Hello, everyone!

I feel like I'm at an AA meeting or something like that. My [user]name is ish and I need to lose weight. Rather than get into a huge long story about why I'm overweight or why I've not lost weight, I think I'll just stick to what's happening now.

I'm trying to lose weight, which is itself a foreign concept, to me, in a foreign country with a foreign culture. I'm Canadian, and I've been in Seoul, South Korea for two months so far, and I will be here for another ten. I decided to take a working holiday after I graduated rather than start my career right away. Anyway, the food is different, and the culture is totally different. It's a wonderful experience, but I'm not sure if it will help or hinder a weight loss effort. Regardless, I'm going to give it a try and it will probably help to have a community to turn to, whether or not anyone's tried losing weight in Asia!

So far I think I've lost about two pounds (it's not that the scale is in kg, which it is, it's that my floor is made of this kind of softwood - they're heated floors - and so the scale sinks in a little and I weigh ten kilograms more or less depending on where the scale is in the apartment. I try to keep it in one spot, but it still varies wildly. If you know of any ways to weigh yourself without a scale, I'd love to hear them! haha) but I'm thinking a small goal would really help me.

Do you guys think it's reasonable to aim for 199lbs by Christmas if I'm just starting out? I have no idea if that's realistic or not. I am trying to eat about 1500 calories a day and I teach kindergarten (run around after 4 year olds all day) if that helps any.

Sorry this is so overlong! I hope I can bring something to this community, even despite how little I know!

It's hard to say what's healthy and unhealthy for someone else because everyone's body functions and adjusts differently. Of course, consulting your physician is always the best source of information regarding this issue. Having said that, as long as you're consuming the nutritionally ideal amount of calories and working out a few times a week, you're on the right track! How much you'll lose by Christmas doing this, is unknown.


I started my weight loss journey just over a month ago. I have lost over 15lbs and it is significantly showing already. I've been watching what I eat and working out everyday, thus the pounds have just shed super quick. I've hit a couple plateaus though and have sat on a certain weight for a few days but then all of a sudden — voila! I've gone down another couple pounds. But that's how it's worked for me. Everyone is going to be different. If you're doing the eating and working out in a healthy method and losing quick, so be it. If it isn't that speedy, so bet it. You WILL lose weight regardless of how fast it sheds.


Best of luck and welcome! Oh and PS. I'm Asian and have lived all over southeast Asia. It's hard enough being an Asian that is taller and with naturally a little more meat on their bones, I can only imagine how tough it would be as a foreigner in that situation. But hang tight, don't lose hope. You're on your way now :]

Thanks for your reply!

It is definitely difficult dealing with being overweight in an Asian community. I live in a neighbourhood of Seoul that is not at all touristy, I have yet to see another foreigner (caucasian, anyway) aside from my co-worker, in my neighbourhood, so people actually stare for that reason alone. Like, some people will turn around and walk backwards in the street, kind of stare. I don't mind, but being overweight makes me more self conscious than it did at home. Korea has next to no overweight people, let alone obese. The women here are gorgeous and also very thin.

I teach at an English kindergarten, and usually I teach my own full class all day, but yesterday I was substituting for a period and I walk in and the first thing I hear, from an adorable 5 year old, is "Why are you big? Do you eat like a pig?" From the mouth of babes, but I can see why he would think that, from the way these kids are educated about healthy eating and fitness by family/school (it's really awesome how proactive they are about it, actually). The best was this little girl stood up for me saying "Noooo, she has a baby in her tummy, silly!" Oh man, and really, my stomach is not even the issue, I'm 5'9" and I carry my weight in my hips and thighs!

Welcome ish! This time is the first time I made a serious attempt at weight loss too. Something you might want to try in addition to the scale is measuring your inches lost. I know for a while I was feeling frustrated at a lack of pounds lost on the scale, but found that I was still losing inches.

Maybe being in a different environment is just what you need to make this change in your life! Good luck to you!

I think there are other posters on this board who are from North America but now living in Asia. I wish I could remember their names to point you in their direction - but I have a feeling there are at least a couple. I hope they chime in with their advice.

Good luck to you!

If the scale is going to be a problem, maybe you need to track your progress through inches lost in your waist/chest/hips/thighs/arms.

Maybe weight yourself in someone's home if they have a solid floor once a month.

1500 calories seems doable, but you have to keep make sure you're getting enough nutrients.

Good luck!

Thanks for all your advice! I will keep an eye out for a measuring tape and a spot to weigh myself every week.

I really don't think it matters if no one's in my exact situation, I can already tell this message board is going to be a great source of information! Thanks everyone!

Yep I did was overweight in Asia (singapore and china) last year. It wasn't easy.
Rice is a killer for the blood sugar levels.
and doing exercise - well everybody just stared at me and my whiteness, and probably more All my curves, it's a bit off putting.
If I'd lived in China rather than just travelled there for work I'd have eventually tried to join in with the Tai Chi - it looks easy but it's not, and I think it's a great exercise to start the morning. Do they do tai chi in Korea? - It's usually done in the parks in the early morning.
When I travelled in Italy I was woken up by the nuns singing morning prayers, In China it was the Tai Chi music. Such a great memory.

I think 199 is a very reasonable and doable goal for you. I know just what you mean on the concept of weightloss being foreign to you. It was for me too. Luckily, you have 3FC which will not only give you the support you need, but REAL answers too. The FANTASTIC news is weightloss WORKS! Find a plan that will work for you/with you and stay consistent. You will see magic!

Koreans are BRUTALLY direct about bodies. Ouch. I was born in Korea and I am too embarrassed to visit because I'm so worried about feeling big. I live in Fukuoka, Japan which is a 2 hour boat ride from Busan and 1 hour by plane to Seoul, btw. Teaching English of course.

The good news is that Korean food is healthy as long as you don't eat white rice all the time! Lots of veggies with spices. If you don't already, start eating kimchi regularly. It's super spicy and a little goes a long way and has almost no calories.

My husband is in the army and was stationed in Korea for a year. He is also half Korean and grew up with a Korean father. He told me a lot about while he was over there and how the people can be so I know where you're coming from. I also understand from being around his father. Everytime we see them he asks me if I've lost weight. It actually goes something like: He and his Korean wife talk to each other in low voices, speaking Korean so I have no clue what they are saying, as one or the other nods or gestures towards me. Then he asks me if I've lost weight. I feel as if he's actually trying to remind me that I need to lose weight. They are always nice to me, don't get me wrong, but I'm pretty positive they would like it a lot if I were smaller. He used to get onto my husband about his weight too. I hope to lose a decent amount by the holidays when we'll see them again. It would be nice to be able to answer his have I lost weight question with a smile and a yes for once.

I've actually thought about the fact that there is a chance my husband could get stationed in Korea again and if so we'd probably get to go with him. We'd probably live on post and be around other Americans, but I'd definitely hate to be out in the city and have everyone stare at me. Not just for being white, but big too.