KPOP Diet - THE ULTIMATE Guide For Perfect Body

Korean’s Kpop music genre has been gaining much attention worldwide.

This is how KPOP idols were born.

Kpop idols’ top priority is to have a perfect body shape so they started following different kinds of diets, so-called Kpop diets.

Does this KPOP diet work?

What can I eat?

What kind of Kpop diets are there?

These are only some of the questions we’ll try to answer in this guide.

So, let’s begin.


What Is Korean Diet?

Before we dive into explaining what Kpop diet is, let’s discuss the characteristics and benefits of the diet it originated from – Korean or K-diet.

Throughout history Korea has developed different kinds of unique foods, which are fundamentally distinct from the foods developed in Japanese and Chinese cuisine.

japanese cusine

The research suggests that the health benefits of Korean diet come from the fact that diversity of ingredients and cooking methods are used in Korean diet.

For instance, the average life expectancy in Korea is 80 years despite the fact that people consume large amounts of high salt dishes like kuk, tang and kimchi.

The K-diet which is essentially characterized by the high consumption of seasoned vegetable dishes and fermented foods, can bring about positive effects worldwide.

So here are some important characteristics of Korean diet:

– Various recipes based on rice and grains
– More fermented foods
– More vegetables from wild landscapes and the seas
– Less red meat and more fish
– More medical herbs such as green onion, red pepper, ginger, garlic
– More sesame and perilla oil
– Limited deep-fried cooking
– More meals based on seasonal produce
– Various local cuisines
– More home-cooked meals

Various recipes based on rice and grains

rice

Although the main energy source found in Western cuisine is wheat, the predominant Korean dietary energy source is grains such as rice and barley.

Bap is served with kuk and banchan.

Variations of this format such as kukbap, a dish that combines kuk and bap served in one bowl, and bibimbap, a dish with mixed bap and banchan, are also popular.

Sungnyung Is the last step of a meal.

It is a traditional Korean drink made from the roasted crust of rice which forms on the bottom of a pot after cooking rice.

More fermented foods

Fermented soy products such as kanjang, doenjang, cheonggukjang, and gochujang are the fundamental ingredients of various sauces and kuk.

soya prod

Doenjangkuk, made with vegetables and doenjang, is a traditional iconic kuk.

Kimchi is another representative Korean fermented food known for its authenticity and its health benefit of reducing the activity of harmful bacteria.

Jeotgal, is not used to increase the nutritional value of food but to improve taste and appetite.

As seen above, traditional fermentation technology has been used to intensify flavors in food beyond its role in food preservation.

More vegetables from wild landscapes and the sea

Thanks to its agricultural environment, Korea is characterized by a high intake of vegetables.

sea vegetable

Vegetables such as carrots, peppers, lettuce, or cucumbers, were often consumed raw with sauces made of gochujang, doenjang, kanjang, or topped with sesame seeds and vinegar.

Cabbage or spinach were often blanched and seasoned with traditional spices.

cabbage

Both raw and dried vegetables were ingredients used for kuk, which was flavored with doenjang.

Kimchi is the most widely enjoyed vegetable dish in Korea.

Korean kitchen includes also a lot of types of seaweed dishes made from green kelp, algae, laver, capsosiphon, hizikia fusiformis, and  fulvescens, all of which are abundant sources of dietary fiber and vitamins.

More legumes and fish and less red meat

Koreans have enjoyed diverse legumes such as soybeans, mung beans, red beans, cowpea, peanuts, walnuts, and ginkgo nuts.

walnuts

Surrounded on three sides by oceans, using various techniques, Koreans consuming fish, such as grilling, marinating and boiling in sauce.

Because horse meat, beef, pork and lamb were rare in the environment of agricultural, the main source of protein intake for Koreans was poultry, such as chicken and pheasant.

More medicinal herbs such as garlic, green onion, red pepper, and ginger.

garlic

Compared with the geographically close countries of China and Japan, one of the interesting characteristics of Korean food is the diverse use of yangnyeom (a kind of seasoning), created using garlic, green onions, red pepper, and ginger.

Although spices such as black peppers have been widely used to hide the unpleasant odors of food in Southeast Asia, medicinal herbs were used to enhance flavors and increase the food’s health benefits.

More sesame and perilla oil

Historically, the amount of animal-based and vegetable cooking oils produced in Korea was quite limited.

sesame oil

Although camellia, castor, sesame, and perilla oil were produced in Korea, only sesame and perilla oil were used in cooking.

Sesame oil, with its distinctive aroma,  was used in namul, guk, and bibimbap.

Perilla oil was used in pan-frying foods or making yukwa (a puffed rice snack).

Limited deep-fat fried cooking

As mentioned above, deep-frying techniques could not have been developed in Korea due to the limited production of animal based and vegetable cooking oils in.

cooking oil

Cooking techniques that did’t require big quantity of oil, such as pan frying or stir frying, were developed. Type of pancake called “Jeon”, made from flour batter, is the most representative example of this cooking method.

More meals based on seasonal produce

Korea has an advanced agricultural industry and four distinctive seasons, which provide an abundance and diversity of ingredients.

For this reason, Korean cuisine has developed recipes that use fresh ingredients available in each season.

For example, Koreans made fresh kimchi all year round utilizing different varieties of seasonal cabbage, except during the winter, when kimchi is stored underground in jars to control temperature for fermentation.

Various local cuisines

Korea lacks extensive plains mountains covering over 70% of its territory because they are surrounded by oceans on three sides.

Recipes have been developed based on regional characteristics: grain-based dishes such as bibimbap in the plains, seafood dishes in oceanic regions, vegetable dishes such as namul in mountainous regions, and dishes with freshwater fish or clams in regions near rivers.

sea food

The identification and refinement of these regional recipes and ingredients would be valuable.

More home-cooked meals

The history of agriculture in Korea has shaped a group culture based on family and community.

Dedication, communication, and consideration among family members are deeply held values in Korean culture.

As meals are cooked using natural ingredients rather than processed ingredients, usually by mothers, Koreans have believed that food constitute a love of a mother.

In the K-diet with jipbap this idea has been reflected (home cooked meal) and umma-sonmat (this means “the taste of mother’s love).

