Teacher you are fat!

It is probably the thing I have heard the most while being in Korea. It hurts a bit and well I usually laugh it off. I understand that Koreans do not know that saying one is “fat” is an insult when they should say heavy, overweight or even big. It still bothered me for a while. In Canada I was never called that since it would be rude to say so. I was HUGE in Canada weighing in at around 240 LBS (110 kg). I came to Korea and lost a bit of weight in my first year since I was not use to the food thus not eating as much. For the following 6 years in Korea, I worked from around 8 in the morning until 10 or 11 at night. I did this for five days a week and I use to work for two hours on Sundays and Saturdays. I feasted on McDonalds and Burger King. I also would meet up with friends and go for chicken wings and lots and lots of beer. Most of my exercise was walking and that is about it. In Gunsan that has changed. I learned to cook. I have eaten more vegetables and fruits than I have since living back in Canada. I have also reduced my intake of food dramatically. Before, I would eat a bag of potato chips now I eat a handful of almonds. This past weekend was the first time in 6 months that I went to McDonalds. For the past month I have been going to the gym at 3 or 4 days a week trying to reduce my weight and gain a bit of muscle. I don?t want to have huge muscles just lose a bit of the belly and be healthier. I will have more time to work on this. I know that weight loss isn’t a diet but more of a life style change and I do feel like I am changing.