On the show 'On the Way with Chom,' the behind-the-scenes story of James Jirayu's extremely lean Six Pack physique was revealed. "James Jirayu" Few would know that this body was achieved because his wife helped bring him back to his senses! He fully shared about the lowest point in his life—partying every night and hardly sleeping for a year, leading to health problems and aggravated allergies.
But he recovered thanks to his wife's strict rules—running daily and regular weight training. Despite very high cholesterol possibly requiring lifelong medication, he revealed his golden rule: accept that nothing comes easy, start with simple achievable steps to build momentum, and then motivation will take you further than you expect.
How was the Hyrox event? Were you satisfied?
"It was a life story. Not satisfied, because at first during the simulation, I thought it would be easy. I hadn't really trained seriously. When I went to Cubic for training, I only did personal training and saw my wife and friends doing it. I had only taken one class before, so I was inexperienced. I also believed I was very fit because I was a runner, and people always say runners have an advantage, so I thought I would too."
Did running really give you an advantage?
"It’s true, but I think it was only half of the competition. At first, I thought I was strong because I had been running and doing weights. Everyone praises runners as having an advantage, so I thought I’d do well. But when I actually did it, I almost threw up. I realized my basic skills were poor because I hadn’t trained seriously or tried the real drills."
"Weight training builds muscle strength and mass, but functional movements like lifting and moving were my weak points. Trying it for real, I also discovered I got very nervous—the atmosphere was intense right before the start. They briefed us not to run more than one lap, and there was a lot of talk. People were taking off their shirts and stretching. I wasn’t sure why I was placed in that particular wave—it was very competitive."
"My pace was about 5 minutes per kilometer, but the two slowest people had already gone ahead. The fun part was pushing myself nearly to my limit—like life had been too easy or workouts too light before. Hyrox is a pairs competition, which is fun because singles require great strength and challenge yourself a lot. Mixed doubles is enjoyable—you run and play with a friend, taking breaks when tired but never fully resting."
Are you happy with your physique now, or will you continue?
"A bit more. Overall, I want it fuller, but getting bigger is probably hard due to my bone structure and genetics. Going bigger would require a lot more effort, which would be tiring and I might not even like myself that way. Both diet and weight training have to be very coordinated. I follow the principle of starting with simple things I can do. Starting at an easy level isn't too hard."
"But as your level increases, it gets more complex—you must eat more and balance it carefully with exercise, which requires many calculations. My first goal before getting a better physique was to see if I could maintain it."
"The first time I got a six-pack was shocking—I never thought I could have one. That initial phase was intense, limited to about 2-3 months with strict physical training. The diet was simple: if you didn’t want to think, just order 1,800 calories and do 500 calories of cardio daily. It was a formula for rapid leanness."
"After three months, the results were visible. The good thing was a great physique; the downside was some side effects—sunken eyes, gaunt face. People asked why I looked too thin, although my physique was good. It affected my health somewhat; it wasn't very healthy."
How much do you eat nowadays?
"About the same amount. I’m not sure how accurate this is, but I tested myself. With a trainer, the minimum suggested was 1.5 to 2 times the base amount. I tried eating less to see what would happen, but I kept training at the same level. I managed, though some days my recovery was slower. I used tricks like whey protein and wasn’t too strict, but it’s not the main focus. I’m maintaining and still gaining."
How is your diet now for maintenance?
"I don’t count calories much but eat relatively little. My wife, who takes care of the baby at night, sleeps again until about 10:00 a.m. So I skip breakfast and eat my first meal around noon, then another around 6 or 8 p.m. That’s just two meals a day. If I roughly estimate calories, it’s manageable. I don’t snack anymore, unlike before when I used to eat snacks between meals."
What’s your exercise routine like?
"I try to work out every day. Having a home gym cuts out travel time. When I lived in a condo, I tried to work out there using whatever was easiest and quickest. In seven days, I run cardio at least two days—either outdoors or on a treadmill. Three or four days is even better."
"I’m into weight training lately and have been studying it a lot, reading research obsessively. I want to test if it works, so I do weights about five days a week, swim one day, and do cardio around three days. Weight sessions don’t take long—about 40-45 minutes if I focus without distractions. It’s quick but effective."
How did you get into this? I heard you used to be overweight.
"I used to be chubby, though not very obese. Before that, I was very skinny. When I was about to transfer schools, I felt very thin and feared bullying. That was when I first tried fitness seriously, reading everything online at the time."
"Back then, Arnold Schwarzenegger was an idol—a bodybuilding icon. I did seven sets and took creatine from age 16 without much knowledge, experimenting as I went. That was the start of my training, lasting about one to two years. My weight went up rapidly—10 kilograms in three months. I’d been a runner for over ten years; I once ran a 5-kilometer event and enjoyed it."
You ran 5 kilometers in your first run?
"Yes, I participated in a running event. I was young, in my twenties, and ran because it was required. It was fun, so I kept running. After that event, I maintained running for about one to two years. I ran so much my wife would scold me when leaving or coming home."
"She timed me—if I ran more than an hour and ten minutes, she’d know I had run over 10 kilometers. At that time, I was obsessed with running 20 kilometers daily. Later, I gradually reduced distance but kept running because I enjoyed it and it helped me relieve stress from work."
How did you start weight training?