So, when defining K-diet, various components are considered, such as raw materials or ingredients, traditional cooking methods, and technology, and fundamental principles and knowledge.

However, it would be preferable to establish the definition of Korean food by focusing on the preservation of traditional methods and core principles.

The Korean meal table is characterized by servings of bap, guk, andbanchan on one table.

Although various cooking methods are used in Korean cuisine, the most representative method is fermentation which enhances both the flavor and preservation of the food.

K-diet is composed of bap (cooked-rice) and kuk, and various banchan with one serving called babsang.

Kimchi is always served at every meal.

The principal aspects of K-diet include proportionally high consumption of vegetables, moderate to high consumption of legumes and fish, and low consumption of red meat.

Banchan (fermented soy products), is seasoned with various kind of Jang’s, like sesame or perilla oil and medicinal herbs.

The declaration provides the features of the K-diet, and an introduction to K-food, and the traditions and health value of K-diet and K-food.

Moreover, this declaration is vital to promote the cultural values of Korea (K-value) by bring K-pop diet.qu

What Is A KPOP Diet?

The Korean weight loss diet, also known as Kpop diet has been gaining much popularity not only among Koreans but among other people across the globe.

It’s a whole-foods-based diet inspired by traditional Korean cuisine.

bibimbap in a bowl, korean dish from top.

One of the main reasons why it has become so incredibly popular is because it is promoted as a great way to lose weight and look like the K-pop stars.

Besides losing weight, it is believed that this diet can help you clear your skin and improve your long-term health.

Korea diet is essentially based on whole, minimally-processed foods and it minimizes the consumption of processed, sugary fat-rich foods.

By following this diet and changing your exercising habits, you can easily lose weight and optimize your long-term health all without compromising your health.

Besides changing your eating habits, one of the focuses of this diet is to encourage you to get more physical and exercise more on a daily basis.

K-pop diet lets you consume mainly traditional Korean meals which includes limiting your intake while eating whole minimally-processed foods.

This diet also recommends avoiding foods like refined sugars, wheat, dairy and excess fat.

These meals also include a whole range of vegetables, rice, fish and seafood.

Plus, you can expect to eat a lot of kimchi, a fermented cabbage dish that is a staple in Korea.

What Foods Should You Eat?

The Kpop diet lets you consume the following types of foods:

– Vegetables

The good thing about this diet is that it encourages you to eat as many different kinds of vegetables as possible.

You can eat them raw, cooked or fermented.

For instance, kimchi is prepared with fermented food.

You don’t have to consume vegetables in their basic form.

You can also eat them in the form of soups or stews.

– Fruit

Instead of eating sweets, you can always go for any kind of fruit.

Fruits are an excellent substitute for sweets.

– Protein-rich

Animal products – this amazing diet also lets you have a regular intake of meat, fish, eggs and seafood.

Also, keep in mind that small portions should be added to most meals.

– Meat substitutes

Instead of eating meat, you can always choose foods like dried shiitake, tofu and king oyster mushrooms.

These are excellent choices for all the vegans and vegetarians trying to get rid of meat in their daily diets.

– Rice – one of the essentials of Korean cuisine is definitely rice.

The K-pop diet also includes a regular consumption of rice, especially white rice or white noodles

– Other wheat

Free grains – K-pop diet encourages you to consume dumplings, pancakes, and glass noodles made from mung bean, potato.

Tapioca also is a great alternative to rice.

One of the greatest advantages of this diet is that you are free to choose your portion sizes based on the amount of food that you want to consume without leaving you hungry or low on energy.

In other words, with this diet, you won’t be starving yourself to death.

On the contrary, you will build healthy eating habits, lose some weight and put your body into shape in no time.

What Foods Should You Avoid?

The famous KPOP diet tips prevents you from consuming the following types of foods:

food to avoid

– Wheat-containing foods

Essentially all types of breads, pasta, pastries, breakfast cereals, whet-based flours should definitely be avoided

– Dairy

All types of dairy foods including milk, yoghurt, cheese, sour cream, as well as any baked foods including dairy ingredients should be avoided

– Fatty foods

Sauces, fried foods, oily seasonings, all types of foods cooked in oil, fatty meats, etc, should also not be included in this type of a diet

– Sugary foods

Various types of foods like baked goods, candy soft drinks, as well as different kinds of foods contains added sugars should be avoided by all means

The good thing is that this diet does not require you to cut down on all these types of foods entirely, but it recommends that you greatly reduce your intake.

However, keep in mind you should definitely stop eating, that is snacking, between meals as this will significantly increase your weight and you won’t be able to see any positive results.

Can KPOP Diet Help You Reduce Weight!

This diet can definitely help you get the body weight that you desire.

weight loss

First, traditional Korean meals are naturally rich in vegetables, which include a lot of fiber.

All the diets that include fiber can help you significantly reduce weight by reducing hunger and frequent food cravings while also promoting feeling of fulfillment.

Next, this diet limits snacking, fatty foods and all kinds of foods that are rich in calories like added sugars, wheat and dairy products.

All of this significantly reduces the overall intake of calories.

Also, this diet encourages physical activity and having regular daily workouts which burn even more calories and helps you get the desired body weight.

Finally, once you start cutting down on some ingredients you will also reduce your meal portions without even realising it.

The best thing is that you will eventually find the quantity of food that allows you to lose weight while still feeling full and satisfied.

All of these things can help you get an ideal body weight and maintain it for a longer period of time.

Tips on how to follow Kpop diet successfully

Like any diet, K-pop diet also includes a set of useful rules and tips that should help you stick to the initial plan to lose weight and get your body into a perfect shape in a very short period of time:

– Eat fewer calories

While trying K-pop diet doesn’t specify the size of the portion of your meal, it suggests that you should pay close attention to the amount of calories you consume on a daily basis.

There is no strict calorie intake. Instead, there are plenty of recipes you can try which allow you to cut calories without feeling hungry all the time.

– Exercise regularly

Besides building healthy eating habits, you should also try working out as often as possible.

– Eat less fat

As we have mentioned before, this diet encourages you to consume all the healthy foods and avoid oily foods like sauces, oils, and seasoning wherever and whenever possible.

You should also try to avoid eating out and make your own home-made meals.

