After spending some time in South Korea, I always wondered why most Korean women are slender. I initially lost weight when I got to the country, but eventually I gained weight and it was hard to lose it again when I got back to the states.
What was their secret? Were they physiologically different than Caucasions of European descent (such as I)? Was I doomed to slowly gain weight after hitting my peak in life, or could I possibly learn their secrets?
One day I simply asked a Korean woman, who was about 30, beautiful, fantastic-looking, etc, what she did to lose weight so efficiently. She described it to me like it was something everyone already knew – why was I asking? I suppose this is what they all do when they really want to lose weight. It was fairly simple, but sounded like torture to me.
Here are things you are supposed to DO:
1. Exercise like crazy (at least an hour) every day. Do the types of exercise that burn the most calories, like running, and keep your heart rate up.
2. Drink lots of water.
3. Eat a tiny bit of rice each day, but just a bit because too much rice makes you fat.
4. Eat lots of vegetables, grains (no processed), seeds, nuts and legumes (for Koreans, this includes all types of kimchi).
5. Eat fruit, but don’t overdo it – just a few a day.
6. Eat/drink dairy – milk, yogurt and eggs – but no cream, butter or cheese.
7. Eat meat.
8. Sleep all you can so you don’t think about eating.
Here are things you are NOT supposed to do:
1. Do not eat until you are full. Eat until you aren’t hungry any more.
2. Do not eat rice, except for a tiny bit (like a few bites) each day.
3. Do not eat bread. At all. Bread makes you fat.
4. Do not at cheese or cream or butter.
5. Do not eat sugar or candy or ice cream. Sugar makes you fat.
6. Do not stop exercising daily.
Voila! In about 30 days, you will be looking great, and in about 60 days you will be skinny as a stick. This is not surprising, since it is pretty much a low-carb, low-calorie, high-protein, vegetable/meat diet coupled with a lot of exercise. I think Korean women just turn to this diet whenever they want to lose weight. It’s also clear looking at this list why I do not look like a slim Korean woman. I like to overdo almost all the things on the DO NOT list. I have tried to go for a week on this diet and it actually makes me feel great. Plus I lose a few pounds. I just can’t go longer than a week… possibly for psychological reasons, I don’t know.
DISCLAIMER: This type of diet may lead to stomach upset, diarrhea, and other unpleasant side effects. Also, if you currently consume a lot of calories daily, you should very slowly transition to a hard-core diet like this (ie, slow your calorie intake down over the course of a year, then start this diet). But wow, you will have the body of your dreams if you can stick to it!
Charged With Chocolate 