Having a tough time fitting into last year’s summer shorts? Opening up the camera on selfie-mode just to see your fluffy double chin? Well, you knew and felt it right then: it’s time to diet. How about trying the new “mukbang diet” this summer for a change?

So, What is the Mukbang Diet?

Simply put, a "mukbang diet" is a new method of controlling your appetite by watching mukbang, or videos of hosts binge eating ridiculous amounts of food. The word “mukbang” originates from South Korea, and is an acronym of the words “muk-da” (eating) and “bang-song” (broadcast). It could be hard to believe that this diet works, but you won’t understand the true effects until you try it out yourself!

Resist Your Temptation to Eat More

broccoli, garlic, salad
Tiare Brown

Eat your normal meals, but in small amounts, and watch mukbangs to fulfill the rest of your appetite. Stay away from snacks and continue hitting the gym. Whenever your stomach craves potato chips, search for mukbang instead and simply, watch.

Mukbang Diet over Your Average Diets 

beef, bun, cheese, hamburger, lettuce, bacon
Monica Cheng

If there’s a specific craving for food you know you shouldn’t eat while on a diet, the video bloggers are there to eat it for you. At first you may have the urge to eat. However, after a few minutes, you’ll quickly realize that you’ve become satisfied by their eating, as if you ate the food. It’s similar to the placebo effect: your constant thinking makes you feel full. Drinking water as you watch also helps!

Not A Loner Anymore

Another benefit of mukbang is that you won’t feel lonely. The interesting thing about mukbang is that the broadcasting hosts are always talking as they are eating. Since they are interacting with their audience, it's as if you have a friend eating in front of you. In Korea’s video streaming service called Afreeca TV, the viewers can even online chat with video bloggers and send out “star balloons,” or tokens that transfer to small payments to the video bloggers.

Food Paradise

The best part of this mukbang diet is that there are so many to choose from. The video bloggers are all there to eat any type of food you want. From sushi, hotdogs, spaghetti, tacos to Halal Guys, Olive Garden, and Five Guys, you can always search up what you want at that moment and decide what to watch.

cake
Katie Austin

If you’re still full of doubts, definitely give this diet a try. Summer is already here, but that doesn't mean you should give up and wait for next year to start making your body. Start getting in shape today!