"My wife again. She said, 'See, others take care of themselves, why can’t you? You’re a professional; why don’t you look after yourself?' She gave me a long talk. I said I’d been training but not seriously. She insisted everyone else had muscles, so she pressured me until I agreed."
"We started at Cubic. She said, 'Want to try?' I agreed. We set goals—what kind of physique to aim for. I was hesitant because I didn’t have a clear goal myself, but took her challenge: a good body, six-pack, muscles. So I followed the program. That’s when things got intense."
Since achieving this physique, have people asked you for advice?
"Yes, but it’s a bit awkward. I usually don’t give advice because I’m not good at explaining. Recently, more people ask how to get it, sometimes via direct messages. I don’t always reply but might make videos if I’m in the right mindset. Close friends get advice like, 'Start by inspiring yourself.' It sounds vague but it’s important."
Was there a time when you neglected your health completely?
"Yes, though I’m hesitant to share much. I’ll tell it here. After entering the entertainment industry and before becoming obsessed with running, I coped by partying and drinking to forget work stress. Once I gained some fame, I wanted everything and felt exhausted. It’s a common feeling everyone faces."
"I partied excessively, filming dramas daily, then going out drinking after work and before work—barely sleeping. I’d nap during meal breaks, hiding under tables to sleep long hours. I noticed recurring symptoms like allergies and lost all sense of awareness. I got sick about once a month, but now those issues rarely occur and I hardly think about them."
What brought you back to your senses?
"My wife again. Without her, I don’t know what my life would be. It was the worst time in my life, but it had the benefit of building strong immunity and allowing me to let go of certain things easily."
"If you ask now whether I still drink, I do, but not every day like before. I drink for the taste and enjoyment. If I start feeling dizzy, I stop."
Was there a phrase from Foam that snapped you back to reality?
"She was very strict. For example, if I kept drinking, she said she wouldn’t meet me anymore. She set rules—if I was out past midnight by even five minutes, it was a foul. She gradually tightened curfews from 4 a.m., 2 a.m., 1 a.m., midnight, 11 p.m., to 10 p.m. Other people's words didn’t affect me much, but her firm approach helped. It’s funny—I haven’t shared this side much."
Do you have high cholesterol?
"Yes, 320 total cholesterol, LDL 280, which is very high. My good cholesterol is high too, but overall I have to take medication. I first had a health check around age 25, which showed these values. I ignored it for a long time but kept testing annually, and it remained high."
"Once I tried a vegan diet for a bit and saw some improvement, but it didn’t last. It’s hereditary—my father had bypass surgery, and my mother also has high cholesterol. The decisive moment to start medication came when I acted as a heart surgeon in a drama. The real doctor allowed me to observe a bypass surgery, and witnessing the process scared me enough to begin medication."
"Since then, I haven’t stopped medication but still debate whether to continue. Everyone knows this medication is lifelong. I researched and weighed the risks, and the surgery experience was convincing. Before that, I tried lifestyle changes but they didn’t work."
Do you stay up late when you don’t have a child?
"Around midnight. I choose midnight so I can spend some time with my wife. Early on, when I started working, I left home at 5 or 6 a.m. and returned around 10 p.m., leaving only about an hour and a half with her—quite little."
"I tried to extend time with her, but filming multiple dramas back then left little time together. So I got used to going to bed around 12:30 a.m. regularly."
Do you ever have trouble sleeping?
"Not at all. I used to think everyone in entertainment sleeps easily because they seem like they do. I want to sleep early, like 8 p.m. I shared this with other families. My wife sleeps very late, 1 or 2 a.m., and is a light sleeper with difficulty falling asleep and short sleep cycles, which isn’t ideal. She wakes fully around 10 a.m. I prefer to sleep early but can wake up early at 5 or 6 a.m. and be active. We’re trying to find a balance."
How has your body and mind changed since you started caring for your health?
"Many improvements. Paying attention to health has enhanced my performance in many areas: thinking, emotions, self-control, discipline in exercise, and life overall. I’m not sure if this came after regular workouts or with age—they’ve progressed together. Overall, it’s good."
"It means better mood, physique, self-pride, social interactions, and self-respect. I think of it like tuning a car—you can’t have one thing perfect. If you put in a powerful engine but poor suspension, the car won’t drive well. You gradually add options to balance everything, improving quality of life broadly. I feel at this age my life is balanced, though unsure how long it will last."
In your view, where does good health begin?
"It starts with accepting that it’s not easy. I can’t recall if I heard this on a podcast or read it in a book, but I like the idea: to do something, you must first accept life isn’t easy. I’ve tried this many times."
"For example, after a long day at work when I’m very tired, or washing lamps at 1 a.m.—life isn’t easy. Accepting this makes it easier; you’re not fighting yourself. Once accepted, you proceed gradually and things improve. Starting from this acceptance is key, though expecting quick results is difficult."
Starting young gives an advantage?
"Yes. It’s about your childhood. Jokingly, it’s about the karma you accumulate, but really it’s about skills and muscles built over time. Everything takes time and isn’t fast. There’s no shortcut. Part of my cholesterol issue, besides heredity, stems from eating lots of fast food as a child. I just remembered my mother believed eating Western food like pizza made you bigger, so she bought me lots of fast food—I ate it instead of rice."
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