Korean Job Discussion Forums

[periwinkle]

I didn't eat anything at all yesterday (PMS affects my eating habits), and come dinnertime I was super hungry and shaking from low blood sugar. I went to the new Ruby Tuesday's in Shinchon, ordered an entree (no salad bar, no appetizer, but I did have a normal-sized Margarita), and had some bread (not too much). After a few bites into my entree, I felt stuffed!! I ordered fish with a baked potato (not loaded) and it had a side of broccoli. I finished half, and I felt sick from being too full.

I don't get it. The food wasn't too heavy- it was fish (well, it did have some kind of cream sauce on it). I went to a seafood restaurant the night before, and they brought dish after dish after dish. It was never-ending. Even my co-workers were incredulous at the sheer amount of food that kept coming.

I recently went home, and I had fantasized about going to Wendy's, Pizza Hut (I refuse to spend 20,000 won on a pizza here- I think the service sucks, too. Oh- and why no beer? It's a pizza joint!), Dairy Queen, White Castle, etc., but after a combo meal at White Castle, I wasn't hungry for 8 hours, so I didn't gorge myself like I planned. .

So what's the deal? Obviously I've adapted to a Korean diet, but I don't understand why I can eat a massive quantity of food at a Hway Jip (and not feel overstuffed), but when I hit someplace like Outback, I can't even finish a fairly normal-sized entree?

[poddubny]

lose weight.

[periwinkle]

What? Did you even read my post?

[poddubny]

[eamo]

Seems you've personally realised that the North American portion is way too big.

[tzechuk]

May be you were just over-hungry... it happens.

[canadian_in_korea]

while i was in korea I always thought the portion sizes were much bigger than ours....then when i got home...the same thing happened to me. I went out for a steak dinner...and couldn't finish everything. I thought perhaps because in korea you don't put everything on your plate....you really can't measure how much food you are eating. I love korean food....but i did miss the variety ....being able to eat something different every meal....its wonderful. I've also realized that even though most people say the north american diet is so fatty....well at least in my house almost everything is baked/boiled/steamed.....as opposed to most things being pan fried in korea....I'm actually losing weight now that I'm home.

[captain kirk]

Two nights ago I watched the movie Supersize Me. In a month of McDonalds thrice a day he gained twenty pounds, fatty liver, and other symptoms such as hypertension. Now I hate McDonalds.

[skookum]

I can't eat Western food either - but that's 'cause I'm allergic to wheat and dairy products. Of course Korean food is a bit dicey too - though there's lots of rice and vegs and fish, the biggest problem is kochujang and toengjang, both of which are heavily laced with �� �� �� a.k.a �� �� �� and are used in all kinds of dishes. Still, I suffice and even thrive on Korean food, even if some of the evil spawn-of-Satan deadly killer wheat occasionally sneaks up on me.

Recently ate a hanjeongshik - lots of tasty dishes and I realized that I seem to have overcome my tendency to eat everything in front of me - had a good filling meal but not to excess, and later at home I had room for a tasty two-pound pear.