Asians trying to lose weight

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Replies

  • queenpushycat
    queenpushycat Posts: 762 Member
    Did you know that in China, when you apply for a job, you put down your height and weight and attach a picture and they can legally not hire you because you're overweight or not attractive enough??

    Same thing in South Korea. Those chicks there are REAL thin... omg... But I heard they are big on surgeries. Hmmmm....
  • kitjos
    kitjos Posts: 158 Member
    Im not Asian by means, but me and my husband went to Japan last year on our honeymoon. Im 5ft'8 and was at my heaviest at approx 13 stone (182lbs) and i swear i felt soooooo uncomfortable in there environment o_0.

    The people themselves were friendly and i love the country and cant wait to go back there but i felt uncomfortable just walking around. The women and guys there were gorgeous!! I felt like Godzilla walking around in my frumpy clothes. They were all wearing tight tops/blouses with short framed skirts and thigh high socks. They all looked thin but i wouldnt say bad thin. I think the older generation could of done with a layer of fat though!

    I can do nothing about my height, im from the UK so im standard on that call, but the next time i go back to Japan i hope i can be approx 9.5 stone (133lbs) or less. Maybe i will fit on the cramped trains better then :) xx
  • mabelebam
    mabelebam Posts: 150 Member
    Contrary to most of the replies here, I'm on the higher end of the 'Asian' weight spectrum. More like the 'upper limit' of the spectrum. I've been overweight all my life and often received remarks about my weight and body shape. My own grandparents tell me that I'm big boned and oversized, yet they keep stuffing me with food. :grumble: And I've had people ask me 'Why are you fat?' on numerous occasions, the worst being in the supermarket when a random guy looked into my trolley and said 'Are you seriously buying that?'

    It was tough, growing up as a 'big kid' in an Asian culture where practically everyone is stick thin. I got so sick of hearing my super skinny friends complain about being fat that I outright told them it hurt my feelings. They told me (indirectly) to lose some weight instead.

    And maybe that's part of the reason why I'm here...to prove that I would be able to lose this excess weight and finally be able to shop in the 'regular' one size fits all shopping malls. But more than anything I want to prove that I am more than just that miserable, unusually large sized Asian who is always underestimated and ignored.
  • zoink66
    zoink66 Posts: 116 Member
    My own grandparents tell me that I'm big boned and oversized, yet they keep stuffing me with food. :grumble:

    ^^^ This. lol

    Seriously, the first thing people always say to you, even as a greeting is, "Did you eat?" Even if you have, they're bound to offer you stuff anyway, and it's seen as too rude to refuse!
  • Mrrwmoo
    Mrrwmoo Posts: 44
    My own grandparents tell me that I'm big boned and oversized, yet they keep stuffing me with food. :grumble:

    ^^^ This. lol

    Seriously, the first thing people always say to you, even as a greeting is, "Did you eat?" Even if you have, they're bound to offer you stuff anyway, and it's seen as too rude to refuse!

    They make fun of your weight, then try to stuff you with food! Gah, it's a common Asian dilemma =/. My mother and grandmother are exactly like that. It's a paradox I tell you. Parents and relatives can only show how much they care through food, but in turn they expect you to be skinny for some reason. IT DON'T WORK LIKE DAT YOU FOBS //rantrant XD.
  • Jeff92se
    Jeff92se Posts: 3,369 Member
    haha I'll post #5 for us asains:

    http://www.cracked.com/blog/the-8-people-who-will-ruin-your-attempt-to-lose-weight/?wa_user1=3&wa_user2=Weird+World&wa_user3=blog&wa_user4=feature_module

    101018_v1.jpg

    #5. People Who Never Think It's Good Enough

    Everyone knows about the stereotypical Asian parent that sees their kid's straight-A report card and asks, "Why no A+?" This kind of joke is apparently very funny to people without such parents but just depressing and straightforwardly true to people who have them.

    Well, you get the exact same kind of people when it comes to getting in shape. Tell them you're going to stop drinking soda and drink only water, and they'll say, "That's not going to do anything, you're still eating burgers for lunch and playing video games all day." Tell them you're going to take a half-hour walk at lunch every day and they'll snort derisively and say, "You know the amount of calories you burn in one walk isn't even enough to make up for one banana, right?"

