TWICE’s Jihyo flaunts toned abs after 10kg weight loss: Her 3 key diet and workout tips
TWICE's Jihyo / Captured from Jihyo's social media
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Jihyo of K-pop group TWICE is drawing attention for her lean figure and defined abs.
The singer recently shared photos on her social media with the caption, “T T T THIS IS FOR,” showcasing her slim waist while wearing a crop top on the set of the music video for the title track “This Is For,” from the group’s fourth full-length album. With striking makeup, sun-kissed skin and flat stomach, Jihyo’s toned figure and healthy glow left fans impressed.
Since her debut, Jihyo has earned the nickname “self-management queen” among idols.
“I love eating, so restrictive diets stress me out,” she said. Before her debut, she focused on hiking to lose weight, but now she incorporates a variety of exercises instead. With summer in full swing, Jihyo confidently shows off her abs in crop tops, drawing curiosity about her fitness secrets.
Eating one meal a day can help reduce body fat in the short term by lowering total calorie intake, but it carries the risk of nutritional imbalance and requires caution. gettyimagesbank
One meal a day
Jihyo revealed that during comeback preparation, she follows a one-meal-a-day plan, usually eating her single meal around 4 or 5 p.m. This intermittent fasting method naturally reduces calorie intake, leading to quicker fat loss. Extended fasting can help stabilize blood sugar levels and improve insulin resistance. When the body stays in a fasting state, it prioritizes burning fat for energy, resulting in more efficient fat burning.
However, experts caution that prolonged adherence to one meal a day may cause nutritional imbalances. It’s difficult to consume all necessary nutrients — carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals — in just one meal. Low blood sugar, fatigue and reduced concentration may occur, especially for people with underlying health conditions like diabetes, anemia or thyroid disorders. Overeating during that single meal is another risk, so the meal composition must be carefully balanced. In the long term, it may even lower metabolism and lead to weight gain.
Eating vegetables first, followed by protein and then carbohydrates, can help prevent blood sugar spikes. gettyimagesbank
Blood sugar-focused diet
Jihyo also pays attention to preventing blood sugar spikes. “I try to eat vegetables first, then protein, and carbohydrates last,” she said. Starting with fiber-rich vegetables, followed by proteins such as meat, fish, eggs or beans, and finishing with rice, bread or pasta helps control blood sugar levels while promoting satiety, which makes it an effective weight management strategy.
Visible abs require both a controlled diet and a low body fat percentage. Typically, defined abs start to show when body fat drops below 20 percent. A low-sodium, high-protein and low-carb diet, combined with proper hydration and regular exercise, is essential.
Jihyo effortlessly performs advanced Pilates moves. Captured from MBC
Gym plus Pilates
To maintain her defined abs, Jihyo combines gym workouts with Pilates. She prefers doing cardio on an empty stomach to maximize fat burning, while Pilates helps strengthen core muscles like the abs and spinal erectors, creating lean, elongated muscle lines.
At the gym, Jihyo includes exercises such as incline bench sit-ups, which target the upper abs. Performing 12 to 15 reps for three sets provides intense ab stimulation. Cable crunches, where she kneels and pulls a rope attachment downward while engaging the abs, also allow controlled resistance for muscle development.
The ab roller, performed on the knees while rolling forward and back, engages the entire core, including the upper, lower and side abs. This is typically done for three sets of 8 to 12 reps.
Pilates movements like the hand-leg stretch and the hundred are staples in her routine. The hand-leg stretch stabilizes the core and improves endurance by extending one arm and the opposite leg simultaneously while lying down. The hundred, which involves lifting the upper body with core strength and rapidly pulsing the arms 100 times, enhances abdominal activation and breathing control.
Among her favorite moves is the plank twist, which she demonstrated on a broadcast. This variation of the plank, where the hips twist side to side, activates the obliques and entire core, helping to define the waistline.
This article from Kormedi.com, Korea’s top healthcare and medical portal, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.