‘27kg Weight Loss’ Poongja: “I Need to Prepare for Marriage”… How Did She Lose It?

Broadcaster Poongja (37) revealed her dramatically slimmer appearance.

Recently, a video featuring actress Sunwooyongyeo and Poongja, who met at the Korea Culture and Entertainment Awards, was uploaded on YouTube 'Sunpoong Sunwooyongyeo'. When Sunwooyongyeo told Poongja, who had lost a lot of weight, "You look prettier," Poongja replied, "I’m working hard to lose (weight)" and added, "I also need to prepare for marriage."

Earlier this year, Poongja appeared on model Han Hye-jin's YouTube channel and revealed that she had lost 27kg. She later mentioned on her own YouTube channel, "This year, I want to lose more and exceed 30kg."

Han Hye-jin, Poongja stated that she used to get diet injections but stopped due to side effects, saying, "Instead, I maintain a long fasting period and do walking exercises." She added, "I eat everything and exercise," and said, "I go to the gym five times a week, so I can eat and still lose weight. I make sure to exercise for an hour and a half to two hours."

Maintain a Long 'Fasting Period', Transform into a Body that Burns Fat Well

Poongja said she maintains a long fasting period to lose weight. Why does a long fasting period help with weight loss?

When the fasting period is extended, insulin hormone levels decrease. This increases the use of fatty acids in the body, putting it into what is known as 'fat-burning mode'. Additionally, it naturally reduces the consumption of snacks, late-night meals, or unconscious eating. Most studies have shown that people who practice intermittent fasting with long fasting periods tend to consume about 300-500kcal less per day without intentionally restricting calories.

The medically recommended fasting period that is both safe and effective is 14-16 hours. You can finish dinner by 7 PM and have your first meal the next day between 9-11 AM, or finish dinner by 8 PM and have your first meal the next day between 10-12 AM.

However, a longer fasting period is not always better. Especially if calorie and protein intake is insufficient, there is a risk of muscle loss.

Exercise 5 Times a Week, Significant Energy Expenditure Effect

Poongja mentioned that she does not significantly reduce her food intake but exercises for about an hour and a half to two hours, five times a week. This exercise pattern is very effective for weight and body fat loss.

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) officially announced that the amount of exercise needed for weight loss is more than 250-300 minutes of moderate to high-intensity aerobic exercise per week.

In particular, aerobic exercises like running not only directly burn calories during the workout but also increase oxygen consumption and metabolic rate after exercising.

Strength training, which many people try using gym equipment, increases the long-term success rate of weight loss. If you do not exercise, 20-35% of the weight lost can come from muscle. By incorporating strength training, you can reduce fat while minimizing the decrease in basal metabolic rate. Maintaining muscle mass allows you to burn more calories even at rest. The basic consumption increases by about 13-20kcal per day for each kilogram of muscle. Increasing activity further raises the consumption rate.