This edition is reconstructed based on actual survey responses from Team BurnFit members.
People might assume that those who build BurnFit are extra strict about their workouts and diet. But in reality, it’s not that easy! In this edition, we’ll share how the team behind a fitness app actually manages their diet in everyday life.
To give you a little spoiler—most of us don’t follow a "perfect" diet. When working late, we crave midnight snacks, and when hanging out with friends or coworkers, it’s hard to resist pizza or fried chicken.
We know that many BurnFit users also struggle to stick to a flawless diet. We hope this article gives you both reassurance and some practical tips to help you stay on track.
So, how does the BurnFit team really manage their diet? Let’s find out.
Realistic Meal Plans of Team BurnFit
Introduction
Marketer D (in 30s / 7 months into working out)
I'm starting to enjoy exercising little by little. Last summer, I followed a protein-based diet for three months while dieting. However, since I'm married, it wasn't easy to eat differently from my wife. Now, I take a more flexible approach, focusing on a meat-based diet while maintaining balance with my workouts.
Software engineer H (in 30s / not working out yet)
I do some yoga and squats at home occasionally. With my wedding coming up, I’m following a strict diet, but it's really tough when my fiancé is eating burgers right in front of me!
Product Manager H (in 30s / 10 years of workout experience, former trainer)
Weight training has completely changed my life. In my 20s, I was naturally skinny, so I carefully controlled my diet to bulk up. But since my family enjoys drinking and good food every weekend, it's hard to resist temptation.
Software engineer J (in 30s / 6 months into working out)
I enjoy all sports that involve a ball. After getting married, I haven't had much time for myself, so I go for a run whenever I can. I don’t follow a strict diet, but I try to eat mostly Korean food and occasionally have salads
Marketer B (in 30s / 2 years of exercise experience)
eat freely for breakfast and lunch, and keep dinner light with salads or cereal.
Designer S (in 30s / 4 years of exercise experience)
I enjoy fun exercises like weight training, futsal, and jogging. Since I love good food, I don’t strictly follow a diet, but I’ve gained weight recently, so I’m trying to keep my dinners light.
Product Owner V (is 30s / 10 years into working out)
I'm looking for a sustainable way to exercise. In the past, I followed a strict diet while preparing for competitions, but now I take a more flexible approach. Instead, if I overeat one day, I balance it out by strictly controlling my intake the next day.
Looking at how the team members manage their diets, it’s clear that everyone has their own way of adjusting. However, maintaining a consistent diet every single day is no easy task.
In particular, resisting temptations on weekends, social gatherings, and family meals makes it even more challenging. So, what were the toughest moments for our team members while trying to stick to their diets?
What was the most challenging moment while sticking to a diet?
Marketer D (in 30s / 7 months into working out)
As a married man, the hardest part was eating separately from my wife. There were times when I was eating chicken breast while she was enjoying fried chicken. I kept telling myself, "I already know how that tastes. Let’s save it for when I really can't resist." Surprisingly, as I held out, it became easier over time. These days, I just watch her eat like she's a mukbang YouTuber and feel satisfied vicariously.
Software engineer H (in 30s / not working out yet)
I stuck to a strict diet leading up to my wedding. But the real challenge was my husband ordering burgers and cooking ramen right in front of me… And on Valentine’s Day and White Day, the whole town was filled with chocolate! I tried to cut back on carbs, but in the end, I couldn’t resist having just one piece of chocolate. (But hey, I held out on everything else!)
Software engineer J (in 30s / 6 months into working out)
In my 20s, it was hard to stick to a diet because of drinks with friends, and in my 30s, family meals made it even tougher. It’s not easy to eat separately when dining with family, so as a realistic compromise, I started replacing just one meal a day with a salad or chicken breast. Oh, and the hardest part of parenting? Resisting the temptation of late-night fried chicken and beer after putting the baby to sleep. Especially when my wife was pregnant—there were so many nights when we’d be eating tteokbokki at 3 a.m. or having late-night snacks past midnight. That was by far the most challenging time to maintain my diet.
