Is it tough staying in shape in Seoul?  In a city where youthfully slim is still prevalent despite the assault by global fast food (Krispy Kreme, looking at you) and where waifish young men and women make hipster look baggy, it leaves many overseas-born bodies wondering how to shed the flab.      

It’s not easy.  Life is fast.  Being single and having a social life of drinking with anju add to the challenges.  Let’s not even talk about teaching schedules affecting our eating schedules and how that in turn is affecting our sleeping schedules.  Disastrous results follow.  If you thought the “Freshman 15″ were a problem how about the “Teaching in Korea 15″-in kilos.

“The formula for success, you have already known for years.  It’s a two part plan of moderated intake and moderate output,” said Mark, a fitness trainer friend from Hong Kong. 

Moderated intake:

The first thing to do is to pick a list of unhealthy foods to start (slowly) weaning off from your food repertoire.  First things first.  Cola has got to go.  Sorry.  The number one useless fat-adding substance can be found in your carbonated, sugary drink, which manufacturers have spent billions annually to addict you since childhood.  Can you live without cola?  Yes, you must.  You have to de-program that from your habits.  And with the size of Kin Cider and Coca Cola being as small as they are in restaurants in Korea, you have a leg up on this one.

As you slowly break bad food habits, such as fast food burgers, late night ramen, fried chicken, and other junk foods, add fruits into your diet such as apples, bananas, oranges, along with nuts or trailmix.  Tip: Clean your fruit as soon as you bring them into your house and make a basket on your kitchen counter.  Take one as you go out the door each morning.  

One key principle to making sure your diet is in order is to not rely so much on calories or the feeling of fullness.  The French actually are widely known for eating until just short of full, or 3/4-full.  Americans tend to think they are finished when all the food on their plate is gone or until their stomach is about to pop.  Koreans tend to fall somewhere in between but with the issue of eating too quickly.  Try to follow the French model, while taking time to chew and not counting calories.

Another key point is to stop the Fitness Torture Cycle.  This can best be described by my friend who is a self described “fitness buff” and tries to lose weight actively through a diet of salads and workouts.  The salad is a combination of wonderful greens and tomatoes, but they are loaded with feta cheese!  Naturally, she keeps gaining weight and doesn’t know why.   She works harder on her routine, and then hungrier, she loads more feta into her salad.  It’s a vicious cycle that disrespects the first law of thermodynamics.  The more calories you put in the more you have to burn off. 

A recent study in portion control found that smaller plates helped people eat less.  Take a look at the plates in your home, and banish the giant turkey platters for some smaller tea-plates.  You may find yourself eating more servings, but according to the data, you would still be eating considerably less than if you were eating off of Gulliver’s china.

Moderate Output:

1. Running is the fastest way to losing weight, but it is also fraught with many challenges, including issues for the already obese, unfit, or injury prone.

“One of the top reasons I can’t run is the air quality,” said Elizabeth Morley, a marathon runner in her home state of Montana, USA. 

An additional reason, say several others interviewed for this post, is that running in the streets can be complicated, or downright dangerous.  Runners on even the widest sidewalks in Gangnam would need to negotiate a large volume of pedestrians. And then there are motorcycles.           

“It reminds me of New York’s Times Square,” said Morley, “But except when you’re running, everyone is looking at you as though you were from out of town.” 

What to do about it.  Many runners and bikers wear air filtration masks or bandannas if they are frequent runners or are susceptible to asthma.  I’ve found that at certain times during the day, like the early morning, you won’t need them as the air is clear.  These masks or bandannas can be purchased at fitness shops.

Most people I know do not run in the city blocks.  I wouldn’t run in the narrow residential alleys either unless you know that the entire neighborhood is largely untraveled by vehicles.

There are wide open spaces if you look at a map of the area (try Google Earth!).  For instance, I go to the Hangang River Park.  Both the north and south banks are lined with over 50kms of well paved jogging/bike paths. 