    Pretty much nobody outside of movies ever switches lifestyles overnight, suddenly cutting fat from their diet, exercising five times a week, quitting video games and TV, swapping pasta for quinoa and steak for tofu. Almost everyone who's successfully turned their weight around started out with one "useless" change, like exercising once a week or subbing water for soda. (I put "useless" in quotes because dropping one extra large soda can save you 500 calories just like that.)

    Losing weight after being fat for a long time seems like a monumentally impossible task, like climbing Mt. Everest, or in some cases, a flight of stairs. Either way, going from the way you are to being a "normal" weight can sometimes seem like a ridiculous fantasy. That's why when you succeed with changing one tiny habit, it can change your whole perspective. It's not this monstrous solid mountain you have to overcome, it's just a big pile of stones, and you just easily picked one up and moved it. It's not about heaving the whole thing aside with some supernatural effort, it's just about moving one stone at a time. And the first one wasn't so bad, so you're stoked to grab a couple more.

    That's why when a "friend" says, "Ha ha, you dip****, what good is that one stone going to do you?" you want to clock them. And maybe you should, that will burn a good five calories.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,024 Member
    It's so ironic sometimes when you're overweight and Asian. If you're offered a high calorie dish and refuse, you're then considered impolite and rude. But it's the dish that made you overweight and the same people who gave you the food harp on you being overweight. You can't win unless you're thin.
  • woou
    woou Posts: 668 Member
    I'm Asian, too. Hiiiiiiii.

    I recently stayed with a very conservative Chinese and really thin classmate for a week. We had a school project. So I had the opportunity to see her lifestyle up front.

    She's vegetarian for health reasons and actually influenced her entire family to eat vegetarian with her. She eats 3 times a day, wakes up around 6am and exercises every morning. She gets to bed around 10-11pm after working and going to class all day. Her GPA is amazing. It was staying with her that time that motivated me to eat healthier and exercise regularly. There are some people who don't maintain their weight in a healthy manner, and there are some people who do it in a healthy manner and is just very thin as a result of it.

    Someone who looks really thin doesn't always automatically equal unhealthy or someone with an ED.
  • Jeff92se
    Jeff92se Posts: 3,369 Member
    It's so ironic sometimes when you're overweight and Asian. If you're offered a high calorie dish and refuse, you're then considered impolite and rude. But it's the dish that made you overweight and the same people who gave you the food harp on you being overweight. You can't win unless you're thin.

    Nail, head, you hit it!

    I think it's because alot of asians can cram whatever down their throats and not gain weight. Or they were pretty skinny when they were young so even if they gain 10-20lbs, it won't really look bad. Me? I'm not one of them. I have to bite, scratch, yell and work my tail off for every pound lost. (while I weight train)
  • Poemetra
    Poemetra Posts: 47 Member
    I am not Asian but I can understand some of what everyone here is saying. i am 5'2 1/2 and over weight...like a lot, and I don't know my frame. I guess I am supposed to be a small frame because of my height. It sucks being the chubby kid. I do want to make it to 120. That is my goal weight. Considering where I am now I will be so happy when I am there. I want to go to Korea or Japan but man oh man everything is so small there. I want to go shopping and get some clothes though. I thought it would work because of my height but now I wonder if 120 will be good enough.

    Still I will be happy with it. On my frame 110-120 would look nice. I guess I will see when I get there. The girls in my dorm on my floor are so small like size -3. I have seen a size zero and it wasn't like that but then again Asians have a smaller frame so maybe it is a size zero. however America has bigger sizes so our zero is like a medium over there.

    Anyway I just hope to get some tips and maybe help motivate. So Hi everyone. <3
  • RuchMathers
    RuchMathers Posts: 23 Member
    Hi All,

    Are there any other Asians out there trying to lose weight? What are your goals for weight and sizes?
    Doesn't it SUCK being the chubby Asian in the group? Growing up, all my friends were consistently 105lbs!! I was at least 30 lbs heavier than that in high school!! I've also got a larger frame that most Asians...I wear 27" waist jeans and will probably never fit into anything smaller thanks to my wide hips...but I suppose curves come with their benefits too :)

    I think my ultimate goal weight is 115 but I'd be happy between 115-120 at 5'2 1/2 :)
    at 125 lbs, I can STILL only fit into size XXXL when I go back to China. "Miss, I'm not sure we carry your size..."