– Minimis added sugars

Another thing you can do is to minimize sugars as much as you can, and also replace soda with water and cookies, ice-cream, sweets and other baked foods with mostly fresh fruits.

For instance, apples with cinnamon are a great substitute for sweet.

It tastes nice but it doesn’t add up a big amount of calories.

– Avoid snacks

The worst thing you can do is to eat a lot between the meals.

Generally, snacks are considered necessary on this diet and should be avoided.

– Consume as many apples as you can

An apple is a great source of fibre and it is low in calories.

All in all, it is a great source of vitamins and minerals.

A famous K-pop star UI consumes an apple at least once a day.

Foods that will help you lose weight

Still-life-apples-bananas-carrots-nuts-beans-potatoes_m

Boiling eggs

Boiled eggs contain almost every nutrient we need, but at the same time they are very low in fat.

So, it’s a win-win.

Also, a member of K-pop band Pink, Eunji, claimed that all of the members of the band would be boiling eggs after their schedules.

– Dried bonito flakes

Instead of seasoning your foods with salt, this diet recommends seasoning it with dried bonito flakes.

It is both taste-enhancing and a great source of energy.

UEE claims that her regular meal consists of tofu, rice and salad and that it is seasoned with dried bonito flakes as her secret ingredient.

– Walnuts

Walnuts is another great option when it comes to choosing foods in K-pop diets.

In essence, walnuts are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, protein and fibers that generally make you feel less hungry but help you lose weight in the long run.

Seo in Guk indulges in walnuts.

– Bananas

Bananas are super-nutritious and are filled with enzymes that boost digestion and metabolism significantly allowing you to lose weight, maintain your body weight and stay healthy.

A famous K-pop star Seo in Young managed to lose 13 pounds in 4 weeks by following her “banana diet”.

She used to eat diets any time she felt hunger in between meals.

All in all, bananas help you feel satisfied and lose weight at the same time.

– Lettuce

Another important ingredient of every successful K-pop diet is lettuce.

According to Park Bom, another K-pop famous super-star lettuce is an essential part of K-pop diet as it helps flush out fluids and fats allowing you to lose weight at enormous speed.

– Sweet potatoes

Although sweet potatoes are essentially sweet, they help you control your hunger and make you feel fuller for a longer period of time.

Also, keep in mind that they are really high in antioxidants which is another huge benefit.

– Kimchi

As we have already mentioned before, kimchi should definitely be included in your diet, because it is not only low in calories, but it also has certain ingredients that speeds up metabolism.

For instance, Yoon Eun Hye has a low-fat meal plan that consists of low-fat foods like chicken breasts and tofu.

However, she always adds some kimchi to her meal.

Also, according to a professor from Seoul health College, if you include kimchi in every one of your meals, you can even lose up to 11 pounds in a single month.

However, no matter what you decide to eat or not to eat during your K-pop diet, the most important thing is your mindset.

You need to choose and set your goals, devise a plan, maintain discipline and stick to it.

In this way, you will be able to reach outstanding results and be happy with how you feel and look

What Are The Benefits Of KPOP Diet?

There is a good reason why the Kpop diet has gained such a tremendous popularity all over the globe.

It has a number of benefits that will help you bring your body to a perfect shep.

Gym-training

So, let’s see what the advantages of the famous K-pop diet are.

K-pop diets are generally very rich in vegetables which contain plenty of fiber.

Fiber is an essential ingredient of almost any diet because it can help you lose weight by reducing hunger and frequent cravings while helping you feel fulfilled throughout the day.

This diet eliminates snacking between meals including all the foods rich in sugar, wheat and dairy which ultimately reduces your overall calorie intake.

It encourages regular daily exercising which additionally reduces the number of calories in your body and helps you build new exercising habits.

While you are not required to limit your daily portion to a specific size, this diet encourages you to eat less until you find the right portion that will help you lose weight without feeling hungry all the time.

In other words, you gradually eat less until you find the quantity of food that makes you feel fulfilled.

It improves your overall health

 

Since this diet allows you to eat as many different types of fruits and vegetables as possible it can have a very positive impact on your health as well.

K-pop diet protects you against chronic diseases like diabetes and heart issues.

Moreover, the diet includes a large amount of kimchi which, according to the research, can significantly lower blood pressure, blood sugar, as well as cholesterol levels.

This also benefits gut health by boosting a healthy bacteria also known as probiotics.

There are a number of illnesses probiotics can help prevent including atopic dermatitis, diarrhea, obesity, irritable bowel syndrome, etc.

It can reduce acne and improve your face skin – Since this diet limits the amount of daily intake of dairy, it can also have a positive effect on your skin, particularly face skin.

Let’s explain how.

diet downsides

Namely, dairy products stimulate the release of insulin as well as insulin-like growth factor, which play a major role in the formation of acne.

According to one research, people who included dairy in their daily eating habits, were much more likely to experience acne that the people who ate the least amount of dairy.

Rich in nutrients and highly sustainable – this amazing diet is laser-focused on helping you make sustainable, long-standing changes to the way you eat food, and exercise.

All in all, it promotes healthy living allowing you to consume minimally processed foods as well as limiting your intake of calories.

The downsides of K-pop diet

Although this diet is highly recommended by most people as it can bring amazing results and significantly help you lose your body weight, there are still a few things you need to keep in mind before you start practicing this diet:

Unnecessary emphasis on physical appearance

diet downsides

While this diet helps you reshape your body and achieve a body weight you have dreamed of, you need to keep in mind that eating healthy is an imperative.

Using social cultural appearance standards as a motivation may put many groups of teenagers in danger, as they might starve themselves to death and develop disorder eating habits.

In other words, losing weight and staying healthy should go hand in hand

Lack of guidance

lack of guidance

Another thing you need to bear in mind here is that this diet offers very little guidance in terms of how to build balanced meals.

While some people may find it difficult to determine the size of each of their meals, others may find it hard to distinguish the recipes that are rich in nutrients from those that are nutrient-poor.

So, make sure you have a clear understanding of why you should eat and what you should avoid eating.

What are the most popular K-pop diets?

popular K-pop diets

Once you start researching K-pop diets, you will soon realize that there are many diets you can choose and you want to be able to decide which one to follow.

