Xiumin reveals he gained 10 kg from yoyo dieting

[goshipgurl.livejournal.com]

TRIGGER WARNING

Article: ChenBaekXi Xiumin, "I was 53 kg during 'Growl', I gained 10 kg in two months"
Source: OSEN via Nate

"I was 53 kg during 'Growl' promotions. I didn't eat because I wanted to lose weight. I ate once every two days and only drank coffee. After promos ended, my cheeks puffed back up. I gained 10 kg in 2-3 months. Yoyo creeps up on you before you know it. I don't recommend losing weight by not eating."

1. [+403, -7] A man weighed 53 kg??
- He's like 162-3cm so it's possible
- He was chubby when he first debuted and said that he basically starved himself to weight loss
- He's short so it's possible
- If you see his pictures from 'Growl', he's all skin and bones
- He's about as tall as a girl though
- He's actually over 170cm;;

2. [+246, -59] Xiumin has such a mystical look to him, he looks like an elf

3. [+222, -25] Xiumin's the guy that people join the fandom over

4. [+20, -8] Gained weight or not, he's still handsome...

5. [+18, -3] Something about him is so captivating

6. [+18, -5] He's a cutie ㅋㅋ

7. [+18, -8] Even with the weight gain, he's only 63 kg... that's still pretty thin

8. [+16, -4] He has such a charming look

9. [+16, -1] Hul, I thought he lost down to 53 kg because of a tough schedule but it was because he only ate one meal every two days... I can't even do once a day. For how much he promotes, he should eat more.

10. [+13, -0] Being able to gain 10 kg in 2-3 months like that just means that his metabolism is originally the type that gains weight easily

11. [+13, -3] Hul, how can a man go eating only once every two days? Amazing

12. [+12, -0] I always feel like idols don't need to diet for how much they're singing and dancing... isn't that a lot of calories burned already...

sources: netizenbuzz nate

Comments

[happydirections.livejournal.com]

Hul, how can a man go eating only once every two days? Amazing

there is nothing amazing about that.

[pepsi-twist9.livejournal.com]

I don't think that's standard anywhere in Korea tbh. I don't live there so I don't actually know but my impression is skinny = healthy for most.

[jyouzebin.livejournal.com]

I will never get how people can go by wating once a day and now he said that je eat once every two days?? I will faint !

[strangerstheme.livejournal.com]

Damn, I remember his drastic weight loss and being really worried when I saw that pic of him running to the company. SM should've done something.
I hope he's taking care of his health now

[cafe-miel.livejournal.com]

There was a very startling point during Growl era where he looked quite sick and I am continuously glad he's learned how to manage his diet without resorting to extreme measures. It's a serious vicious cycle to gain & lose weight continuously but he seems to be an example of someone who was able to successful change his lifestyle.
If anyone missed him speaking about his current "diet", he basically eats every 4 hours without snacking in between.

[krissasaur]

This was how I felt about VIXX's Chained Up. I watched one live and.... After seeing how thin Leo had gotten I just had to pull away. I don't know if they have gained that much weight back since then since I haven't really gotten back into them, but those open chested shirts they had that era... Leo was all ribs.

[leavesabound.livejournal.com]

Anytime there is one of these stories about idol "diets" I just get so sad.

I hope he really is in a better place when it comes to eating now.

[missshallelujah.livejournal.com]

This makes me so sad, he looked sick during that time :(
I'm glad he's doing much better now and I hope he never goes through something like that again.

[rightclick5ave.livejournal.com]

OT but ugh Sungjong's hair (and image) this era gives me life *_* he reminds me a lot of Kim Boa, I love it

[dreamer-easy.livejournal.com]

Christ! I weigh almost twice that. Someone stuff this boy with ramyeon until his beautiful cheeks grow back.

ETA: Ah, thanks (http://omonatheydidnt.livejournal.com/19075920.html?thread=1378931280#t1378931280) cafe_miel. Sounds like he's got the dieting under some sort of control now. I still miss his cheeks, though.

[seulgibear.livejournal.com]

eating every 2 days and only drinking coffee is quite a terrifying diet :( he's been quite vocal about the tough times with his weight and i love him for it. honestly i can't really watch stuff before overdose, he looks sickly thin and there are pictures online where all his bones protrude through his chest it hurts my soul. i'm really glad he is better now and i think he encouraged the others to get healthier too? (chen/baek i think they exercise the most together)

Xiumin being disgusted that people treated him different when he lost weight pic.twitter.com/P2D64WChja (https://t.co/P2D64WChja)

— oxExo (@embarrassingEXO) July 31, 2016 (https://twitter.com/embarrassingEXO/status/759712927221817345)

[timetobegin.livejournal.com]

+1 Xiumin, plus +1.

