Ever felt the pressure to drop those extra kilos in a short time?
South Korean supermodel Lee Hyun-Yi can totally relate. Famous for her runway appearances and down-to-earth charm on shows like My Little Old Boy and I Live Alone, she recently got real about her own battles with weight.
How She Dropped 4kg in Just 12 Days Before Stepping Onto the Red Carpet
Lee Hyun-Yi shared that she gained 4kg during a family vacation packed with delicious food. Shortly after, she was scheduled to attend the SBS Entertainment Awards. But with the event postponed by a month, she had just enough time to focus on losing the extra weight and getting back in shape.
Taking to her YouTube channel Walking Mom Lee Hyun, she revealed that her weight had gone up to 58.7kg after the trip.
However, with consistent workouts and a disciplined diet, she managed to drop the holiday weight and tone up her figure in just 12 days!
Here’s how she did it.
Burn Fat with Fasted Cardio — Football Style!
Fasted cardio is basically exercising on an empty stomach, typically first thing in the morning before having any food. Without readily available fuel from meals, your body taps into stored fat for energy, making it an effective method to target stubborn fat.
That’s exactly why she pushed her workouts even harder by training on an empty stomach on the football field. As part of the FC Tall Team on SBS’s Kick a Goal, she made full use of those intense football sessions, such as running, kicking, and burning fat nonstop.
Of course, her teammates and fellow models Jin Jung Sun and Kim Jin Kyung reminded her that going to such extremes isn’t something you should maintain for too long. But determined to reach her goal, Lee Hyun-Yi stayed focused and powered through.
Super Simple Diet Menu — Cabbage Pancake
After her intense workouts, she kept her meals light, clean, and surprisingly fuss-free. One of her favourites? A simple cabbage pancake, a recipe she picked up from singer Son Dam Bi.
High in fibre and low in calories, it helped keep her feeling full without uncomfortable bloating, making it ideal for anyone trying to shed weight without going hungry.
It’s super simple to whip up, too! Just slice some cabbage thinly, mix it with eggs and pan-fry it as is, no seasoning required. She enjoyed it with a bit of sherry vinegar on the side, which added a nice kick of flavour while also helping to keep her blood sugar levels in check.
But that wasn’t all — Lee Hyun-Yi made sure her meals were well-balanced and loaded with protein:
- Keto gimbap
- Shredded chicken breast with lettuce and cabbage, drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled with salt and cayenne pepper for an extra kick
- Seafood like sea pineapple and oysters are on the menu too
She also made it a habit to eat vegetables first at every meal, a smart move to control blood sugar spikes and keep herself fuller for longer. Just sticking to this clean eating routine helped her shed 1.5kg almost immediately, bringing her weight down to 57.2kg.
Toning Up with Strength Training
With her final fitting coming up, Lee Hyun-Yi knew she needed to tighten and tone her back to look flawless in her dress. She even joked that her muscles were starting to resemble those of MMA fighter Choo Sung Hoon, famous for his broad, muscular back.
Still, she stayed focused and committed to sculpting her figure to perfection.
With just two days to go, she doubled down on intensive strength training, zeroing in on back workouts and body contouring sessions, all while sticking to her clean diet and cardio routine.
For Lee Hyun-Yi, hitting her target weight wasn’t the end goal. When it comes to red carpet moments, it’s not just about being slim, but also looking toned and sculpted, especially from the back.
Slaying the Red Carpet
After 12 days of dedication, she managed to shed another 1kg, bringing her weight down to around 55kg. And when the SBS Entertainment Awards night finally rolled around?
She completely owned the red carpet, flaunting her toned figure and proving that all the hard work was totally worth it.
Related Read: TWICE’s Sana’s Weight Loss Secrets for Maintaining a Healthy, Fabulous Figure
Image credit and source: Instagram/lee.hyunyi
