Korean Job Discussion Forums

[VirginIslander]

Hello,

I am 5 10 and 225 pounds (100 kgs), at about 23 percent body fat. While in Korea, I would like to loose about 35-45 pounds of fat. Yes, I am American.

If I excercise for two-three hours a day (weight lifting, running, jump rope) eat healthy and stop binge drinking, do you know how much weight I should loose per month.

I would like to set some weight loss goals for the next couple of months but I want them to be realistic.

Thanks

[kermo]

There's a website called www.thedailyplate.com that'll help you calculate calories expended by exercise, and if you keep track of what you eat, it'll tell you how much you're taking in. It's magic, I love it, and I've lost 2 kg in a very short time because I'm paying attention to what I eat and setting goals.
This frog is going to be slender, damnit!

[laogaiguk]

Why ask us? I suggest going to a professional if you are really looking for tips. You'll get people on here who know nothing, some that know something but will vary in their opinions (look at how controversal the Atkins diet still is), and you might find a few people who truly know what they are talking about. It will be hard to sift them out though.

[crazylemongirl]

It's hard to talk about weight loss without knowing a few things whether you are a man and woman, how old you are etc.

For me:
I'm 26 5'10 and at my heaviest weighed 240 pounds! Though I lost a bit of weight in Korea through improved diet and more exercise through not having a car, I still wasn't happy with my weight. So this year I joined a gym with my friend. I stopped snacking and drinking cola. I also stopped eating a lot of bread/rice/pasta and supplemented it with veggies. I now exercise for 60-90 minutes every day. I do mix of cardio and weights and now weight 160 pounds. Even though that's still heavy, that seems to be my set point and I look reasonably good at that weight.

Pointers from my experience.

1. Soft drinks and snacking is a big problem. So I stopped having it in my house. Also try and buy individual portions of stuff so you are aware of what you are eating.
2. The first few weeks are going to suck. Our bodies aren't designed to shed weight easily so you may find your intital efforts don't pay off. But don't worry things will probably change, Rome wasn't built in a day.
3. If you can, try and find a workout buddy. I've found it harder to skive on workout sessions knowing there is someone who is going to kick my butt.
4. I know this going to be hard, but you need to stop thinking about your 'magic number.' Easy to get despondent when your numbers aren't going down. You need to view this an exercise in changing your life permanently for the better.
5. If you are craving something, then eat a little bit. The more you deny yourself, then the more you start obessessing about it and pig out.

Biggest piece of advice:
Everybody is different and what works for one person might not work for others.

[Guri Guy]

Personal pet peeve. It's not loose. It's lose.

As far as losing body fat goes, Crazy Lemon Girl seems to have it pretty well figured out. Changing your diet and exercise are the way to go. Putting on a little muscle raises your metabolism and helps you burn fat quicker.

I used to weigh 260 pounds myself so I know a thing or too about losing weight. I was 32.3% body fat. *Oof*
I now am about 183 pounds (Kim Jong Il's weight coincidentally) and around 13-14% body fat.

Good luck!

[rawiri]

Find the best gym in your area. Not the little one room places with a few treadmills, some machine weights and jiggly belts. Go for the upmarket places which are at least 2 floors. These are the places that have different types of aerobics classes.

Once you have found one of these places have a fitness consultation, koreans can be quite blunt and the trainer will in all likelihood tell you you are too fat. Don't be put off, just accept it and move on, your trainer will then come up with some kind of program for you. Some trainers in korea really don't know what they are doing so INSIST on a program that incorporates some kind of basic weight lifting along with the cardiovascular work you need to do.

Regarding cardio, i use to be able to run on the treadmills upwards of an hour and it wouldn't phase me, eventually it got to the point where i was getting bored stupid so me and my brother started attending different aerobics classes. Boredom is never a factor, the music is loud and fast and the atmosphere in most well run classes is palpable. Everyone's endorphines start kicking in and it's really a fun environment, kinda like dropping an E and dancing your ass off.

