Since the film "YOLO" (Hot and Spicy) was released on the first day of the Lunar New Year, it has not only set off a box office boom but also sparked a fitness and weight-loss craze. The film's lead actress, Jia Ling, lost 100 jin (50 kg) in the movie, demonstrating astonishing perseverance and results.

On the other hand, after the feasting and drinking of the Spring Festival holiday, as spring approaches, many beauty-conscious people have once again put fat reduction and body shaping on their agendas, driving up the popularity of gyms and boxing studios day after day.

Does excessive weight loss affect health? Experts suggest controlling a reasonable pace

Regarding Jia Ling's 100-jin weight loss, some people praised her courage and perseverance, believing she made tremendous efforts for her new film; others worried that excessive weight loss could affect her health and hoped Jia Ling would pay attention to her well-being.

In fact, during the filming of the movie, the production team arranged for professional fitness coaches to accompany Jia Ling throughout her work, using scientific and healthy methods to assist her in completing her weight-loss task.

Nutrition experts also pointed out that, especially for patients with severe obesity, losing weight to within a normal BMI range is reasonable for the sake of health. However, the speed of weight loss is not the faster the better; it needs to be controlled at a reasonable pace.

With a low-energy diet and a moderate increase in exercise, losing 0.5 to 1 kilogram per week is a healthy rate of weight loss. For those of normal weight, sudden large-scale weight loss may lead to problems such as malnutrition, electrolyte imbalance, muscle loss, and metabolic disorders, and also carries the risk of rapid weight rebound.

Even for obese patients, it is best to follow a doctor's guidance before losing weight, and if conditions permit, it is best to carry out the process under the comprehensive support of a professional team of nutritionists and fitness coaches.

Boosting confidence and relieving stress: more female students in boxing studios

Before "YOLO" was released, with the rise to fame of Zhang Weili, Asia's first UFC world champion, women's boxing had already become hugely popular. This Spring Festival, topics generated by the film continued to add fuel to the popularity of boxing, inspiring many netizens to actively engage in exercise.

The film's influence has been translated into actual fitness action, exerting a positive impact on the fitness industry. According to media reports, recently the number of people inquiring about weight loss at gyms and Muay Thai studios in many parts of the country has increased, and some boxing studios even opened early during the Spring Festival holiday to meet members' needs.

"Come for an exhilarating boxing session after work!" In Beijing, a boxing studio specializing in women's boxing had already been receiving many new students one after another before the Spring Festival, and opened its first class of the Year of the Dragon on the sixth day of the Lunar New Year. "Whether male or female, boxing is a test of endurance. Women practicing boxing cannot be guaranteed to become as capable of fighting as men, but it can certainly boost confidence and relieve stress," said Ms. Lin, a combat fitness coach. She noted that boxing requires swinging both hands for extended periods, which helps sculpt the arm lines, and women who want to practice boxing need not worry about their arms getting thicker.

Meituan data shows that many boxing fitness studios enjoyed a strong start after the Spring Festival, with a marked increase in the number of people inquiring about boxing courses and signing up for "boxing experience classes." Many boxing studios have also launched courses such as "YOLO group classes" and "Jia Ling's boxing class."

Boxing course sales have grown substantially in cities such as Tianjin, Beijing, and Shanghai, with Shanghai's growth reaching 149.86%. This trend is not limited to first-tier cities; second-tier cities such as Chengdu and Hangzhou have also shown strong growth momentum.

Fat reduction is no longer the sole goal: more women signing up for muscle-building classes

In the past two years, female athletes such as Zhang Weili and Eileen Gu have frequently made headlines, showcasing the beauty of women's strength to the public. "When I look at my legs, I don't think about whether they're pretty or slim; I think about what my legs can do for me. With them, I can jump higher and run farther, making me more and more confident—that is what's beautiful," Eileen Gu said in an interview, inspiring more women to join the ranks of weight training.

A women's fitness studio in Hangzhou said that over the past two years, noticeably more women have signed up for muscle-building classes, and their demands have changed. Previously, many people worked out to reduce fat; now they pay more attention to body fat percentage and muscle mass, and care about improvements in their figure and muscle lines. Meituan data also shows that in the recent fitness boom, women accounted for as much as 67.1%, with young people aged 20 to 35 becoming the main users.