In the left image, from left, Lee Jang-woo, Park Na-rae and Jeon Hyun-moo pose for a photo demonstrating their body transformations. The image to the right shows Park working out. Captured from social media

TV hosts Jeon Hyun-moo, Park Na-rae and Lee Jang-woo recently participated in a body profile photo shoot challenge on the MBC entertainment program "I Live Alone."

Formerly known as the "palm oils" for their fuller figures, they underwent extreme diets and revealed their dramatically transformed appearances. TV personality Jeon lost 13.3 kilograms, actor Lee Jang-woo shed 22 kilograms, and comedian Park Na-rae dropped 6 kilograms, achieving a weight of 47 kilograms.

Their transformation left everyone in awe, and many viewers became eager to know their diet secrets. Responding to the curiosity, Lee and Park shared their diet methods.

The most effective exercise for Park, as revealed on her broadcast, includes a routine of stretching, kettlebell workouts, and the burpee test to build strength and flexibility.

She demonstrated the kettlebell swing, which involves standing with feet hip-width apart, squatting down, and then standing up while lifting the kettlebell. It's important for beginners to start with a lighter weight and gradually increase it. Park used a 6-kilogram kettlebell in her routine.

Jeon Hyun-moo and Park Na-rae / Captured from social media

Combining cardio and strength training

In weight loss, Park said, diet is more critical than exercise. Park recommended "overnight oats" as a part of her diet, explaining the recipe: "3 spoons of oatmeal, 1 spoon of Greek yogurt, half a spoon of allulose, 1 spoon of unsweetened peanut butter, 1 spoon of chia seeds, 1 spoon of protein granola, a handful of nuts, and 1 spoon of whey cheese powder or unsweetened cocoa powder (though it's so delicious it might slow down weight loss)."

Additionally, Park shared her varied diet including oatmeal porridge like oatmeal, tuna or crab sticks, brown rice with natto, avocado, smoked salmon, tzatziki sauce, and rye bread. For breakfast, most days, she eats an apple, a spoon of unsweetened peanut butter and Greek yogurt.

A week before the body profile shoot, she ate sweet pumpkin and 150 grams of chicken breast with seaweed for kids three times a day. When hungry, she snacks on nuts and cherry tomatoes. After a mukbang, she fasts for 16 hours the next day.

"Although the weight loss process is slow, it prevents rapid weight regain and maintains elasticity, so I kept at it. Initially, exercising felt heavy and awkward, and it was annoying and hard. I even found myself swearing during workouts," said Park.

She also stressed the importance of combining cardio and strength training. "For three months, I did one hour of cardio and one hour of strength training five days a week. A month before the body profile shoot, I increased it to two hours of cardio and one hour of strength training daily."

She found the most effective exercise during her cardio sessions to be high-intensity interval trainings, which she said were "incredibly challenging but extremely effective."

Additionally, she mentioned, "Going to Zombie Gym for an hour of hitting mitts and learning martial arts was like watching people turn into zombies because of how exhausting it was."

Lee Jang-woo takes on a running challenge on MBC's "I Live Alone." Captured from MBC

Seven hours of sleep at night

Lee Jang-woo's diet tip is running, which is a popular exercise among many dieters.

He has found that running has helped him recover from various adult diseases to insomnia. He emphasized the importance of consistency.

"It seems really important to be consistent. Rather than going hard one day and then resting in pain the next, I try to make it a daily habit to move routinely," he said. "The most important thing is to run for at least 30 minutes at a time to enter the 'fat-burning zone,' which is effective for burning fat."

Lee also emphasized the critical role of sleep in managing weight. He ensures a minimum of seven hours of sleep nightly.

"There's a type of energy that can only be burned while sleeping. Lack of sleep leads to the release of stress hormones that increase fat storage and weight gain," Lee said. "That's why I've also been taking supplements and calming teas to help stabilize my mind and body. Good quality sleep is crucial for effective dieting."

Experts agree that insufficient sleep shifts our body towards a fat-gaining tendency. During sleep, the activity of the sympathetic nervous system, which excites the body, decreases.

However, in those who are sleep-deprived, this reduction does not occur properly, leading to an increase in catecholamines, neurotransmitters that raise blood sugar levels. A rapid increase in blood sugar prompts the body to release excessive insulin, which inhibits fat breakdown and promotes fat storage.

Park Na-rae and Lee Jang-woo / Captured from instragram

Moreover, sleep deprivation raises cortisol levels, a stress hormone that further encourages fat accumulation. Research shows that women who sleep less than five hours a night gain, on average, 15 kilograms more than those who get at least seven hours of sleep.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, sister publication of The Korea Times, was translated by generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.