Photo: Weibo

 Actress Jia Ling topped the social media topics on the second consecutive day of the Chinese Lunar New Year as her stunning weight loss of 50 kilograms during the shooting of her movie Yolo triggered heated discussions over healthy lifestyle and allowed some viewers to draw aspirations from her arduous weight-loss journey. 

The highly anticipated comedy Yolo hit theaters across China on Saturday, the first day of the Lunar New Year. It is now leading the domestic movie box office during the Spring Festival with 781 million yuan as of press time, data provided by film tracking site Maoyan said. 

Topics related to Jia's stunning weight loss were dominating Weibo such as "full record of Jia's losing weight journey" and "Jia Ling totally shocked me," as netizens discuss whether it is time to develop a more balanced habit starting from the Spring Festival. 

"Her achievement is quite inspiring and it deserves a movie ticket," moviegoer Li Qiaoya, who regularly visits the gym to lose weight, told the Global Times on Sunday. "I feel guilty for eating too much during the Spring Festival already."

Jia, once known for her infectious laughter and emotive performances, took to social media to share her post-transformation look, complete with her trademark dimpled smile. Fans were astonished by her newfound jawline, with many remarking on her radiant appearance.

Jia noted that the movie is not about boxing or losing weight, but rather is a warm-hearted story about "learning to love yourself."

However, not everyone agrees on Jia's weight loss program. To finish the filming of the movie, Jia had to increase her weight by 20 kilograms before starting to lose weight in a mere six months. 

"Not everyone can manage to shoulder the burden of losing 50 kilograms in just six months," Jiang Chong, a Chongqing-based fitness expert, told the Global Times. "It is not only a physical challenge but also a mental one."

In interviews leading up to the release, Jia stressed the importance of setting realistic goals when speaking about her weight-loss journey. Jiang echoed the sentiment, saying having reachable goals is vital to keeping a healthy lifestyle.

"It's never bad to have a movie reminding so many people of the importance of keeping fit," Jiang told the Global Times.

"To lose weight in a healthy way, it takes a long-term goal that consists of several reachable short-term goals. It would be better to work out a schedule and stick to it, rather than blindly trying extreme workload to lose weight."