    Mom was constantly on me to lose weight and catch a man...haha !

    Now that I've got one she doesn't want me to get too skinny because it's not good for bearing male grandchildren...

    LMAO, "Larger frame"? "27" jeans"? Your mom constantly trying to ask you to lose weight. Um, basically you haven't met me yet.

    Yes to your first question, I'm the Asian that REALLY NEED to lose weight, because I'm consider Obese, my BMI is way too high.

    Height is 5ft3. Current Weight is 180lbs.

    And does it SUCKS to be Chubby Asian in the ethnic group? How about it SUCKS TO THE CORE being the fattest in the "Asians-who-are-thin-but-still-thinks-they-are-fat" group. I'm not trying to be insulting or attacking you or anything. But you have no idea how I feel. My friends have been always the lighter, maybe to them, they are fat. But what about me? That's the reason losing weight in Asian countries, doesn't help. Because they are like "hey! I'm size number 2, I'm fat. I wanna go to size number -13, then I'll be satisfied" Try being size 18 all your life, then yeah, size 2 is like.... tiny weeny.

    Every time I'm at the bus stop or the train station or even just walking around outside, skinny Asian EVERYWHERE. Women are never satisfied their own body, I know that, but it's so exaggerating that they are so damn small, and yet they still complains that they are fat and ugly. (=_=) And I'm like, "okay... so if you're thin and still call yourself fat and ugly, so I'll be the big giant ogre then?"

    Sorry to just burst out like that, but I just can't help it. Asian girls who are size that small and yet they think they are fat will never understand what I am going through right now. So... yeah.

    But still, I will never give up in losing weight. It's just it's harder than everybody expected. If you're size 2, I'm size 18, I have to SUPER EXTRA harder than you. so.... be easy on yourself.

    Hahaha! i know size 27 is not big.i was 174lbs (78.9kg) and im 5ft. im surrounded by skinny people who constantly complaining that they're fat when they're under 50kg.i cant remember the last time i can fit into girls' jeans.i always look for jeans at men section.being called dugong,penguin (short n fat) by relatives,being the biggest among my bestfriends is frustrating.now when im trying to lose weight,and down 7kgs to date and now they tell me not to be obsessed with counting calories and too much exercise -_-' a few told me not to eat at all and just drink water.thats how they diet here in Malaysia.
  • Reiral
    Reiral Posts: 20
    Hi! I'm asian too! Finally found a person who understands what I am going through. I'm 162 cm (5"4) and is 68kg. Wearing a size 28 to 30' jeans. I've gain 22 lbs over 10 years. My height is the same since 12. I'm 23 now. My hips and legs are alright i guess but I have to wear huge tops like size L or XL ones. My mom is saying the same thing too, even when i wear around 55kg at the same height. LOL I would be happy to go back to 50 to 55kg.
  • areumdawn
    areumdawn Posts: 23 Member
    i actually skipped out on going to s.korea over the summer because of my weight...
    i havent been back in almost 10 years and was afraid that everyone would stare at me for being fat
    i am now 129 lbs and 5'6 and i'm definitely going next summer since i'll be at least 120 by then..ill still be considered big. i hope clothing fits me because i intend to do a lot of shopping...
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,024 Member
    This happened today. Went to a christening and the celebration was at a buffet. The mother of the child has gained some weight over stress (her baby has been in and out of the hospital) and when I went to greet here, an older person there said "wow, you've gotten bigger since the last time I've seen you" (everyone there was practically Asian and it was an Asian buffet). Never a dull moment with Asians.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • nvmr
    nvmr Posts: 1
    i actually skipped out on going to s.korea over the summer because of my weight...
    i havent been back in almost 10 years and was afraid that everyone would stare at me for being fat
    i am now 129 lbs and 5'6 and i'm definitely going next summer since i'll be at least 120 by then..ill still be considered big. i hope clothing fits me because i intend to do a lot of shopping...