If you haven’t yet gone to your nearest point on the river, then you are in for a wonderful treat: majestic views of the Seoul cityscape, lots of people to watch, and room to run.  If it gets too crowded feel free to consider night running.  With the appropriate light markers, which you can purchase at most bike or fitness shops, you can run without the danger of collision.  As far as concerns from women running at night, I can only say to use common sense.  If your area is not safe, as in, you have seen bonfires and drunk gangsters (which is highly unlikely) then don’t run there.  For the most part I see single women walking their dogs at night simply because there are enough citizens out there on the riverside even at 11pm at night that it is not considered by anyone as dangerous.

2. Swimming is another option. Three kinds of places. The first one is a public swimming pool run by your local district community. If you ask some Korean friends or search on Naver you can find your district’s community homepage and find the pool nearest you. Expect to pay a small fee. These pools can be very crowded, especially with old and young people. The second place is a sports center. These require membership fees which can be as little as W70,000 per month or as high as W50-million deposit at the high end. These pools have different crowds during different parts of the day. In the early mornings you may have a lane entirely to yourself, and at noon you might be standing in the pool with five grandmas. Timing is crucial. The third place is my favorite, but the most expensive, because they are hotel pools. Whenever I need to unwind I sometimes book a room at the Sheraton Walker W Hotel. Their pool is empty nearly all of the time, and with its modern looks and clean lines, gives you the relaxation and exercise you want.

3. I can’t say enough how much owning a bike will change your life. If you look at the main streets for a minute, just count how many people ride a bike. You will see young and old doing everything from leisure riding to carrying their shopping home. Now hold on, I know the cycle cynics are already clamoring how dangerous the roads are. Pfff. The roads are dangerous if the rider rides dangerously. Wear a helmet, ride at a comfortable speed, and always, always look for traffic on right turns! Simple as that.

Go to your nearest bike shop and expect to pay as little as W100,000 for a toy bike, W250,000 for a decent utility mountain bike, and in the range of W500,000~1.5 million for a premium imported bike.  Or, bring your own from home via excess baggage like I did!

4. Most officetels have a low cost or free gym in the basement. I think the gym is great for strength training, but I don’t recommend this as the only way to stay in shape. It’s hard to lose weight by pumping iron. You need cardio such as the treadmill too. If you are interested in joining a gym, expect to pay a monthly fee of around W60,000 to W 500,000, depending upon the quality of your gym and its location. In Korea they call ordinary gyms a “health” whereas the more tony places where people go to check each other out are usually called “fitness centers.”  

5. Other ways to get into shape and meet people are by taking classes in yoga or the martial arts. The only tip I have for finding a good yoga place is to a) ask a girl or b) join a yoga place where you see a lot of girls going. My logic behind this is that yoga is popular with women, and a lot of women attending is usually an indication of its quality. Some of the yoga instructors out there are actually giving you warm-up exercises and only calling it yoga. Caveat emptor.

Now it’s easy to recognize that Korea is the land of Tae Kwon Do.  Why not learn some while here?  Again, ask around for a reputable school and master.  I also recommend looking into KumDo, Akido, Hapkido, Kung Fu.  All of these sports will help you train your mind and body in ways you never thought possible.  Plus, you won’t be afraid walking down any dark alleys anymore!

6. There are also some no-time solutions. “On a typical week, I have class at Ewha University two times a week, some tutoring sessions, and then classes in the evening,” said Michaela Kim, a graduate student. She moves through the week at a blistering pace, offering that her best exercise comes from her commute. She always jogs up stairs rather than using the escalator.

Another way to make sure your arm and core muscle groups are in shape is to purchase a barbell.  This is the smaller weight that you can hold with one arm.  Get one that is heavy enough for one arm to hold but only enough for 8 reps.  Do this each morning and the feeling is like your body pulling itself back together! 

Use It or Lose It:

Teachers in Korea, for the most part, do not appear to be exercising as much or as often as they need to be.  Where is the time for that?  What for?  I’m only here in Korea for a year  are common excuses that are passed around.  It is widely known that a lack of fitness can lead to obesity, depression, eating disorders, and future illness.   Staying fit is a personal responsibility that we should all take seriously.  There are options-easy options-to stay in shape, or to even improve your shape for the fall season.  Plus they are fun!  Try them out. 

P.S.  I forgot about organized sports teams like baseball.  Anyone want to comment on that?

–Sally, an AFPA certified personal trainer, has worked with the Park Club / Seoul HYATT

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