We have analyzed all the K-pop diets to help you make up your mind and choose the one that perfectly suits your needs.

So here are a few things you need to know about the diets you should definitely try out as well as the diets you should definitely avoid.

Banana diet

banana diet

This diet is really simple and most people can follow it as it doesn’t require any special meal preparation.

It’s really easy.

Basically, for breakfast you should have one banana and water.

For lunch and dinner you should have any meal that you want, but make sure you keep the size of the portion in mind.

The best thing about this diet is that you don’t have to count calories or give up on anything.

The only thing you need to do is make sure that your portions are not huge.

This diet is popular all over the world as many people and not only K-pop idols use it to lose some weight.

It works because you simply cut out the entire meal, in this case it is breakfast.

The only thing you have for your breakfast is a banana which is not really a meal, it is a snack.

Since this diet is quite simple and requires you to skip on just one meal, it may be a perfect diet for you.

So, why not try it?

Sweet Potato diet

sweet potato diet

When it comes to this diet, it is also super-easy because you basically eat potatoes every day all day for each meal.

If you think that you will eventually get bored with this diet, you are wrong.

Sweet potatoes are super-delicious and you can find a whole range of recipes and meals on the web that include sweet potatoes.

Plus, they are healthy and very good for your skin.

However, since sweet potatoes have a lot of carbohydrates, it may be difficult to lose weight instantly and it will definitely take you more time to get the body shape that you want with this diet.

Also, you can have other vegetables as your side dish.

If you like sweet potatoes and wish to lose some weight while staying healthy, this is the perfect diet for you.

Most of the K-pop celebrities consider sweet potatoes as the essential ingredient of their diets.

Paper cup diet

paper cup diet

One of the most famous K-pop diets among people worldwide is most definitely the Paper cup diet.

In a nutshell, this diet is abes on a certain portion per meal.

This meal is easy to measure by using a cup.

Just take three paper cups and fill them with vegetables, meat and fruits.

So, fill one cup with vegetables, another cup with meat, and the third cup with fruit.

And, do this three times a day.

In this way you can easily control your portions.

The biggest advantage of this diet is that it helps you have a clear knowledge of your portions during each meal.

Also, this amount of food is enough for your body to operate properly without feeling hungry all the time.

However, if you have a very busy day and you know that you will be both physically and mentally active throughout the day, then make sure you make your portions a bit bigger.

Danish Hospital Diet

danish hospital diet

As the name itself suggests, this diet comes from the Royal Danish Hospital and it’s mainly about low calories and high protein intake.

It lasts for about 13 days and is also called Copenhagen diet.

Essentially, this diet can bring you amazing results, especially if you want to shred some pounds quickly.

You can lose between 3 and 13 pounds in 13 days.

But make sure, you don’t take any aggressive measures as it may lead to severe consequences.

This diet can help those who want to lose a lot of weight, but it can also speed up metabolism significantly in the long run.

Although there are a few variations, here is an example of the first day:

Breakfast – coffee with a single cube of sugar
Lunch – 400 g of cooked spinach served with two hard-boiled eggs and a tomato
Dinner – 200 g steak with a green salad, lemon juice and oil dressing

On the second day, a slice of plain toast is added. Lunch includes 250 g of ham with one cup of low-fat yoghurt.

For dinner, you can have 200g of roast beef with the same additional dishes as the first day.

This kind of a diet continues for the next 13 days.

However, meals do vary slightly.

SNSD Diet

SNDS diet

This diet is not only one diet because each girl has her own way of losing weight and staying in shape.

It is definitely one of the best K-pop diets and here is why:

The first and the most important thing you need to know about this diet is that you cannot go with big portions but smaller ones.

Here is what you SNS a seven-days diet plan should look like:

Monday

Breakfast: A glass of water and a cup of cereals with yogurt

Lunch: Chicken salad

Dinner: A bowl of rice and a bowl of some vegetables as a side dish

Tuesday

Breakfast: A glass of water with a cup of cereals with yoghurt with one type of fruit of your choice

Lunch: some kimchi, two hard-boiled eggs and sweet potato

Dinner: different vegetables, some salad, and a steak

Wednesday

Breakfast: A cup of cereals with yoghurt with one fruit of your choice and a glass of water

Lunch: two hard-boiled eggs and cucumber salad

Dinner: chicken breast, some cabbage, and a small bowl of rice

Thursday

Breakfast: A cup of cereals with yoghurt including one piece of fruit of your choice and a glass of water

Lunch: fish with rice

Dinner: any kind of meat of your choice, two boiled eggs and kimchi

Friday

Breakfast: A cup of cereals with yoghurt, a piece of fruit of your choice and a glass of water

Lunch: Shrimps followed by a salad of your choice

Dinner: a small bowl of rice, tuna and kimchi

Saturday

Breakfast: a banana, a glass of water and 2 boiled eggs

Lunch: A small bowl of rice and chicken salad

Dinner: some fruits as dessert and kimchi fried rice

Sunday

Breakfast: a glass of water, 2 fried eggs and two slices of toast with a topping of your choice

Lunch: any noodle dish of your choice

Dinner: vegetables, steak and fruits as dessert

Naturally, you don’t have to stick to this plan in detail.

However, you need to make an effort to be as disciplined as possible as it will bring you the best results in no time.

This diet gives you enough energy to make it through the day and helps you achieve the body weight that you desire.

So it’s a win-win situation.

Vegetable diet

vegetable diets

This diet is really easy to understand.

It mainly consists of vegetables.

Actually, the only food you eat are vegetables.

One meal plan can include vegetable dishes or just salads.

Also, the good thing about this diet is that it allows you to consume a wide range of vegetables which means you’ll never get bored along the way.

If you are having second thoughts about whether to go on this diet or not, we’ll help you make up your mind.

It surely works.

In its core, it makes you cut down on carbohydrates and encourages you not to eat any sugar.

If you are a vegan, this diet is a perfect choice for you because you won’t have to make additional effort to build new eating habits.

Actually, this diet can be quite delicious and you don’t have to worry about the size of your portions so much.

Lemon Detox diet

lemon detox diet

If you are aimed at putting your body into shape, you must have heard about a famous detox diet.