    I'm pretty terrified to see my parents over winter break because I *know* they'll comment on how much I've gained since the beginning of the semester. I've recently been kind of isolating myself from my friends, who happen to be mostly Asian as well, as they tend to comment about peoples' weights when they're not around.

    Hoping to get back to 120 as well by January....
  • Jeff92se
    Jeff92se Posts: 3,369 Member
    i actually skipped out on going to s.korea over the summer because of my weight...
    i havent been back in almost 10 years and was afraid that everyone would stare at me for being fat
    i am now 129 lbs and 5'6 and i'm definitely going next summer since i'll be at least 120 by then..ill still be considered big. i hope clothing fits me because i intend to do a lot of shopping...

    Excuse me but screw them. I would have went. I went to Japan about a year ago and the dudes at the Japan office were all giving me crap about my weight. Then I asked them how much can they lift. *crickets*

    But in Japan, they have a penaity for being overweight now,. Crazy
  • Muir78
    Muir78 Posts: 23 Member
    I'm not Asian but am about to marry into a Korean family where the majority of the women are between 4'8" - 5'2" and 95 - 115lbs. I'm 5'6" and about 280 lbs (so is my fiance - but they don't see his weight as an issue to comment on for whatever reason).

    It's kinda sad, but it actually makes me feel better to hear that it's very cultural when it comes to everyone commenting on weight and being not so subtle with negative comments. To some degree, I thought it was just their way to say I'm not good enough for their son with comments along the lines of "fat girls can't get pregnant," and such. They also wanted him to settle down with a nice Korean girl, so there was that hurdle as well.

    After three years of dating, I've finally gotten to the point of being able to ignore the complete lack of verbal filters and we get along fairly well now. But d*mn does it hurt at times, especially when I *know* I'm working to improve my health and fitness.
  • Jeff92se
    Jeff92se Posts: 3,369 Member
    Good point. Maybe some asians just don't see comments toward weight as negative as Americans.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,024 Member
    Good point. Maybe some asians just don't see comments toward weight as negative as Americans.
    It's true. When they do comment it's more of a "what the heck happened" rather than a "you're fat and that's bad" attitude. Because there are so few overweight Asians back in the East, I think there's an interest of more how someone actually gets that way. I also believe it happens because in some Asian countries, affection isn't always a strong trait (especially amongst males) and they don't see how someone's feelings can be hurt by asking a question regarding a person's physique.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • Jeff92se
    Jeff92se Posts: 3,369 Member
    bump
  • ChitownFoodie
    ChitownFoodie Posts: 1,562 Member
    bump
  • alexandria412
    alexandria412 Posts: 177 Member
    Thanks for bumping this.

    I don't really have much to contribute beyond what's already been covered, except - is there a group for us on MFP yet?
  • Elen_Sia
    Elen_Sia Posts: 638 Member
    Hi All,

    Are there any other Asians out there trying to lose weight? What are your goals for weight and sizes?
    Doesn't it SUCK being the chubby Asian in the group? Growing up, all my friends were consistently 105lbs!! I was at least 30 lbs heavier than that in high school!! I've also got a larger frame that most Asians...I wear 27" waist jeans and will probably never fit into anything smaller thanks to my wide hips...but I suppose curves come with their benefits too :)

    I think my ultimate goal weight is 115 but I'd be happy between 115-120 at 5'2 1/2 :)
    at 125 lbs, I can STILL only fit into size XXXL when I go back to China. "Miss, I'm not sure we carry your size..."

    Mom was constantly on me to lose weight and catch a man...haha !

    Now that I've got one she doesn't want me to get too skinny because it's not good for bearing male grandchildren...

    I can so totally relate to your experience! Before I joined MFP, I weighed 126 lbs. Friends and colleagues here told me repeatedly that I was so tiny, and they were stunned when I told them if I was still living back home, I'd be considered "pudgy". :noway:

    I'm 5'1" and my weight then was putting unnecessary pressure on my bad knee so I knew I had to do something. I reached my goal weight of 112 earlier this month but it's since dropped to 110, partly because of a GI bug and partly because I've been lifting weights in addition to being on a higher-protein-lower-carb food plan.

