Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Illysook]

I usually eat all that I want at lunchtime. Sometimes it's a little, sometimes it's a lot. I usually try not to eat anything that's fried, but sometimes it's hard to pass on fried chicken. Usually it's cut into very small pieces and I take 3 or 4. Today, I ate about twice as much as usual. I've been trying to up my activity level with a goal of walking at least 350 minutes a week. I hope to lose weight, but my appetite seems to notice how much I exercise, so I probably need to do a better job of counting calories.

[oldtactics]

Varies every day but I'd estimate my school lunches are 600-700 calories. Figure 250 for a cup of rice, 50-100 for the vegetables, 50-100 for the soup, and a few hundred for the 'main' course. Of course the fried days are higher than the others, but considering how small the portions are, I wouldn't be too worried. Higher calories (besides the rice) come on the days when the pork or chicken is drowning in sugary sauce.

I realize that it's an endless cycle when it comes to fueling for working out, but I'd say if you're that concerned, just do more cardio on the days when you eat more than usual, or eat a lighter dinner.

[Underwaterbob]

Mine are. I'm big, so the lunch ajumma feels the need to give me two huge scoops of rice every meal despite my continuing insistence that I don't need it.

[nukeday]

yeah i get way more than a cup of rice. it's like a bibimbap portion of rice, plus meat, plus kimchi, plus veggies, plus budae chigga. it's a lot of food, i often end up tossing half the rice.

i'm at an elementary school, so sugary sauce is the norm for the meats unfortunately

[Steelrails]

Your school should post the calorie amounts on the menu.

The student portion averages about 5-600 calories a meal.

I would recommend getting a microscopic portion of rice, the student size soup, while keeping the side dishes to standard to slightly reduced sizes.

Remember, feelings of hunger go away as your stomach shrinks. Just because you feel hungry doesn't mean you are hungry.

[Kaypea]

You could maybe bring a small dish to shool and put your rice/main portion in that, since the metal trays they use are huge-ee. A co-teacher started bringing a child's lunch dish and using that.

[Illysook]

I'm up to 200 minutes of walking so far this week and since I ate like a pig yesterday, I tried to cut back a bit today. I didn't feel hungry, so it wasn't difficult. Breakfast is oatmeal and a cup of coffee, lunch is at school, I'll often have an apple and a piece of cheese for a snack after school and eat dinner later. i haven't been in the mood to cook much lately, but I'm trying to banish the cereal for dinner habit.

[DorkothyParker]

Do you know about how many calories a day you burn "resting"?
It helps to know before you start cutting calories all willy-nilly like.


I get school lunch at my kindy and 700 calories seems like an awful high estimation. I'll grant you 200 for the cup of rice. But I can't imagine my 8oz (if that) of watery seaweed soup, kimchi, 2oz meat, and soy soaked eggplant makes up for 500 calories.

Then again, my body seems to be perpetually stuck at my current weight. I get a greater variation due to my menstrual cycle than I did when I was doing cardio 5 days/week. I've never been much of a calorie counter, though, and my body starts craving hella protein when I work it too hard.

Currently I'm trying to fill the void with tea, lots and lots of tea.

[Illysook]

I should probably try to figure out my resting number, but I don't really know how much I weigh, it's just that my pants are getting a little tight, especially in the waist. I've never had much belly fat until this past year or so and I'm interested in losing it because it's dangerous. I don't wish to count every single calorie, but sorta limit my portions and eat a normal variety of foods while I step up my activity levels. If I don't lose, I'll rethink this strategy.

[DorkothyParker]

I did gain a bit of weight (maybe 5 lbs?) when I first arrived. I couldn't really tell what was different as back in the USA, I ate crazy amounts of eggs, butter, bacon grease, whatever. What I didn't really eat was sugar or white grains (just because).
I think the rice has a way of sitting on the belly. I try to only eat rice at school now and fill up on my veggies and protein at home. Also, I stopped drinking that damned worthless coffee. It's all sugar and no caffeine buzz.

Did I mention tea? Lots of green tea (hot) or matcha (cold). Mmmmmmm

I'm also trying to drink extra water to make up so all the sodium/salt in the soups and kimchi and what not. I read that drinking cold water encourages some *small* extra calorie burning, so that's good. I don't know if it really does help flush out the salt. I googled, but never found a definite answer other than "eat less sodium" which isn't happening.

Anyway, good luck.

[Crockpot2001]

60% of all working registered dietitians (RD) in Korea are working in school foodservice settings. When I have volunteered at public schools and universities to speak about nutrition and the field of dietetics I sometimes take the opportunity to meet the RD. She (almost exclusively female) seldom speaks English. With the help of a friendly English speaking Korean, the RD often in a position to help you with your questions or concerns with school meals. Since she is in charge she could likely bestow upon you the power to tell the servers to reduce portions.

Crockpot RD,LD