Some of the most famous celebrities in the world like Beyonce and Lee Hyori have tried this diet and reached tremendous success.

This means you can do it too.

All you need is a lemonade made of lemons, with no sugar though.

The main ingredients of this lemonade are: pure maple syrup, lemon, cayenne pepper, and water.

And make sure you drink 6 to 12 glasses a day.

The biggest challenge you will have to face with this diet is that you won’t be eating any food.

The only thing you will be consuming is lemonade.

This means you will definitely lose some weight in a short period of time.

However, this has to be done carefully and without special guidance.

It’s even a good idea to have a consultation with a dietician.

Top Tips And Tricks

Indulge in veggies

Indulge in veggies

One of the most important things you need to know about Kpop diet is that Koreans simply love vegetables.

The ubiquitous kimchi is always on the table as well as a whole range of banchan options.

Of course, one of the most popular types of banchan is kimchi and there are many different types like radish, cucumber kimchi, kimchi, sliced kimchi.

Also, there are something like pickled bamboo and pickled vegetables root, plus you can consume sesame spinach, potato salad and even marinated beans black.

One of the foods you can enjoy is also potato salad.

Walk everywhere

walk everywhere

Besides focusing on a strict diet regime, you need to make sure you are physically active during the day.

For instance, Koreans choose to walk everywhere.

The easiest way to keep track of how many calories you lose per day and how much you actually walk is to get one of those watches that measure the number of steps you take during a day.

For instance, an IPhone that counts the number of steps or fitness watches like FitBit or Apple watch.

The reason why Koreans walk so much is that the traffic in Seoul is so vast and chaotic that it is easy to hit those steps during the day.

Also, since the traffic is pretty condensed people often choose to walk rather than take a taxi.

The best thing about walking is that it doesn’t feel like exercising and still has a highly positive impact on your body fitness.

If you don’t have enough time to walk during the day, try adding a nighttime stroll in your neighborhood after a meal.

Avoid fast food

avoid fast food

If you decide to follow the K-pop diet, you should definitely say goodbye to sweets.

Koreans generally avoid eating sweets even in restaurants.

You can never get heavy sweets in a restaurant like a cheesecake or creme brûlée.

Most of the desserts in restaurants consist of fresh fruit or a delicious light little bowl of Sikhye – a sweet rice drink.

So, to avoid sweets you should try substituting fruits for a cake for a dessert.

Another thing that Koreans usually do to avoid sweets is to grab coffee after a meal.

In this way, the coffee acts as an appetite suppressant which makes them enjoy the delicious meal that comes afterwards.

So, it’s a win-win situation.

Eat fermented foods on a daily basis

If you want to reach success with your K-pop diet, you need to eat as much fermented food as possible.

Korean pop divas eat fermented foods at almost every meal.

Fermented foods are highly beneficial for your body and health because they provide you with a variety of vitamins and minerals which strengthen your immune system, help your skin glow, help you lose weight and increase your overall happiness.

Kimchi is full of vinegar and acid which make you feel full throughout the day.

According to the research published in Nutrition Research in 2011, people who included kimchi in their diet managed to lose plenty of body weight.

Also, fermented foods have plenty of probiotics that grow naturally during the process.

In this way you can successfully keep your health in check and keep your stomach feeling full longer.

On top of that, these kinds of foods are super-delicious.

Eat more seafood

sea food

Another thing you should do as often as possible is to eat more seafood, especially seaweed.

It acts as a natural seasoning as it already has a lot of naturally produced salt.

Plus, seafood has a lot of fiber which significantly improves your digestion and makes you feel fuller during the day.

The easiest way to add more seaweed to your diet is to snack on dried seaweed.

Also, you can include seaweed into your salad dressing or topping rice, veggies as well as meat with furikake.

Seaweed is a common ingredient in the Korean diet.

Drink tea instead of soda

drink tea

Korean people do not commonly consume soda.

They consider it to be more of a special treat.

So, to stay healthy and get all the benefits you need as well as to lose some weight, make sure you consume as much tea as possible.

For instance, Barley tea has a number of benefits such as improving blood circulation, providing antioxidants and helping with sleeping issues.

Avoid processed foods

avoid processed food

Koreans do not consume processed food at all.

Processed foods are probably your worst enemy, especially if you come from some Western cultures where junk food is an essential ingredient of everyday eating habits.

Processed foods have a tendency to increase obesity, cause damage to your health as they are quite rich in carbs and low in nutrients.

Once you start eating too many processed kinds of food, you are on a slippery slope because then you start craving for foods which are high in artificial ingredients and low in healthy, vitamin packed ingredients.

Eat well-balanced meals

balanced meal

As we have already mentioned above, these K-pop diets let you have regular meals without having to pay too much attention to the size of your meal.

However, you still have to make sure you have all three meals per day.

K-pop diet meals are mainly heavy on vegetables like pickled veggies, fermented food, healthy carbs like rice, etc.

Try adding more of these ingredients into your diet and keep in mind that having all three meals per day is mandatory if you want to achieve amazing results.

Enjoy home-made food

homemade food

Instead of spreading much of your money and causing damage to your body and health, try making more different types of home-made foods.

Many Korean women are taught how to cook and can easily make a super-tasty home-made food.

It’s always a better option to cook your food because then you know exactly what is in your food, so that you can easily keep track of what you consume every day.

Don’t eat bread

don't eat bread

Koreans never eat bread with their regular meals.

Instead of consuming bread, you should opt for rice.

Rice is a good substitute as it is not processed nor it has much sugar like bread does.

On the other hand rice is in its natural state and you’re able to digest it much more easily than bread.

You can also try replacing bread with a salad.

Eat minimal breakfast

breakfast

Although you should make sure you have all three meals during the day, you also need to take into account that your breakfast has to be minimal.

In other words, instead of consuming a typical American breakfast which includes two eggs, hash browns, sausages and try consuming a typical Korean breakfast which includes rice, soup and a selection of banchan.

In most cases, breakfast consists of a nice clean soup with some delicious vegetables and a very little meat in it.

The soup is usually accompanied with a bowl of steamed rice and a few banchan selections.