As someone who has been on the lower end of plus size since her early teen years, I can wholly agree how superficial this shit is and how people's judgements fuck with your head WAY too much. It's really nice to always get passive agressive comments about your body that basically boil down to "You're a lesser person as long as you weigh more honey!!!!". And then when they think you've gotten slimmer (this happens to me alot) all of a sudden it rains praises on ~how good you look~. Fuck off maybe?

[neoreulwonhae.livejournal.com]

Even men in Korea have to be sickly thin? Yeesh. Not that weight/health should have anything to do with your attractiveness, but Korea thinks it does, so how do they think someone that skinny is attractive? Wouldn't a healthy muscular man be seen as more attractive? I don't understand how a weak, skinny young boy would be as attractive as a sturdy strong thick man. Sigh, society.

[cosmicjam.livejournal.com]

I just wanted to say i love your icon haha

[a-cheshire-grin.livejournal.com]

It's called gender stereotypes, which differ from place to place (and from time period to time period). In the west, men who are muscular get paraded around and are seeing as the "ideal", while here in East Asia (I'm from Japan), a lot of women find thin looking men very attractive, who also take care of their appearance (shaving, wearing make-up, manicured nails, have a good fashion sense).

It's the same for women: In the west - at least in Europe, where I've lived for some years now - the "ideal woman" is tall, thin, has blonde hair, blue eyes, healthy looking skin (read: a tan). While in Japan long, straight black hair, big eyes and pale skin are seen as attractive. Also, women in Japan try to look young and "kawaii" as long as possible.

[neoreulwonhae.livejournal.com]

I've definitely heard that skinny guys in Japan is a ~thing but I didn't know it was a thing in Korea too. I guess it's sort of recent with the "flower boy" ideal. Couldn't you be fit and strong and still take care of your appearance? After all, working out and being healthy is taking care of your appearance. I think a muscular or non-skinny guy could still wear makeup and do their nails and care about fashion. idk. I guess I just don't get it. I understand why skinny women are seen as attractive but it just seems counterintuitive to me to see a weak skinny guy as attractive. Guess I'm just American that way. Although I'm sure there are plenty of girls in Asia who like big muscular guys and plenty of men who like tan curvy girls, just not the majority that determines beauty standards.

[a-cheshire-grin.livejournal.com]

Couldn't you be fit and strong and still take care of your appearance? After all, working out and being healthy is taking care of your appearance. I think a muscular or non-skinny guy could still wear makeup and do their nails and care about fashion.

If patriarchal gender stereotypes would be so easy to overcome, then life would be A LOT easier for women and men alike!

In the west - at least in my experience - men wearing make-up and being interested in fashion still makes a lot of people think that those men are gay and women, who don't perform feminity (wearing make-up, shaving,...) still have it harder to find jobs and get paid less than women who wear make-up. In Japan a woman can actually get fired for not wearing make-up! x.x

Although I'm sure there are plenty of girls in Asia who like big muscular guys and plenty of men who like tan curvy girls, just not the majority that determines beauty standards.

Erm...not really.

[neoreulwonhae.livejournal.com]

I'm sure of all the billions of people in Asia not every single one of them has the exact same preference. That's just impossible.

[a-cheshire-grin.livejournal.com]

I was not talking about all the billions of people in Asia, I was specifically talking about East Asia, especially Japan where I am from (like I said). I should have made that clearer in my answer.

[neoreulwonhae.livejournal.com]

Even in Japan though. 127 million people thinking the exact same thing is attractive? Highly doubt it.

[mmmalvina.livejournal.com]

i read somewhere that instead of working out and getting bulkier, male kpop idols starve so that their abs could be visible after all fat is gone

[krissasaur]

I love the icon too! haha

[klauses.livejournal.com]

I've been following him since M's debut. MAMA era, he was a bit heavier than the other members, and he was always called chubby or baozi. During late-"Wolf"/early-"Growl", it was really bad. I remember looking at pics of him and seeing his ribs protruding from his torso.

I'll never forget that episode of Weekly Idol, where they were ranked on appearance, and as soon as they mentioned "body," Xiumin moved himself to the back of the line. That was really sad to see.

[bubblyshades.livejournal.com]

as soon as they mentioned "body," Xiumin moved himself to the back of the line.

that hurt my heart. also I really hate it when they rank appearances, the member who gets last usually laughs it off but that has to do a number on your self-image and self-worth, especially if repeated over time

[agitatorswaltz.livejournal.com]

Kind of off-topic, but I have always hated it when Super Junior does their own self-ranking, especially for attractiveness. Eunhyuk and Kyuhyun always go to the end and I'm like ??? You have Shindong in your group??
Maybe it's a SM thing, who knows.

I'm glad Xiumin is being open about this, and I hope he's doing well.

[krissasaur]

I always felt like the Eunhyuk thing has kind of been an ongoing joke because they all know how popular he is? Then again, he definitely is weird looking... But I feel like they are all kind of in on the joke because of his popularity.

[klauses.livejournal.com]

I can't imagine what it did to Hyoyeon for all those years.