    I now tell people here that my current weight is the average for females back home. LOL.
  • daovang
    daovang Posts: 4
    The worst thing about being asian and being overweight is eating all that rice. I grew up eating rice like if it was breathing air. It just comes naturally now with everything i eat from eating it with eggs, hotdogs, sausages, any thing.
  • foreverjade
    foreverjade Posts: 213 Member
    I guess I'm lucky that my grandmas don't (usually) call me fat, but they DO like to make comments when I lose weight. Like "ohhhh you look so good! Keep it up! Don't go back to what you were doing before!" :ohwell:
    or they compare me and my sister to our cousins, and the skinny ones get compared to my sister, and me? I get compared to my 6' 220lbs body builder cousin. :grumble:
  • I am an "Americanized" asian - asian face but American size. I have bigger frame, hands, shoes (size 9 American), boobs, hips and bootay. I have been one of the tallest person in my family since I was 11 years old.

    Some cannot tell I am asian, I have been mistaken as Indian, Filipino, Mexican and Brazilian. I look like a generic brown person.
  • tameko2
    tameko2 Posts: 31,634 Member
    I am an "Americanized" asian - asian face but American size. I have bigger frame, hands, shoes (size 9 American), boobs, hips and bootay. I have been one of the tallest person in my family since I was 11 years old.

    Some cannot tell I am asian, I have been mistaken as Indian, Filipino, Mexican and Brazilian. I look like a generic brown person.

    actually you look asian to me. entirely. and I wear a size 9.5 shoe. Just sayin.

    also all you tiny asian girls who are just not as tiny as some OTHER tiny asian girls are giving me a complex. Haha. I'm 5'6" 165 and my GOAL is like, 155. I'm heavy like a heavy heavy thing. (I mean actual weight heavy)

    I actually like it. weighing more = more maintenance calories for me. I'd be miserable eating like a 100 lb person.
  • qtiekiki
    qtiekiki Posts: 1,490 Member
    The thing with Asians is that they are so concerning with weight and being skinny. I think a lot Asians in Asia are skinny fat. When I was younger, it did bother me that I have to wear M when I shop oversea. Now that I am older, I don't care as much since I've realized that their standards have nothing to do with health and fitness.

    ETA: I felt like I was the larger Asian girls growing up, and I was the same weight as I am in. Some of it is just insecurity.
  • tmacmoto
    tmacmoto Posts: 285 Member
    [/quote]


    I think most Asian guys are too skinny. It's nice to know that you're representing solid muscular Asian guys :)

    What is your preference for Asian girls bodies? I don't feel like Asian guys are attracted to me (body AND personality). My mom once told me that an Asian guy would ever chose me...lol not since junior high anyways. When I use to go out with my friends, the dainty/delicate ones were always chosen first. I feel like most Asian guys don't even really like curves. I'm glad I'm in America where there are men who type a more voluptuous body type...I'd be single forever in China!!

    Thoughts?
    [/quote]

    Thank you for the thread. All my life I struggled with being the 'chubby' one. Hence, the reason that I was in every sport manageable growing up. Being on the swim team didn't help my self confidence or lack of. Imagine being the chubby asian kid in speedos?
    And families can be sooo cruel. After trying to lose some weight, my mother would hug me and say, "Still too fat" Ugh!

    I'm half Japanese/half caucasian. (not sure what the other half is, adoption) I have always been attracted to asian women regardless of body type. I felt the other way that asian women weren't attracted to me because I was fat.

    I've attempted to find balance between workouts, eating, and everything else, but still I "feel" that I have to lose another 10 lbs.

  • I'm half Japanese/half caucasian. (not sure what the other half is, adoption) I have always been attracted to asian women regardless of body type. I felt the other way that asian women weren't attracted to me because I was fat.

    I am part islander; part? - grampa Keith was a rolling stone. I think his name was Keith. I can't really tell if asian guys are attracted to me or any guy at all. If they do not specifically tell me, I assume friend zone. I can't read flirtations. There is a higher percentage of sweet gingers that are into me (maybe it is just Boston demographics).
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