Typical K-pop diet breakfast is fulfilling, hearty and extremely healthy.

Also, if you are trying to lose some weight, it’s important not to skip on breakfast.

Breakfast brings you enough energy to go through the day.

The best scenario is to eat a hearty breakfast, light lunch and a small but filling dinner.

In this way, you won’t be skipping on any meals, and will have a daily dose of healthy ingredients.

Sample menu

sample menu

To make things easier for you, we’ve compiled a 3-day sample menu suitable for anyone who is planning to start K-pop diet:

Day 1:

Breakfast: vegetable omelet

Lunch: kimchi-vegetable soup with pork or tofu

Dinner: fried rice and vegetables

Day 2:

Breakfast: Korean pancakes filled with vegetables, shiitake, or seafood

Lunch: bibmbap — a Korean rice dish made with egg, vegetables, and meat or tofu

Dinner

Day 3:

Breakfast: mandoo — Korean meat or vegetable dumplings made with rice and tapioca flour

Lunch: spicy Korean coleslaw salad

Dinner: kimbap — also known as Korean sushi rolls — filled with your choice of vegetables, avocado, shrimp, or tofu

 

KPOP Diet Workout

Besides focusing your efforts into changing your eating habits and building new better healthier ones, it’s essential that you start having regular workouts and make this entire adventure even more fun.

workout kpop

K-pop idols priorities building a perfect body shape, and one of the things that can help them on their journey are definitely workouts.

Like every diet, a K-pop diet also has its own preferable workout plan.

Many Korean girls want to have that perfect body shape, hence the name K-pop diet workout.

So here are some of the most popular and the most frequent workouts K-pop celebrities and idols like to have on a regular basis:

Yoga

Yoga helps you maintain balance as well as the body shape.

yoga kpop diet

Also it is an excellent workout routine that brings your piece of mind and helps you stay both physically and mentally healthy.

Finally, it helps you reduce calories and get the perfect body shape you have been dreaming of.

Dancing

Losing weight by working out doesn’t have to be a tiring and time-consuming process.

dancing kpop diet

Through dancing you can easily reduce your body weight, have fun and activate each body muscle and body part.

There is not a single bad thing about dancing – it makes the entire process of losing weight more enjoyable.

It’s not surprising that many K-pop celebrities include dancing into their daily routines.

Pilates

If you want to strengthen the core and your overall body fitness, pilates is the sport for you.

pilates kpop diet

This kind of exercising involves the abs, obliques, and lower back muscles which will help you keep your body balanced and maintain proper body posture.

How awesome is that?!

There is a wide range of different kinds of pilates.

However, one thing you need to do is to involve pilates in your daily routine especially if you are planning to follow a K-pop diet.

Here are some of the variations of pilates:

-scissor kick
-teaser
-plank rock
-pendulum
-plank leg lift
-criss-cross
-the one hundred
-leg circle
-single leg stretch

Legs workout routine

If you want to have perfect legs, you need to do some legs workout along with your K-pop diet.

legs workout man kpop

The K-pop legs workout routine involves:

-5 high kicks on the right and left leg each
-10 open-close jumps
-5 inner thigh kicks on the right and the left leg each
-5 outer kicks on the right and left leg each
-5 low kicks forward on the right leg
-5 high knees on the right leg and the left leg

K-pop arm workout routine

Besides pilates, legs workout, dancing and yoga, you should also make sure you have a regular arm workout.

kpop diet workout arms

If you want to have perfect arms, k-pop arm workout routine will include the following exercises:

-planks
-push-ups
-scorpion push-ups
-pray and pulse
-Tricep Dips
-plank tap outs

Through these exercises you will keep your muscles burning and your arms stronger which is the ultimate aim of this kind of a workout.

For instance, K-pop idols are able to maintain sleek, smooth and toned arms by doing these kinds of exercises.

Core workout routine

Naturally, it is always an imperative to exercise the core of your body.

kpop diet workout core

This kind of a workout helps you build your torso and lower abdomen muscle which include the following exercises:

V-sits
Push-ups
Planks
Crunches
The Russian Twist

Running and Jogging

Also, to get the body shape that you desire you need to have some cardio exercise that will make your body sweat and reduce the amount of your body calories.

joging kpop diet

Morning or evening jogging is the best way to lose some weight in those cases.

A proper k-pop workout must include some form of jogging, either evening or morning.

Of course, instead of going jogging outside in the open air, you can make things easier for you and get a treadmill where you can also go running or jogging at any time of the day.

Aerobics

IU, a K-pop superstar, is very open when it comes to her K-pop diet.

aerobic

She says that besides all the three meals that she consumes during the day that mainly consist of healthy and nutritious food, she also does a one hour of aerobic exercises.

For instance, she would do some stretching, jogging, push-ups and climbing stairs.

Blackpink’s workout

The members of the bank Blackpink usually gets a lot of compliments because all of them have a slender body figure.

Some of the members have revealed that they have been doing the flying yoga while others admit that they have been the pilates.

Tips and tricks to lose weight according to K-pop idols

To keep their body weight, build a perfect body shape and lose some of the weight many K-pop stars have some kind os tips and tricks that seem to work for them.

So, let’s find out what some of the top performers of K-pop have to say on this topic:

1. Heechul

Heechul claims that tofu is extremely high in protein and should definitely be consumed on a daily basis.

Heechul

The good thing about tofu is that it can help you feel fulfilled even though it contains only a few calories.

Heeschul, for instance, ate a diet that consisted of tofu mainly which helped him lose 15 pounds in only two weeks.

2. Dasom

Dasom is another popular K-pop star who tried a “one food “ diet and she managed to lose over 20 pounds in 3 weeks.

Dasom kpop

Super-food that was responsible for this diet is a cucumber.

Cucumber is extremely low in calories and it mainly consists of water which helps you maintain balance.

Also, it contains a high percentage of calcium which is a perfect addition to your body, especially, in case of the excretion of unwanted waste.

She ate cucumbers all day and felt refreshed and healthy.

Although this one-food diet sounds rigorous, it actually works and doesn’t have any side-effects.

However, it is always advisable to consult a dietician before you decide to go on this diet.

3. UI

UI has never been an overweight K-pop superstar, but as any Korean pop celebrity, she also wanted to look perfect.

