Former fighter Choo Sung-hoon (51) revealed his health management secret.
Recently aired on JTBC ‘I Can’t Do It Alone’, comedian Heo Kyung-hwan challenged himself to try unique exercises.
On this day, Heo Kyung-hwan asked Choo Sung-hoon, “You have natural talent, but what is your health management secret?”
In response, Choo Sung-hoon said, “Even if it’s morning, I don’t eat if I’m not hungry, and conversely, if I’m hungry, I eat. If I’m hungry even at dawn, I eat. Wildly.” Lee Soo-ji said she eats that much too, but Choo Sung-hoon drew a line saying, “That’s a bit different,” which made everyone laugh.
He then added, “I fast for 48 hours every two weeks, only drinking water. Detox. Just like we take breaks twice a week when we work, I think our organs need to rest too.”
Eating at Dawn Accumulates Body Fat and Disrupts Deep Sleep… Should Eat Small Amounts Mainly of Protein Foods
Eating only when feeling hungry, like Choo Sung-hoon, has the advantage of not unnecessarily stimulating insulin secretion. However, caution is needed during dawn hours.
During dawn, melatonin secretion is high and insulin sensitivity decreases, so eating at this time can lead to blood sugar fluctuations, body fat accumulation, and decreased sleep quality.
If you must eat at dawn, it is advisable to avoid high-fat and high-sugar foods and choose small amounts of protein-rich foods that are easy to digest, such as tofu, boiled eggs, chicken breast, and Greek yogurt, which provide satiety.
48-Hour Fasting is Good for Blood Sugar and Body Fat Management, but Detox Effect is Weak
Meanwhile, the 48-hour fasting that Choo Sung-hoon does every two weeks helps to rest the digestive organs and promotes body fat oxidation.
However, detoxification is something the liver and kidneys perform continuously, so it is difficult to see a clear detox effect. If detoxification is the goal, limiting alcohol, minimizing processed foods, and ensuring sufficient sleep and hydration are much more directly beneficial to liver and intestinal function than fasting.
If the goal is to rest the organs like Choo Sung-hoon, a 24-hour fast or periodically maintaining a 14-18 hour fasting period is safer and more sustainable than a 48-hour fast.
Long Fasting After Middle Age Can Lead to Muscle Loss… Must Supplement with Water and Salt
Especially after middle age, long fasting can easily lead to muscle loss, and if activities continue without sodium and potassium intake, dizziness or severe fatigue can occur.
Therefore, even during fasting, it is necessary to supplement with small amounts of salt and mineral water along with water, and immediately after breaking the fast, one should avoid high-carb and high-fat meals and start consuming small amounts of protein and vegetable-based foods to reduce gastrointestinal burden. Additionally, light muscle stimulation through squats, push-ups, and band exercises before and after fasting can help prevent muscle loss.
