Bonya and Kuzmich host loses 23 kilograms
Five years ago, Bonya weighed 96 kilograms (212 lb); she has since lost 23 kilograms (51 lb).
Many people know the Perm duo of performers and hosts Bonya and Kuzmich. Duo member Yuliya Starikova has undergone an unexpected transformation: she lost 23 kilograms (51 lb), down from 96 (212 lb). We asked Bonya how she managed to slim down, how fans of the duo reacted to her transformation, and whether she is prepared to regain fuller curves for the sake of her stage persona.
Fewer bookings during the pandemic — she started going to the gym
The well-known dance parody duo from Perm (Russia), Bonya and Kuzmich, emerged more than 20 years ago. Performers Yuliya Starikova and Mikhail Kuzminykh actively make music videos, take part in national TV shows, and host corporate events and weddings.
Duo members Yuliya Starikova and Mikhail Kuzminykh are known to audiences for their colorful stage personae. As Yuliya herself says, their duo has always played on the archetypes of «the fat one and the thin one». But now fans are noticing how much Bonya has slimmed down.
Yuliya Starikova told 59.RU that five years ago she weighed 96 kilograms (212 lb). However, the host never felt self-conscious about her fuller figure.
«I have always felt very comfortable at any weight, because everyone always accepted me as I am, — noted Yuliya. — All these years I was surrounded by a kind of unconditional love from people. I was never ashamed of my weight. I was never bullied or hurt because of my size, so I never felt there was anything wrong with me».
Yuliya says she was never embarrassed by her curvy figure or by her weight.
The turning point for Yuliya came in 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic began. Because of the stay-at-home order, the duo ran out of bookings. The performers found a way to earn money online: while “remote,” they hosted a wedding in Ukhta (Komi Republic, Russia), launched a children’s camp, and recorded three hundred birthday greetings.
«During the pandemic our touring stopped, — Yuliya recalls. — I had more time, and I decided to focus on myself. Over time I started going to the gym. I began with a little exercise, and then I got into it».
Over the next two years of regular workouts at the gym with a trainer, Yuliya lost 23 kilograms (51 lb). She now weighs 73 kilograms (161 lb) and tries not to regain weight.
«So it was a long process, and it is still ongoing and hasn’t ended, — the performer noted. — I didn’t have a goal or task to drop a certain number of kilograms in a year. I simply started going to the gym and tried to improve my diet».
In her diet, Yuliya tries not to “fall off the wagon,” but during tours or on vacation she may allow herself “forbidden foods” or sandwiches — and she doesn’t worry too much about it. She finds the strength to return to training and watch her nutrition again. She does complain a little that she lacks sleep while touring, but she recovers at home.
«I’m simply maintaining what I started, and of course, I don’t want to lose what I worked for over two years, — says Yuliya. — All this was done exclusively for my health and endurance. The years go by, and our work is demanding in any case. For those who think that hosting events and just dancing isn’t work but a party, I’ll let you in on a secret: it is very energy-intensive, very emotionally demanding, and physically energy-intensive too. To keep that same pep, spontaneity, childlike quality, and endurance, I took this path».
«I like myself more»
Yuliya speaks categorically about so-called weight-loss injections such as Ozempic and says that «it is absolutely not her path». At the same time, the host admits that it is important for her now to maintain her achieved weight and not regain kilos. She has been managing this for three years. She jokes that she didn’t want to “shock” fans, so she has been losing weight very slowly so they wouldn’t notice the difference right away.
«People gradually got used to my image, and I became a little smaller and smaller, and in the end everything went painlessly, — says Bonya. — In fact, everyone appreciated my efforts and that makes me happy. We are surrounded by kind people; on the contrary, I’ll say that the feedback about my new appearance is only positive. And the most important compliment for me is that I motivate other people to the same feat. Looking at a photo of myself from five years ago, I think: who is that person? As if it were another life. Now I like myself more».
Yuliya is glad that she can now buy clothing not in size 54 but in size 50. In November, the host will go on vacation and sets herself the goal of losing another three kilograms (7 lb) in a month.
«I don’t have a sweeping goal to become slim in the shortest time, — she emphasizes. — I am a living organism and can sometimes allow myself some leniency. On vacation my weight starts to increase because I don’t deny myself anything, but when I come home I immediately go to my workouts, return to my work schedule, and the weight goes down again. I haven’t weighed less than 73 kilograms (161 lb) yet, but I’m striving for that. What motivates me is that I’m simply moving along my path slowly but surely. My trainer told me: “I don’t want you to lose your persona; I want you to get toned.”»
«It’s never too late to start»
Yuliya admits that she is ready to regain fuller curves only for a role in a film or for an interesting creative TV project. «But I don’t even see any other options,» the host says. To those who want to lose weight she offers one simple piece of advice — “it’s never too late to start”.
Yuliya says slimming down mattered to keep her energy, spontaneity, and endurance for performances.
«No matter how old you are, you can start at any age, — Bonya emphasized. — The excuse that there’s no time doesn’t work, because I had no time, period — we were always out on tour — but now I find any opportunity to come to the gym. For example, I’m in Yekaterinburg (Russia) right now, and today I went to the gym. I went and paid for a single visit — so, no excuses. There is a gym in every city; you can buy normal food in every city. It just has to become a habit, that’s all.»
