Oh My Girl member Mimi, 31, recently shared how she maintains her slim physique despite an intense love for bakery items. Appearing as a guest caller on the YouTube channel Vivo TV, Mimi spoke with hosts Song Eun-i and Kim Sook about managing her weight while enjoying carbohydrates.
"I eat bread like crazy—I eat nothing but bread," said Mimi, who is widely known in the Korean entertainment industry as a passionate bread enthusiast. "These days, I'm really into salt bread. I don't usually like heavily dressed options like pizza bread or sausage bread." Asked by Kim Sook how she stays so lean at 163 centimeters and 47 kilograms, Mimi credited a combination of strict eating windows and high-volume exercise.
"I work out hard—boxing, ballet, swimming, weight training, running, and more. The real answer is moving a lot," Mimi explained. "I don't eat anything after 6 p.m., I avoid late-night snacks, and I don't eat steamed rice or grains."
Cutting Rice to Eat Bread: What the Science Says
While many people see bread as an obstacle to weight loss, cutting out staple grains like steamed rice to compensate for bakery items does not automatically guarantee results. Both rice and bread are primary sources of carbohydrates, making weight management a matter of balancing overall caloric intake against total energy expenditure. A person can maintain their weight while eating bread if total daily calories remain within their burn rate; conversely, eliminating rice will not prevent weight gain if bread consumption is excessive.
Furthermore, commercially baked bread often contains substantial amounts of butter, sugar, and cream, making it more calorie-dense than an equivalent portion of plain rice. Made primarily with refined white flour low in dietary fiber, bread digested quickly can cause rapid blood sugar spikes without providing lasting satiety. Mimi's routine succeeds primarily because eliminating rice and late-night snacks helps keep her overall daily caloric intake under control. Similarly, avoiding food after 6 p.m. effectively eliminates late-night snacking, though total daily energy balance remains the primary factor in weight loss.
Is Salt Bread Better Than Savory Pastries?
Although salt bread features simpler ingredients than pizza or sausage breads, it is not inherently low in calories. Salt bread dough relies heavily on butter to achieve its characteristic flavor and layered texture, making it rich in total calories and saturated fats. Eating multiple pieces can quickly elevate both fat and sodium intake.
Savory pastries like sausage or pizza bread are similarly high in calories, sodium, and saturated fat due to processed meats, cheese, mayonnaise, and sugary sauces. Nutritionists emphasize that no single bakery item is inherently diet-friendly. Consumers should evaluate portion sizes, sugar content, and butter levels. For those looking to manage weight and blood sugar, whole-wheat or whole-grain breads—which contain higher levels of dietary fiber—are preferable. When eating bread as a meal replacement, pairing it with protein sources like eggs, chicken breast, or tofu, alongside fresh vegetables, helps balance the meal.
High-Volume Workouts and Daily Movement
Mimi's regimen relies heavily on diverse, high-intensity exercise. Boxing, running, and swimming elevate heart rate and engage major muscle groups, boosting cardiovascular fitness and calorie burn. Weight training helps preserve lean muscle mass, preventing drops in basal metabolic rate during weight control, while ballet builds core strength and flexibility. Combining varied exercise disciplines helps distribute physical demand evenly across the body while maintaining long-term engagement.
In addition to formal workouts, non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT)—such as walking, standing, taking stairs, and doing housework—significantly increases daily calorie expenditure. Physical movement following meals is particularly effective at blunting postprandial blood sugar spikes, as active muscles draw glucose directly from the bloodstream for energy.
Ultimately, Mimi maintains her figure not because salt bread is low in calories or because rice is eliminated, but because her high physical activity levels balance her caloric intake. However, at a height of 163 centimeters and a weight of 47 kilograms, Mimi's body mass index (BMI) stands at approximately 17.7, placing her in the medically underweight category. Health experts advise that rather than strictly eliminating entire food groups, sustainable weight management requires balanced nutrition, portion control, and consistent physical activity.