I'm a guy and so is my brother (funnily enough) so it was a little strange (but also quite lovely) being in a room where 90% of the participants are female, after a while you become oblivious and just turn up for the rush. Don't worry that everyone else is korean and that they are probably staring at you and maybe commenting to each other about the fat foreigner, just smile and do what you got to do.

Dont even think about training for more than an hour and a half initially. If you are out of shape then thats more than enough. Use the time constructively and watch what you eat and you are guarantted results.

[i_teach_esl]

wow! you all used to be BIG!

sorry, im not making fun, im just really surprised at the numbers (225,240,260?). and very inspired, congratulations to you all in your journeys to become your best selves.

[Gamecock]

At the beginning of your work outs/eating healthy you will lose weight quickly, then after the first couple of weeks your loss will slow down, and then your body will even level off, even if you are working out and eating the same as you were when you started...So don't get too excited at the beginning or discouraged in the following months. The key is slow, steady, and consistency.

When I started losing weight (about 50 pounds last year). I consulted several doctors and was told that on average you shouldn't lose more than 2-3 pounds a week. Rapid weight loss is hard on your body and for some reason it comes back very quickly when it comes off quickly.

When I started working out and eating right I lost about 20 pounds my first month, but then it was 1-2 pounds a week after that. Good luck!

[seoulsucker]

Don't be afraid to lift weights.

Women seem to think that if they do this, they'll bulk up like some WWE freak show, and it's just not the case. Low weights, high reps, combined with 45 minutes of cardio 4-5 times a week should do it. Building lean muscle

Don't start going 3 hours a day, every day. You'll burn yourself out.

Focus on cardio. You don't have to run. Use the web to find your target heart rate for weightloss/fatburning, and stick with that. I usually walk briskly at 6 or 7 km/h and keep my heart rate between 120-130. It depends on your age, etc.

Don't expect big gains immediately. Focus on gradual gains over the course of 3 - 6 months at a time.

[Corky]

Two years ago, I was 270 pounds with no muscle. Now I'm 210 and I've gained a lot of lean muscle. This is what worked for me:

Like you said, you have to stop drinking, although white wine is the drink with the least calories if you can't stop. Alcohol slows down your metabolism, it clogs up your liver, and it's full of calories. The day after a drunkfest can get in the way of your workouts and put you in a mood. I found this the hardest thing. I had to stop hanging out with certain friends so often.

I drink between 4 and 5 litres of water a day. It's amazing what this can do for you. Water keeps your metabolism high, keeps your liver clean, and cuts down on hunger. It does have an obvious side-effect though, but it's worth it.

I drink a lot of green tea. I take it because it's an anti-oxident and I use it to replace coffee. It has caffeine, so don't drink a lot at night.

I count my calories. I'm not very good at this. It takes dedication. It helps if you get a book and write in it what you're eating. If you can keep your daily calorie intake under 2,000, then you'll see changes very quickly. Instead of three meals a day, try to eat about five small ones (same calorie count). Better yet, do a google search on nutrition.

Protein shakes are good. If you don't keep your protein levels up, then your muscles can't repair themselves. I take Musashi P-40 protein; it's expensive but it's really good.

Get vitamin supplements. You have to be wary of the vitamin supplements though. There's a lot out there that sound good but aren't (Centrum for example). I take GNC mega men vitamins (an unfortunate name, but it's balanced for men who work out daily).

These products can be ordered online, but most gyms will order supplements for you.

It's ideal if you can wake up and go for a brisk walk to start your day (about 35-45 minutes) and then get back into the gym later in the afternoon to do your weight training. Most people don't have time for that though. Three times a week, I do thirty to forthy five minutes of interval jogging after I lift weights. Your body tends to get used to your workouts and interval training can keep it readjusting.