UI

So, she decided to go on a diet which would allow her to have an even slimmer figure.

One of such kinds of food is definitely an apple.

Apples are high in dietary fiber but they are low in calories.

This is what makes them an ideal ingredient for almost any kind of a diet.

UI enjoyed eating apples almost every day in almost any meal.

This kind of diet gave her extra nutrients letting her feel healthier at all times.

4. Seolhyun

Seolhyun’s diet was mainly based on chicken breasts and vegetables and fruit.

chicken kpop

Today, she is one of the most attractive K-pop suer-stars and she recommends this diet to everyone.

5. Park Bom

Park Bom likes eating watermelons and she believes that they are the only one to blame for her incredible weight loss and a perfect body shape.

Park Bom

Ina nutshell, watermelons are full of water, and eating them can curb your appetite.

So if you are crazy about watermelons, this diet is just what you need.

6. Park-Boram

This amazing superstar also went on one-food diet.

6. Park-Boram

She chose to eat only tomatoes to lose weight as soon as possible, and she was successful at it.

While this kind of diet may sound extreme, it can actually produce incredible results in no time.

However it is advisable to consult a dietician, or a nutritionist before you decide to take this step.

Tomatoes are super-healthy as they “cleanse” your body and help your digestive system work properly.

7. Seohyun

This girl is crazy about sweet potatoes.

Seohyun

We have already mentioned in the text that sweet potatoes are very healthy and can bring a whole range of benefits to your body.

Also, they are extremely filling while containing a very small amount of calories.

On top of this, they are very rich in vitamin E which improves your blood flow and improves the quality of your blood in general.

8. Sandeul

Sandeul based his diet mainly on eating salads – the most common weight loss magic food out there.

Seohyun

However, sometimes it is very hard to eat just vegetables without any dressing as the food doesn;t taste nice even though it is super-healthy.

Saneul chose fruits and lentil beans to complement the salad.

His efforts paid off as he managed to lose an amazing 20 pounds.

9. B.A.P’s Himchan

This incredible super star decided to go on a “cleanse” by consuming mainly “detox juices”.

Diet that is based solely on detox juices went viral in Korea and quickly gained popularity all over the globe as well.

B.A.P’s Himchan

On the radio show, Himchan shared that he drank vegetable-fruit blend three times a day for three days.

He said that after those three days he felt rejuvenated and replenished.

Eating KPOP Diet May Be The Secret To Youthful, Glowing Skin

There is an old saying “you are what you eat”.

This is undoubtedly true, because what you eat can truly affect your skin as well as how you feel and look.

The reason why K-pop celebrities and their idols are crazy about K-pop diets is that it brings them much value when it comes to physical appearance.

So, if you want to maximize the benefits of the K-pop diet you decided to follow, here are some of the essential foods of the Korean cuisine you need to eat during the process.

Kimchi and lots of collagen

As we have said, the K-pop diet as well as Korean diet generally consists of a balanced meal of grilled protein and rice with plenty of fermented foods that include a famous kimchi and miso paste.

Kimchi and lots of collagen

Kimchi is practically the culinary flag-bearer of Korean culture.

Why?

It is literally loaded with vitamins A, B and C and minerals.

It is fat-free and, most importantly, is loaded with probiotics.

With probiotics, our gut can withstand any gut issues more easily, which, in turn, also helps our skin.

Our skin and stomach are linked.

On top of this, Koreans like to consume large amounts of collagen in their dishes and soups, Collagen plays a major role in bringing many beauty benefits.

Namely, collagen keeps our cells hydrated so they do not lose their structure and weaken our skin, thus leading to fine lines, dry skin, cellulite and more.

On the other hand, collagen helps the regeneration of skin, muscle, bones and joint cells.

The most famous K-pop idol diets to adopt

Many K-pop idols are well-known for their beautiful body skin, perfect body shape and glamorous appearance.

If you want to achieve that look, you need to tap into some of the aspects of K-pop idols’ diets and follow their advice to get the body figure you want.

Here are some of the top K-pop idol diets that will let you transform your body in no time.

Suzy K-pop idol diet

The former miss A member who was also called “The nation’s first love” because of her charm and innocent look is much loved among Koreans.

However, she used to be highly criticised for her body weight during her acting debut in Dream High.

After that, she decided to go on a diet and she achieved some pretty amazing results in a short period of time.

When compared to the rest of K-pop idols, we must admit that Suzy’s transformation and her incredible weight loss is most definitely the most reasonable and the most visible in the industry.

For breakfast, Suzy has chicken breast, one sweet potato and drinks one cup of low-fat milk.

sweet potato

By eating hearty breakfast Suzy makes sure she has enough energy and nutrients to go through the day.

For lunch, Suzy has a bowl of brown rice and salad.

In the evening, to prevent bloatedness, Suzy restricts her dinner to two sweet potatoes and calls it a day.

How can you adopt Suzy’s diet?

Before you decide to follow Suzy’s diet, you need to know that it is a bit extreme and that it is not an ideal solution for everyone.

Eating the same food every day can make you feel bored and lose appetite.

So, instead of having chicken breast each morning, maybe you can try switching to a salmon fillet which is rich in omega-3 acids and plenty of lean protein which will keep you full throughout your day.

Also, Suzy advises that we shouldn’t eat after 6 p.m. as the body is more likely to store calories in the evening instead of turning them into energy.

Also, keep in mind that physical activity along with a healthy diet is a perfect combination that will help you reduce those pounds in no time.

T.O.P’s K-pop idol diet

Another super famous K-pop idol is T.O.P.

kpop idol diet

He was the 8th on the list of the most handsome faces in Korea in 2017, and there is a good reason why.

He is one of the most popular rappers o Korean music scene.

Also he is 180 cm high and weighs around 65 kg.

However T.O.P revealed that he was once an overweight teenager who struggled with weight loss like many teenagers do worldwide.

His secret for losing weight was a red bean diet.

He also relied on unsweetened jelly and mineral water to lose 19 kg a month.

This kind of dieting can be really dangerous and unhealthy, especially if you do it without consulting any dietician first.

However, T.O.P’s determination has encouraged many young people to change their eating habits and get that body figure that they have been dreaming of.

