Korean Job Discussion Forums

[denverdeath]

[NYC_Gal 2.0]

If I eat more than 1300 kcal per day, I gain weight. If I work out, I can eat a bit more, but not a whole lot.

[DorkothyParker]

Most websites put my BMR between 1300-1400 kcal/day.

I am working to lose weight, so I eat less.

I work out gently each day. I like walking, going on hikes, and stretches and planks and such. I don't like working out at a gym or running. I guess I could eat a little bit more and work out harder. I am trying to avoid being skinny-fat with toning and muscle building activities. We'll see I guess.

EDIT: I lie and tell the BMR calc things that I am a couch potato. But I always enter my activities in separately in my diet tracker/diary so I don't want it to calculate my physical movement twice!

[decolyon]

I think you two ladies need to seriously question what website tells you to eat 1300 a day. As the previous poster's graph points out, that's not enough for even a low activity woman.

Have you guys talked to a trainer at a gym? I'm sure they will tell you differently.

There is such a thing as eating too little. If you don't consume enough calories in a day, your body will simply hold on to whatever it has, food or fat, and refuse to burn it off. You do have to eat to lose fat. What you eat is the important part.

If either of you could tell me your height and weight (age would help too) I'd be happy to outline some things for you.

[NYC_Gal 2.0]

It's not a website. It's what I've deduced in the last 20 years of living at my current height. Smaller people need to consume less.

I worked for one of the top fitness and wellness gurus on the east coast for years. He trains movie stars (male and female) and supermodels, not to mention CEOs and other high-level clientele. A bonus was that I got free workouts and nutrition advice. I don't need you to outline anything.

If I train HARD, I can eat 1500.

[decolyon]

[While Away]

Hi,
I got some good advice from this thread, including
- learn to laugh about cultural differences
- just eat what you want and don�t worry about what someone else is doing.
- stop thinking so much and have fun.

My Korean �roommate friend� leaves food not because he�s full, or doesn�t like it; and not for some Ms. Manners reason. As much as I can figure, it is something related to the way you have to ask a Korean three times before they will accept something. Like if they come in to your house thirsty, and you ask if they want some water, they will say �no� once or twice before finally admitting that they are really thirsty. Or you pass a nice snack stand on the street and stop to buy one and ask if they want one too, first reply will always be "no". When the food is getting near the end, he seems to feel it is polite to stop eating and push all the food over to my side. Then I am supposed to reciprocate and push the food back and say three times �많이드세요� (eat a lot). Well, I get a bit tired of that in our own apartment. And like the story in my original post, if there is only one serving to start with, then splitting it would be impossible, because it would involve endless pushing of the food back and forth between us. I don�t want to worry about how many times to say많이드세요, and just where to push the food on the table so that he can eat without feeling guilty.

If you don�t think it is a cultural issue, try sitting down with one piece of cake and splitting it with a Korean friend. If it were a Western friend, you�d both eat your half and be happy. But with a Korean friend, they�ll say their not hungry, push the cake to you, do whatever to not eat 50%. Seems very nice and polite right? Well, try dealing with that everyday in your own home, and it gets a bit annoying. Sure it is no issue if there are two pieces of cake. But at home, often you have to finish off the last bit of bulgogi, curry, soup, fruit, juice �

[NYC_Gal 2.0]

[Moondoggy]

[methdxman]

[Steelrails]

I firmly believe that 2000 calories is a figure thrown out by out bloatastic-lobby driven government.

I'm a man and play sports regularly and 1500 calories does me just fine.

I'm sure there are people out there who need 2500 calories as well. Different strokes for different folks.

[While Away]

Well, I got a chance to ask another elderly Korean gentlemen about my my first friend not eating the last of the meal and he knew all about it and explained it to me. It is something in Korean called "체면차리", which translates roughly to "saving face". It is hard for me to understand it. It seems to be similar to just being polite, but not always. It seems to involve some politeness and some form of gaining an upper hand... I don't really know. but that I am sure "saving face" is another discussion all on it own.
So the problem is: if there are two dumplings left, then person A says, "you have one and I'll have one", then the "polite" thing to do would be for person B to take the dumpling offered and then person B finishes off the last one. But if person B wants to "save face" "체면차리" , then he would refuse the offer for the dumpling, and if person A goes on and eats both of the remaining two, then Person B has "saved face".
Anyway, that's the way one elderly friend is acting with me. And that is exactly the way the other elderly friend is explaining it to me. Maybe it is just a thing with older Korean men and not the younger generation.
So I learned the magic words to say in this situation are "체면차리지 마시고 드세요." Roughly, "don't save face, just eat."
Anyway, this is all way too much to deal with on a daily basis and in our own home. I can understand it amongst strangers in a restaurant, but it is way too much effort for doing at home. I'll try the "체면차리지 마시고 드세요." a few times and if he doesn't eat I just throw the food away.