[annayism.livejournal.com]

thanks for the spoiler tags op

:( this is sad, i really hope he's in a better place regarding his eating/diet now

[kwonsoonyoung.livejournal.com]

srsly though i was so worried with him in 2013...

also with suho in 2014:



you can actually see his ribs...


but i'm glad they're all healthy and eating well now.

[boxcuttergirl.livejournal.com]

oh my god??? thats so horrifying, how did i never realize how starved they were back then

[goshipgurl.livejournal.com]

woa shiiiiiiit
2013-2014 was such a bad year for their health. they were at their peak but their health was at the bottom, just like with soshi back when they were at the top. im glad that they're all looking healthier now (minus lay and maybe chanyeol)

[aeries-amethyst.livejournal.com]

I remember Minseok being stick skinny...But how did I not notice Joonmyun as well? O_O

Though honestly, Joonmyun always been on the skinnier side but he got really skinny during this time, I just didn't realize just how skinny ._.

Ironically, both him and Minseok have bulked up now after this scary skinny phase, so I'm relieved that they're eating right and looking healthy these days. Extreme dieting should never be an option for anyone :(

[nightmushroom.livejournal.com]

It's kinda messed up how unphased most of the translated comments are.

[lovebeat-down.livejournal.com]

i knew he was skinny during growl promotions but that's insane

[mordres.livejournal.com]

God. I still remember Yixing saying that he needed to eat right in the middle of an interview in like 2013 and that's when I really got worried. When your members are pleading you to eat in public...... I didn't realize it was actually THIS bad though. I have no idea how idea how you could make it through EXO's rigorous schedule without collapsing daily. I always felt like the Baozi nickname came from a place from affection.. especially because Luhan used it all the time and you could tell how much he cared about him, but I wonder how much of that Min negatively internalized :(

[cuizy.livejournal.com]

Yeah... I remembered someone telling him to eat more but didn't remember who or when. So it WAS during this time and by lay... sweet sweet lay trying to look out for the other members. I can't believe he only ate once per 2 days...

[goshipgurl.livejournal.com]

lay also asked the fans if they like "chubby xiumin" during a concert, and they screamed yes, so he told xiumin to eat more

[torontok.livejournal.com]

Kris also in the mocha bread video told him no to diet iirc

[byeolbyeol.livejournal.com]

i saw this earlier today and it made me so sad. :c it's not even uncommon either. i've just noticed that it's less common for male idols to speak up on this sort of thing. the first netizen comment proves that too.

like the only other instance that i can recall off the top of my head are with seo in guk and jonghyun? jonghyun's been open about how he has trouble gaining weight and how he lost 5kg from the stress he was under / anxiety he was experiencing when he was preparing for his solo debut. he actually told some fans that he weight 54kg (also) at a fansign a few weeks ago at the start of september. but he's gained almost 10kg back since them.

[sra-interesante.livejournal.com]

something about fans complimenting idols when they loose so much weight in a short time rubs me the wrong ...

reminds me what i me felt when iu talked about her bulimia problem during Good day era .... you still see people commenting "for me she looked her best back in 2012" & all i can think is : no, dude you need to stop finding so attractive all those bodies product of obvious unhealthy habits

its sad whenever idols talk about extreme dieting like an habit , we know they will do it anyway (forced by their agencies or not) i just wish companies would put some effort in encourage healthy eating habits

[psharp10.livejournal.com]

gosh that's so ;;;
i'm glad he's found a healthier lifestyle now, and ngl i wanna try his current diet out

[timetobegin.livejournal.com]

The behaviour he describes is straight up anorexic, ugh this industry.

[broadcities.livejournal.com]

:(( poor baby. the pressure he must've felt to look a certain may must have been and must be ridiculous

[camouflagecat.livejournal.com]

I can't believe companies don't provide professionally trained health managers/nutrionists for idols, it should be an obligatory requirement given the demanding nature of their profession. Idols are already under so much scrutiny and judgement being in the public eye, you can't except them always to make the right choices, it's so easy to fall into an unhealthy habit when the standards you're trying to reach are already unreasonable and narrow to begin with (not to mention many of the idols are so young and/or grown up in the industry so there's the risk of it warping their mind unless they have a good support system around them).

And there not being any open discussion about mental health or dangerous dieting doesn't help either.

The whole obsession about looks and especially all the rankings they have to make about appearance make me so uncomfortable (especially when it doesn't even make sense?? You have healthy good-looking people getting shit for the way they look because the "standard" they're compared to is f'ed up in the first place. God this issue makes me so frustrated.)

Even if it hurts to read these things, I hope more idols and celebrities continue talking about this and creating a place for discussion for these issues, and hopefully lessening the stigma around them. Maybe it'll prompt a change in the mindset of people, who knows.

[lycorisc.livejournal.com]

this is so upsetting. i hope his body and mind are healthier now

[bauci.livejournal.com]

:(