What's most important is that you're consistent with when you go to the gym. Make it to the gym when you're supposed to, even if you unable to do what you planned. 20% of any workout is better than 100% of no workout. And always take at least one day a week off.

Good luck.

[Yo!Chingo]

The biggest thing for me to keep weight off has been to never think of a heathly life style as dieting. NEVER NEVER NEVER!!! Find healthy recipes that you really like and that don't take a ton of time preparing and make them ahead of time so you can grab them when you're ravenous. Buy granola and fruits and drink lots of water or green tea. Never force yourself to eat something you don't like just b/c it's supposedly healthy. That'll just turn you off of the healthy change.
High fat snacking can be the devil when it comes to weight so limit the $$$ you take with you when you're at school. No temptation to run out and buy something. Just bring your own healthy ones.
Exercise is the biggest factor in weight loss for me. Weights and cardio 3-4 times per week at least 1 hour each session. I generally do my abs and my butt exercises in the morning at my house so I cut my time at the gym in the evenings. 2 hours at the gym per session can get boring fast!

Good Luck...I know it'll be hard at first, but anything done at least 21 times b/c a habit.

[SPINOZA]

[Homer]

Did not need to lose weight when I arrived but I noticed the local diet helped anyway (less bread and dairy product for example).

I eat balanced meals, work out 5 times per week and lead an active life (lost of outdoor activities).

Not having a car helps as well.

Also, cut out the snacks...those are killers. I drink the occasional coke but rarely.

If you binge drink well...thats another issue.

Basically eat balanced meals and work out.

Don't expect to lose weight just because you are here however. I have seen plenty of people gain a lot here.

Also, be realistic in your goals. If you start working out you will lose fat and gain muscle so your net weight loss might not be all that you expect.

[SuperHero]

95kg July 1st this year - as of today I am 83kg.

I did not diet. The only thing I did was stop eating cola and cookies and no food after 8pm. Having said that I did eat an entire costco pie by myself in 2 days and still lost weight that weekend - this happened twice.

Exercise for me is the running machine for a minimum of 45 minutes 4x per week but usually 5x per week. Today I just ran 8.6km in 59 minutes.

That's it, there really is no secret to losing weight. more exercise and better quaility calories and use more calories than you take in.

[jlb]

Last September (almost a year ago) I decided I was going to run a marathon the following May. So I signed myself up for a 10 km in October, a half marathon in February and then a marathon in May.

I started out being able to run about 20 minutes in September. I got on a training plan that increased my mileage each week. It was torture to start with but now I am at the point where I love running and do it just for fun, even without a race.

As for weight loss, I was never severely overweight but just a bit chunky. From September to May, I probably lost 10 or 15 pounds and gained some serious leg muscle. I have gained probably 3 or 4 pounds back since May because I have stopped running as much.

So the moral of my story: sign yourself up for some athletic thing that you have to pay money for and then train for it. Make it hard: it will give you more motivation. Better yet, sign up with a friend.

Now that I am thin (er) some things I do to stay this way in Korea:

1. Almost always cook at home. Ramyeon can kill your weight. Eat lots of fruits and veggies and go easy on the processed food.

2. Don't drink. Alcohol has A LOT of empty calories.

3. Walk or ride my bike everywhere. I rarely take buses or taxis.

4. Exercise 6 days a week but mix it up to keep it interesting. I run 3 times a week, play tennis a couple days, go hiking or bike riding one day and lift weights a couple days a week. It's best to have some workout buddies to keep you coming the days you really don't want to.

5. Drink lots of water. A lot of people think they're hungry when they're really dehydrated.

6. Don't even go down the junk-food aisle at the store. I know I have no willpower to resist if I go down that aisle, so I just don't.

7. Eat junkfood in moderation. I love icecream so I meet a friend every Wednesday for a cone at Natuur. It's better than buying a big tub and eating it all at home. I like pizza so my rule is that I will eat it at work if someone gets it or a group of friends going out but buying a whole pizza for myself is just bad news for me.