How you can adopt T.O.P’s diet?

The first and the most important thing you need to know here is that this diet is super extreme and is not for everyone.

But you don’t have to go to extremes!

Try the beans-only diet, which boasts low fat coupled with some other essential nutrients.

boiled beans

For example, consume about 100g of cooked or boiled beans with vegetables and meat or fish for each meal.

You can choose from a wide range of low glycemic index beans like red kidney beans or organic garbanzo beans.

In between the meals, you can try snacking on a cup of low-fat unsweetened yoghurt.

And, of course, don’t forget to stay away from sugars and all kinds of foods that are rich in calories.

IU’s K-pop idol diet

IU, Suzy’s co-star in “Dream high” went through a complete body transformation which was both drastic and impressive.

Despite the fact that she is musically talented and has a beautiful voice, she was still criticized for her chubbiness and bad body figure.

That’s why she decided to start building new healthier eating habits and get her body into a perfect shape.

Like for many K-pop idols, time is essential.

This means that they have to achieve a perfect body figure as soon as possible.

That’s why many K-pop idols choose rapid weight loss diets which are not recommended as a long-term fix and should be used only for a short period of time, until you reach desired goals.

For breakfast, this popular singer consumes only one apple to fill her stomach while keeping the calories low.

Also, UI eats only a sweet potato for lunch and drinks a glass of protein shake for dinner in order to refuel energy that she has lost during the day.

How can you adopt UI’s diet?

There is a famous mantra saying: “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper”.

A good breakfast stimulates the organism and prevents you from overeating and feeling food cravings throughout the day.

So, instead of having just an apple in the morning, we recommend that you make yourself a yummy green smoothie bowl.

green smoothie

If you don’t have a smoothie blender, get some instantly.

There is a wide range of smoothie blenders that can perfectly suit your needs.

For instance, mix organic almond milk, spinach, avocado, and organic flax seeds for a quick nutritional breakfast.

For lunch, eat one sweet potato like UI does, but also try to snack on some baked almonds or walnuts from time to time during the day just to improve your metabolic health.

Also, it is advisable to take protein shakes only after you have had your morning workout.

Finally, you can end your day with a bowl of some super tasty protein-rich salad.

Changmin’s K-pop idol diet

Surely you must have heard about the super powerful main vocalist of Korean band called 2AM, Changmin!

Since he used to weigh 100 kg, it wasn’t easy for him to become an idol.

So he had to change some eating and workout habits.

He decided to go on a rigorous diet and get rid of as many pounds as possible and fit an ideal image of a K-pop idol.

For breakfast Changmin would eat one egg, one sweet potato, and two egg whites supplemented with multi-vitamins and a glass of low-fat milk.

breakfast low carb

When it comes to his lunch, it consisted of one sweet potato, plain vegetable salad, and one sweet potato.

He didn’t have any dressing on top of his salad.

For dinner he had chicken breast or seven egg whites.

All in all, his diet was rich in proteins which complemented his workout routine allowing him to store enough energy.

Also, after his workout he would eat half an apple and a scoop of protein powder.

How can you adopt Changmin’s diet?

If you are planning to try this diet, you need to keep in mind that you will be eating eggs probably the whole day.

So if you don’t like this idea you may consider switching parts of his diet plan out.

Generally, this diet is highly nutritious and beneficial for your body and health.

So, on some days, you can have a cereal bar with skimmed milk and slices of banana for breakfast.

When it comes to lunch you can prepare chicken breast sandwich or tuna sandwich.

tuna sandwich

However, make sure you use wholemeal bread.

You can spice up your dinner with avocado egg salad which is a great substitute to plain eggs.

If you like snacking, don’t cut it out entirely.

Instead, try munching on an apple with two scoops of nut butter.

HyunA’s K-pop diet

HyunA is one of the sexists and most popular K-pop stars in Korea who got its incredible body figure by going on an extreme diet.

She initially became popular as a member of a K-pop band called 4minute.

She got international fame by collaborating with Beast’s Hyunseungon the seductive track called Trouble Maker.

However, once she climbed up her career ladder, she was mocked for having a plump figure on a broadcast.

So, she decided to go one diet and cut down on all flour-based food in order to achieve a slender and sexy figure.

However, HyunA did not reveal what kind of foods she consumed every day.

What she did was to give advice on how to have healthy eating habits and all three meals per day.

One of the tips involves consuming many small meals to keep your metabolism running and prevent overeating.

How can you adopt this diet?

HyunA tested a no-flour diet. This might at first be quite a challenging task.

But, once you make at least some small changes to your eating habits, you won’t even notice that there is no flour in your melas.

For instance, foods like pasta, chips and bread are pretty high in calories and flour and it is best to avoid them completely.

So, the easiest way to do this is to substitute bread and pasta with organic white quinoa or cauliflower rice because both of these are rich in antioxidants and fibre.

You can also include buckwheat noodles and oatmeal.

In the meantime, you can reward yourself with occasional cheats like small portions of brown rice. 

Wrapping Up

Due to the fast-paced modern living, we are usually unable to do things the right way.

We often find ourselves eating junk food or snacking a lot in between the meals.

Sometimes we don’t eat at all as we do not have time or we simply forget that we should eat.

This kind of lifestyle can have a detrimental effect on both our physical and mental state.

If you skip meals without taking care of what we eat and how much we eat, we will definitely put on some weight and even have some health issues with our digestive system or skin.

To prevent that we need to invest a lot of time, effort and dedication and start building healthy eating habits today.

There are numerous diets that can help you along the way.

Kpop diets are currently among the most popular diets in the world and for a good reason – they let you eat healthy food without having to think so much about your meal sizes.

Also you are allowed to mix different kinds of foods, that is, if they are not one-food diets.

Also, like with any diet, KPOP diet will have even better impact if they are followed by a good workout.

In this way you will be able to burn calories more quickly and lose body fat.

All in all, K-pop diets can be a great source of inspiration, but this is only if you know how to properly adopt them.

Whichever K-pop diet you choose, you need to bear in mind that the most important thing is that all the meals you have are highly nutritious and balanced.

Otherwise, you can experience serious health issues which might have a negative impact on your entire body state.