“I Never Said I Wanted to Lose Weight”: Red Velvet’s Yeri Reveals Why She Cried [Health Talk]

[Financial News] Yeri (Kim Ye-rim), a member of Red Velvet, shared that Yeri cried when starting a diet. It was not because of a failure to lose weight, but because Yeri disliked having to suppress an appetite despite generally loving to eat. Experts warn that excessive food restriction can cause nutritional imbalances and increase stress around food.
On the 28th, a video titled “I Went Hiking with Nayeon” was released on Yeri’s YouTube channel “Yerimiz.” In the video, Yeri visited Inwangsan with Nayeon of TWICE, with whom Yeri has been friends for more than 10 years.
The two encouraged each other as they climbed a steep mountain path. After reaching the summit, they ate baeksuk, a Korean boiled-chicken dish, and talked.
During the meal, Nayeon told Yeri, “You eat more than anyone around me.” Yeri replied, “You know that story, right? About me throwing up after going to a buffet?” and brought up a past experience of overeating. Yeri added, “I love eating so much. I’m someone who lives for the joy of eating.”
Nayeon said, “For someone like that to go on a diet, it must have been so...” and spoke about the difficulties Yeri may have faced while managing weight.

Cutting back on food during weight loss can be burdensome in ways that go beyond simply enduring hunger. The pressure of restricting foods one usually enjoys or sticking to a set meal plan can also lead to stress.
The U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) explains that, for weight management, developing eating habits that can be maintained over the long term is more important than losing weight rapidly in the short term.
It advises people to be wary of weight-loss programs that promise excessively rapid results or require them to eat only certain foods.
Even when adjusting calorie intake to lose weight, it is important to get enough essential nutrients, including protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals.
The NIDDK recommends eating a balanced range of foods, including vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and protein foods, and combining this with physical activity for healthy weight management.

Aiming to eliminate appetite at all costs while dieting is different from healthy management of one’s diet.
Appetite is a physiological response involved in regulating food intake. It is affected by various factors, including a person’s activity level, sleep, stress, and hormonal changes.
If food intake is cut too much for weight loss, it may be difficult to get enough nutrients. Prolonged food restriction can lead to problems such as fatigue, reduced muscle strength, and nutritional deficiencies.
The U.S. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) explains that extreme food restriction, an intense fear of gaining weight, and a distorted perception of body shape can be symptoms of eating disorders.
A professional evaluation may be needed if thoughts about food intake and weight management become strong enough to interfere with daily life, or if intense guilt after meals is repeatedly experienced.
However, crying because dieting is difficult is not, by itself, reason to suspect an eating disorder. Yeri spoke only about the burden of restricting food and did not disclose any medical problems or an eating disorder diagnosis.

It is also worth noting that Yeri recounted having vomited after eating too much at a buffet in the past.
Eating a large amount of food at once can cause the stomach to expand, leading to nausea or vomiting. However, vomiting after overeating on one occasion is not enough to conclude that a person has a particular illness.
Vomiting can have various causes besides overeating, including acute gastroenteritis, foodborne infections, and medication side effects.
Repeated vomiting can cause dehydration and electrolyte imbalances, so caution is needed. In particular, if vomiting is so severe that even drinking fluids is difficult, or if it is accompanied by abdominal pain or vomiting blood, medical attention should be sought.
The NIMH describes intentionally vomiting, extreme fasting, or excessive exercise repeatedly to prevent weight gain after binge eating as key symptoms of bulimia nervosa.
However, Yeri’s anecdote was that Yeri vomited after overeating; it does not mean the vomiting was intentional. The experience alone should not be interpreted as being related to an eating disorder.

Even when weight loss is needed, it is important to make a management plan that takes current eating habits, activity levels, and health into account rather than drastically cutting food intake all at once.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency’s National Health Information Portal recommends reducing daily calorie intake by about 500 kcal and losing about 0.5 kg per week as a way for patients with obesity to manage their weight. This is a general guideline for managing weight in patients with obesity; it does not mean that everyone needs to lose weight.
A combination of aerobic and strength-training exercises is recommended. Physical activity helps not only with weight management but also with maintaining muscle mass and cardiovascular health.
The NIDDK emphasizes that successful weight loss and maintenance require establishing eating habits that a person can follow over the long term. It recommends assessing not only goals related to weight or body shape, but also current health, nutrient intake, and level of physical activity.

[email protected] Han Seung-gon Reporter