AKMU's Lee Suhyun opens up about her 30kg weight loss journey: "I never want to go through that again"

AKMU's Lee Suhyun has just revealed the story behind her weight loss transformation.

On April 17, she uploaded a new video to her personal YouTube channel, in which she revealed the details behind her 30kg (66 lbs) weight loss, as well as her journey to overcoming a mental health slump.

Suhyun described her weight loss journey as a series of small changes to her lifestyle, rather than an extreme transformation. She explained that at first, she lost 10kg over the course of a year simply by eating her mom's home cooking - without even exercising.

After moving in with her brother, Lee Chanhyuk, Suhyun's diet and exercise journey really began. The two started following a diet and exercise plan together. Suhyun laughed as she admitted, "My brother even arranged for the personal trainer to come right to our house, so I couldn't run away."

Suhyun emphasized how difficult and miserable the weight loss process was. "I never wanted to do any of it. I was always annoyed and miserable, and felt sorry for myself. I was almost never in a good mood while exercising."

But she described her determination to meet her goals: "Still, I believed that whether I could push through this and succeed would determine whether or not my life could change."

Suhyun also offered advice for overcoming weight loss plateaus, and the sense of despair that comes with it. "It feels truly hopeless when you're working so hard but your weight just stops going down. That's when you start getting the urge to binge eat. But the more you hit a plateau, the more important it is to just keep going without overthinking things too much."

She revealed more about her 'series of small changes' that led to her transformation. "When you're overweight and beginning to exercise, you should start by walking, not running." Suhyun had advice for changing one's diet too: "Starting by simply reducing your usual food intake by a spoonful or two is enough. If you attempt to suddenly switch to a diet of all salads right away, it's doomed to end in failure."

However, Suhyun also tried more extreme measures as well. She attended what was described as a 'fasting boot camp', where she endured days of fasting and intense exercise. "I went for a swim every morning on an empty stomach and continued to exercise throughout the day. It was so grueling that I never want to go through that again, but the results were undeniable. In fact, I lost 6 kilograms in just a month."

After successfully losing over 30kg, Suhyun reflected on her journey as a whole. She candidly stated, "I'm still not a size small, and there are plenty of size medium clothes that don't fit me either. But the important thing isn't just the weight loss itself; what truly matters is becoming a person who's capable of self discipline and taking care of yourself. That's what has really changed my life."

She finished by expressing her hope for the future. "Two years ago, I thought I would never be able to change. Now, I feel regret for the amount of time that I wasted before. From now on, I'm determined to never waste my life, my time, or my youth ever again. I'm excited about what the future holds for me. If I can do it, you can too!"