Skate America: Predictions

[ImaginaryPogue]

Ooh I'm a sucker for Joannie's biceps..

Looking back.. I cannot believe this was actually a prediction thread..haha..

Me too. And Albena Denkova always looked like she could handle herself in a brawl.

[prettykeys]

Ooh I'm a sucker for Joannie's biceps..

Yes. I think she looks fantastic.

Also--it does not surprise me that Gymnastics should have some of the most muscular men and women (functionally; not the disgusting, useless kind of muscularity as in professional bodybuilders.)

I do believe it is the toughest sport.

[chaerae]

Well, since this is apparently still the Yuna diet thread, I will chime in to say...

As someone who eats Korean food daily, I just got done with dinner. The menu? Soybean paste soup, sea bass/flounder, some kimchi and other veggie side dishes including marinated tofu, and a small helping of rice. I would hardly call it a miserable diet. In fact, it was damn tasty. The idea of a diet consisting of soybeans, tofu, fish, vegetables, etc. might seem unappetizing to some, but these are all major staples of Korean cuisine. Korea is a peninsula, so fish/seafood has always been a major source of food, moreso than red meat, and you'd be surprised how many delicious tofu or soybean dishes there are!

It doesn't sound like Yuna is being particularly deprived. She has a nice proper meal for breakfast and then something lighter for lunch and dinner. It's definitely low-calorie, but nutritious and efficient. It certainly sounds healthier than some other skaters' diets I've read about. And Yuna looks stronger and healthier than ever - the proof is in the pudding. She's naturally slender and thin-boned. She's not even especially skinny by the super weight-conscious standards of Korean women... but that's another issue entirely.

And now, could we get back to the predictions? Mine:
Kim, Flatt, Suguri
Lysacek, Verner, Mroz
S/Z, Z/Z, V/M
B/A, K/N, C/L

[gold12345]

As someone who eats Korean food daily, I just got done with dinner. The menu? Soybean paste soup, sea bass/flounder, some kimchi and other veggie side dishes including marinated tofu, and a small helping of rice. I would hardly call it a miserable diet. In fact, it was damn tasty. The idea of a diet consisting of soybeans, tofu, fish, vegetables, etc. might seem unappetizing to some, but these are all major staples of Korean cuisine. Korea is a peninsula, so fish/seafood has always been a major source of food, moreso than red meat, and you'd be surprised how many delicious tofu or soybean dishes there are!

Thanks for sharing information about the typical Korean diet. Yu-Na's food choices (based on that article at least) don't sound as odd to me now that I've read your post.

Wait. I didn't want to get into this discussion about Yuna's restrictive diet, but your post made my jaw drop. I haven't read every single post on this thread but I thought that people are making all these disapproving comments about her diet based on this little information that she has a calorie restrictive diet. Why are some of us jumping into conclusions or making unsupported claims as if we had been waiting for an opportunity to bash her?

I was absolutely not bashing Yu-Na. Commenting on her diet or restrictive diets in general is not bashing. If you read the rest of the thread, you would notice several posts talking about severely restricted diets. I was commenting mostly on those. Yes, we only have that one article about Yu-Na's diet, but what is wrong with discussing it or the points the article raises in general? I realize I didn't speak very eloquently about the topic, but please don't misunderstand. I hope Yu-Na, like every skater, can have a sensible diet.

I don't know if she eats meat or not, but not eating meat makes someone go overboard...with what? Many people go vegetarian because they want a healthier lifestyle.

The article commented that she wasn't eating meat because it may "weaken muscular endurance", not because she wanted to be healthier. That's why I made the comment that it might be going overboard. A meat such as chicken is good for you, and I'm not at all convinced cutting that out of a diet would help one's figure skating in any way! I'm not talking about Yu-Na here... I'm talking about dieting in general. There are several pointless dieting techniques out there, and this, to me, is one of them.

Also, who said that she's on diet to delay puberty? Aren't many athletes on diet while maintaining a healthy body? Who is to say that she is torturing herself? Many people watch what they eat. I myself don't drink soda, don't eat snacks, don't eat fatty foods, and I've never felt that I am torturing myself. If I have occasional cravings for something sweet, I treat myself then but I don't crave for that all the time. I guess some people 'have to' believe that all the slim beautiful women are torturing themselves by not eating chocolates and burgers every day.

Again, I was replying to a general comment, not one specifically about Yu-Na. And again, I am not talking about diets that simply cut out sweets and limit portions sensibly (many people, including myself, look to do that!) I was talking more along the lines of severely limiting calorie intake in hopes of improving figure skating performance. I just find it a little silly. The main point I was trying to convey is that eating like a bird usually is not the best answer to staying thin and in shape, especially when you are doing many hours of high level training like these skaters are.

[Nadia01]

I didn't get any feeling that people were basing Yuna, but more like they're concerned that she might be eating too little.