Product Owner V (is 30s / 10 years into working out)
The hardest time to stick to my diet was Friday and Saturday nights. Once the weekend arrives, my willpower weakens, and a glass of beer naturally leads to high-calorie foods. When catching up with old friends, I get carried away eating and drinking without realizing how much time has passed. And with people I’m not too close with, I tend to drink more to ease the awkwardness. In the end, these situations often led to breaking my diet.
Although everyone's situation was different, one common theme stood out—they chose flexibility over perfection. Instead of forcing themselves to follow a strict diet, they found practical ways to adjust within their daily lives, which ultimately proved to be more effective in the long run.
Sometimes, enjoying delicious food and relieving stress can also be an essential part of maintaining a sustainable healthy lifestyle.
Now, let’s take a look at some diet management tips that Team BurnFit members personally practice. If any of these seem helpful, be sure to try them out!
What are your personal diet management tips?
Marketer D (in 30s / 7 months into working out)
Consistent Diet Over a Perfect Diet!
At first, I tried to stick to salads for lunch and just chicken breast for dinner. But within a week or two, I hit my limit and ended up binge eating whenever I had social plans. So instead, I started eating three balanced meals a day and allowed myself occasional indulgences, knowing I could always get back on track. My trainer once told me, "It's okay to eat a lot once in a while, as long as you return to your routine," and that advice really helped. I realized that consistency is far more important than trying to maintain a perfect diet.
Software engineer H (in 30s / not working out yet)
Snacks to Curb Hunger Are Essential
Having nuts or soy milk as a snack really helped. Instead of strictly limiting portions, I ate as much meat, fish, and vegetables as I wanted to reduce stress. Also, when I craved rice or noodles, I substituted them with mashed tofu or tofu noodles. This gave me the feeling of eating carbs while also preventing binge eating!
Product Manager H (in 30s / 10 years of workout experience, former trainer)
If You’re Going to Eat It, Make It Tasty!
To stick with a diet long-term, the food has to taste good. I love garlic, so I season my chicken breast with garlic before grilling it or try different recipes using ingredients I enjoy. Also, planning meals in advance is crucial. If I decide what to eat on the spot, I often end up ordering takeout. Preparing ahead of time is the key to maintaining a diet.
Software engineer J (in 30s / 6 months into working out)
Strict on Weekdays, Flexible on Weekends
Sticking to a strict diet every day while working a full-time job is realistically difficult. That’s why I follow a structured meal plan during weekdays and allow myself more flexibility on weekends. Unless I have a specific goal like preparing for a wedding or a competition, I believe the best diet is one that I can maintain for life.
Your practical approach to dieting is already impressive
Your practical approach to dieting is already impressive
To all the readers out there—it's okay not to be perfect.
Even if you slip up on your diet occasionally, you can always start again with small efforts. What truly matters is not giving up and maintaining consistency in a way that fits your lifestyle. Even the BurnFit team, who develops a fitness app, isn’t perfect, but we manage our diets by finding realistic solutions.
So don’t be too hard on yourself!
To wrap things up, here are some words of encouragement from the BurnFit team. BurnFit is always here to support your journey to a healthier life!
Messages of encouragement to BurnFit users
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Achieving something through exercise and diet is amazing, but just the fact that you're doing it is already incredible. No matter where you are on your journey, you are doing something truly admirable!
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Staying consistent with anything is tough. I have deep respect for those who manage to stick with both exercise and diet. Keep going!
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I know better than anyone that working out and maintaining a diet is not easy. But one day, you will reach your goal, and once you do, it will become a natural habit rather than a struggle. I'm cheering for all of you!
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The changes may be small day by day and hard to notice, but all your efforts will definitely pay off in the end. Keep pushing forward!
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Exercise and diet are not just one-time events, so let’s all work on maintaining them consistently and sustainably together!