Fan Bingbing lost 6kg in 7 days from bigu fasting, but fans are upset: the X-Men actress documented her weight loss journey on Xiaohongshu but was slammed for setting a bad example

Jul 19 , 2022

For a whole week, Fan Bingbing just drank jujube, lemon or passion fruit water. Photo: @bingbing_fan/Instagram

Kourtney Kardashian, Chris Pratt and Chris Hemsworth’s wife Elsa Pataky have hailed the benefits of fasting, but when Fan posted her journey, fans weren’t happy

The Empress of China actress documented it on Xiaohongshu, a platform similar to Instagram, but fans said that impressionable young women might copy her

Fasting – and in particular intermittent fasting – has become popular in recent years with celebrities like Elsa Pataky, Chris Pratt and Kourtney Kardashian integrating it into their lifestyles to enjoy the suggested health benefits – scientists say it helps with everything from chronic disease to anti ageing. But experts and responsible celebs are always keen to stress the importance of doing longer fasts under supervision, and to check with your doctor before embarking on any.

So when Fan Bingbing documented her more extreme fasting journey on social media to her army of young female fans last month, the backlash was swift.

Liquid only

Fan Bingbing angered many in China in 2018 when she was fined for tax evasion, and now finds herself courting controversy once more. Photo: @bingbing_fan/Instagram

The 40-year-old I am not Madame Bovary actress told followers on Xiaohongshu that her seven-day fasting regime was customised specifically for her and that she was doing it for work, adding that netizens should not follow suit.

She nevertheless went on to document her fasting journey on the Instagram-like platform between June 20 and June 26, saying she’d lost over 6kg during the week in which she only drank flavoured water and performed light exercise including hot yoga and walking. AsiaOne reports that she also walked about 6km on her first day of the fast.

Fan said: “I was a little hungry on the third night, but on the second day I think everything felt good.” Her liquid-only diet included apple cider vinegar, jujube water and water infused with lemon and passion fruit, as well as beverages mixed with protein powder.

Fan Bingbing says she mostly drank water with jujube, passion fruit and lemon during her seven-day fast. Photo: @范冰冰/Xiaohongshu

She also added that she watched herself become thinner during her fast and that despite not eating, she was still able to concentrate on her work. Fan said that her skin became smooth and her pores were non-existent, according to HK01.

“I feel that the body is very light. There is no drowsiness or confusion in the work. Refreshed and in good spirits,” she told fans.

Irresponsible

Fan Bingbing told followers not to copy her, but then proceeded to broadcast her fast to millions online. Photo: @范冰冰/Xiaohongshu