Actress Shu Qi. Photo from Shu Qi's Instagram |
ETToday reports that Shu Qi maintains strict discipline over her body management. She consistently avoids eating late dinners to give her body sufficient time to digest and convert food into energy, which helps prevent the buildup of extra fat. Even if her filming schedule extends into the early morning, she steadfastly avoids snacking or eating during nighttime hours.
Shu Qi also practices intermittent fasting, a strategy that confines eating to specific hours of the day to manage calorie intake and create a calorie deficit that facilitates weight loss. Her fasting windows range from 16 to 20 hours, compelling her body to burn stored fat for energy.
She allows herself one to two "cheat meals" each week, during which she can eat whatever she craves, and compensates with increased exercise to maintain balance.
The actress once stated on her social media: "Maintaining my figure is actually very simple."
"I choose to stand instead of lying or sitting whenever I have free time," she added. "I still enjoy sweet desserts but only consume them in moderation. For dinner, a simple bowl of porridge with whole grains suffices."
Refrain from eating after 6 p.m. is actress Shu Qi's method to maintain her figure. Photo from Shu Qi's Instagram |
She advises people to eat dinners that leave them feeling about 70% full rather than eating to the point of feeling bloated. Overeating puts undue strain on the digestive system and does not allow the body adequate time to transform food into energy, leading to fat accumulation, according to her.
Additionally, she limits her intake of high-calorie and unhealthy foods like fried items and alcohol.
At the same time, the actress emphasizes the importance of maintaining a happy and joyful disposition as essential for keeping fit.
Shu Qi, 50, started her career in the entertainment industry as a teenager, initially starring in softcore pornography films.
She was discovered by prominent directors in Hong Kong and Taiwan in the mid-1990s and rose to prominence with lead roles in films such as "Viva Erotica" in 1996 and "Bishonen" in 1998.
Her roles in international films like "The Transporter," "So Close," "Three Times," "My Wife Is a Gangster 3," and "Love" further increased her global recognition.
In 2023, she served on the main jury at the Venice International Film Festival. Her previous jury roles at the Berlin Film Festival in 2008 and the Cannes Film Festival in 2009 position her as the third female artist of Chinese descent to serve on juries at three major European film festivals, following actresses Gong Li and Maggie Cheung.