TBH, I don't think her diet sounds gross, esp. given that she's Korean. When translated many Asian food can sound miserable -- like octopus balls, squid ink pasta, etc. (BTW - they're very popular in Japan & taste quite nice.)

Also she's not all that skinny for Asian, esp. Korean girls. Many of them are downright gross (b/c they're way way too skinny).

Ultimately, does it matter what she eats and how many calories she consumes as long as she's healthy?

I guess I've been in Asia for too long though...b/c I thought certain American skaters looked a little too heavy.

[Daniel5555]

What's going on, guys?
I'm Yuna's fan and I heard for the first time about "diet" from this thread. In all her interviews (in Korean and I have no links right now) she said either that she has no special diet, or that her food is simply "plain". Also in her birthday picture we could see her eating a huge hamburger with her friend (that picture is in her blog which is inaccessible right now). That clearly shows "strictly caring about calories both off and on-season". Not eating meat? Oh, come on...

Let's not jump to conclusions based on one source.

And about the muscles... You know that size != force? Her hands are OK for me and while jumping they actually support 4G pressure with quite an ease. I think she is really strong girl looking at her stamina.

[Blades of Passion]

Well now I'm just hungry.

[SusieH]

Chill, people. See, she eats, and it's cake no less!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8ke4Yt0y5w (see 2:30)

I don't know how many calories she takes for a day, but she looks healthy and doesn't seem to have any stamina issue this season. That's good enough for me. I'd say she is slender, but she is not skinny (and definitely not sickly skinny) if one judges her by the East Asian standard. She did look a little skinny two years ago, but not now. It's pretty obvious she has gained some weight after she went to Canada.

I feel like I need to do my list since it's a prediction thread. But I don't do predictions whenever my favorites are involved. So I'll just say good luck to everyone! (Especially to the ladies! Please, please deliver this time. I don't think I can handle another splatfest.)

[mishieru07]

Yu Na is a little on the thin side but it's still within the normal range, definitely not overboard! I'm around 1.62m and my weight is similar to that of Yu Na's ... it could be an Asian thing; Asians are of a different build and IIRC, generally lighter.

Anyway, I'm seriously not fussed about what she eats. Vegetarians and vegans don't eat any kind of meat and still live healthy, active lifestyles. As long as she's happy and not suffering from eating disorders, I think a restrictive diet is fine, so long as it's balanced. (I think everyone is just concerned, not judgemental, especially after Jenny mentioned many skaters suffer from eating disorders)

Since when has this turned into a thread about Yu Na's diet? I think we ought to set up a new thread just for this .

[demarinis5]

Chill, people. See, she eats, and it's cake no less!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8ke4Yt0y5w (see 2:30)

I don't know how many calories she takes for a day, but she looks healthy and doesn't seem to have any stamina issue this season. That's good enough for me. I'd say she is slender, but she is not skinny (and definitely not sickly skinny) if one judges her by the East Asian standard. She did look a little skinny two years ago, but not now. It's pretty obvious she has gained some weight after she went to Canada.

I feel like I need to do my list since it's a prediction thread. But I don't do predictions whenever my favorites are involved. So I'll just say good luck to everyone! (Especially to the ladies! Please, please deliver this time. I don't think I can handle another splatfest.)

Thanks for the link. YuNa looks so happy celebrating her b/day. A friend of mine who is a nutritionist told me once that one of the things she first looks at when she meets a new patient is their hair, she said that the condition of ones hair (of course if the hair is purple or green or bald it was difficult lol) is telling about one's eating habits. YuNa has beautiful shiny hair

[hellcat]

What's going on, guys?
And about the muscles... You know that size != force? Her hands are OK for me and while jumping they actually support 4G pressure with quite an ease. I think she is really strong girl looking at her stamina.

In the Countdown Vancouver by Universal Sports, they show Yuna doing 2A w/o blades on!

She can definitely defy gravity! How many of you can do 2A on ground?

[HCOSurfer]

She can definitely defy gravity! How many of you can do 2A on ground?

I can, as can a lot of other people. Look it up on youtube.

[Medusa]

She can definitely defy gravity! How many of you can do 2A on ground?

Of us - probably not too many. But then again, it's not our job to do that. I hate this "do it better"-attitude. It's not my job, why should I do it better? Just because I talk about it?

Being able to do Axels on the ground is not too rare among the top competitors, I think. Sandhu has been doing 2A and 3A on the ground, Lambiel has done 2As on the ground...

[Tango_D_R]

Being able to do Axels on the ground is not too rare among the top competitors, I think. Sandhu has been doing 2A and 3A on the ground, Lambiel has done 2As on the ground...

I can barely do the single axel on the ground.
3A on the ground?? wow


with my roller blades on, I can do a gorgeous spirals though

[ehdtkqorl123]

I can barely do the single axel on the ground.
3A on the ground?? wow


with my roller blades on, I can do a gorgeous spirals though

http://cfile208.uf.daum.net/image/16...4AF00DEB5C44F4