (speed & resistance for aerobic stuff and weight for lifting stuff)

I want to know what korean food to eat because my husband cooks at home and isn't going to base his cooking around what I eat. I would like to have a good idea of what to eat the few times a week we eat out. Like bibimbap seems good (no oils or fats) but no protein either. :/

Thanks for the help. Keep it coming.

[Captain Corea]

[DorkothyParker]

Oh yeah, my workout "when" would be after work during the week (6pm) so before dinner and about 5 hours after lunch. On weekends, I prefer to work out in the morning (like 10ish) after having some tea and a small snack (a couple crackers or an orange). Is this ok? I read one should never work out on a completely empty stomach and I do think it gives me more energy than in the past when I did.

[DorkothyParker]

Oh yeah, I'm also running into a lot of varying advice regarding reps and weight. Some experts say to do 3 sets of 15 (presumably the weight would be less to get to 15 reps without complete muscle failure). Others says 3 sets of 10 (heavier still) or 6 (yep, heavier weights). Another government-run site said to do just one set of 8 but with very heavy weights to achieve that "can't go on" feeling by the 8th rep.
Right now I am doing the 3 sets of 10 thing so that by the end I feel like my arms will fall off (in a good way).

I'm doing the weights after aerobics as some experts say it makes the weight workout more intense and lengthens the state of heightened metabolism. But I've seen some people say to alternate aerobic days with strength training days.

There is just so much contradicting advice (from weightlifting sites, government sites, medical health sites) that I don't really know what is best.

ARGH!

[Captain Corea]

Yeah, you're going to run into a lot of that. There's a bit of experimentation involved, for what works best for you, but ther's also something to be said for following one coach. Too many voices will often just confuse someone.

[Gibberish]

Simply put: Eat fewer carbs and lift weights. Here's a guide for lifting for women:

Why should women lift weights?

Muscle is hot. Most female celebrities lift weights, and that's how to get the 'toned' look that most of us want. Also, muscle burns calories just to sustain itself, so it's easier to keep your weight down if you have more muscle.

I don't want to be a muscley freak

Yeah, neither do I. Luckily, it's not gonna happen. Female bodybuilders (the muscley freaks) got that way by following a specific training regime where they:

1. Do steroids
2. Eat 5000+ calories a day to put on muscle
3. Have rare genetics that allow them to build so much muscle
4. Have been doing 1 and 2 for at least 5 years

Can women be strong and not look like that?

Duh, of course.

Why free weights instead of machines?

Because free weights are more efficient. They work stabilizer muscles while machines isolate and work only one muscle group. Machines often force unnatural movement while free weights have better range of motion. And if you're 5'1", forget about machines - because they're built for 5'10" guys, and are totally out of proportion for shorter people and many women.

What about form? Free weights are dangerous with bad form, right?

Well, yes, but there's lots of resources out there to learn good form. Here's a couple:

http://www.stumptuous.com/category/...se_instruction3
http://www.exrx.net/Lists/Directory.html

Or, try to find a NET in your area who can show you proper form on the compound lifts. Most of the meathead guys in this forum know their stuff and would be happy to help you.

I can't even bench the bar, do I suck?

Have a look here: http://www.exrx.net/Testing/WeightL...thStandards.htm

Note, those numbers are 1 rep max, not what you're doing for reps, and they are general guidelines only. And I think 'Untrained' is more like 'after 2-3 weeks of lifting', because in the first few weeks your body is getting used to lifting weight and figuring out how much it can really lift. Note the differences between the male and female numbers - guys can lift way more starting out, and their lifts increase faster.

Another important thing that I've seem some ladies getting confused about: you shouldn't be able to lift the same amount for all the different lifts. i.e. your military press will probably be lowest, then bench, then squat, then deadlift. Don't worry if you can't military press nearly as much as squat, etc!

What routine should I do?

Start out with a simple series of 3 sets of 8 repetitionss of each of the main lifts: Military press (shoulders), Bench (Chest and arms), Squats (Legs and Abs) and Deadlifts (Back and everywhere).

The amount of weight should be whatever you can lift for 3 sets and 8 reps, no more and no less. Up it five pounds every other week. Mix up your routines to keep your body off-kilter and working strong, as it will get used to routines.

I feel really uncomfortable in the free weights section lifting low weights while all these muscly guys are there lifting way more

DON'T WORRY! Everyone knows that when you're starting out, your lifts are gonna be low. Everyone knows that girls progress more slowly than guys. They'll just think you're cool for being there and for trying. And most will provide a spot if you ask.

Worried about getting too much attention? Well, most guys are just there to lift and won't be staring at you as much as you're afraid they will be. However, there are some jerks and assholes and if you want to avoid people talking to you or trying to pick you up or whatever, wear an MP3 player. People are way less likely to approach you if you've got earphones in.

Besides that, lower your carb intake, as lowering carbs and increasing your protein and fat intake will remove fat cells from your body. Don't eat in excess of 2000 calories a day, and avoid alcohol like the plague. The ethanol in alcohol is not only the easiest carbohydrate that the body can turn into fat cells, but it also lowers your natural testosterone and kills your metabolism, all in one fell swoop.

Another good site: http://www.stumptuous.com/

Work out whenever you have time, the time of day isn't as important as actually just getting there and doing your workout. Follow your diet plan, and don't forget that just getting to the gym is half the battle.

P.S.: Cardio is for chumps. You're not a chump, right?

Good luck.

[Gibberish]

P.P.S. Read my blog post about women in the gym:

http://newbie-fitness.blogspot.com/2006/12/women-weights-redux.html

P.P.P.S. Don't eat cake every day for breakfast like CC does.

[Hightop]

If you want some good tips or ideas you can check out this woman's youtube channel http://www.youtube.com/user/charliejames1975 she is awesome.