Mia Kang , a high-profile supermodel living in New York, has recently opened up about her inner turmoil at the constant pressure of trying to fit the image of an ideal model and its growing expectations.
Her obligations had compounded to a burden that was detrimental to her both psychologically and emotionally.
“I’ve been judged on my appearance day in and day out every day since the age of 13,” Kang, who has been modelling for 15 years, told Ariel Helwani on Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour. “I’ve been through every eating disorder, body dysmorphic disorder on the planet — that you can ever imagine. Anorexia, bulimia, addiction to diuretics, laxatives. Fully body dysmorphic. I would look in the mirror and see a fat person.”
“I grew up obese and overweight and bullied. … I’ve lived on both extremes. I’ve been a size 14, I’ve been a size zero. And just day in and day out, feeling guilty every time you eat something and being criticized on every part time part of your body, I’d just had enough.”
Kang, a Hong Kong native, saw Thai boys practicing Muay Thai in 2016 and got inspired instantly. She approached the boys and asked if she could receive training with them.
Her constant presence under the bright lights during her modeling days in New York only aggravated her desire to go some place hotter. Her will to get herself trained and to fight, also brought her back to Thailand.
“I just wanted to go to Thailand and be in the sun,” Kang said. “Muay Thai and living in a training camp and going through all that, it taught me to respect my body. It brought me out of everything I was going through. Even basic things like eating three meals a day — I learned how to do that. I found strength in my body that I never knew I had. I saw things in my body … I had a six pack at one point — never in my life did I think I was gonna ave a six pack. It really gave me my self confident and really helped me rid a lot of insecurities that were weighing me down my whole life.”
Kang had her first professional Muay Thai fight earlier this month, which she won via third-round TKO. After her victory, one of her first thoughts was to fight again. And this fighting desire may soon be witnessed in mixed martial arts as well.
Kang, 28, said on The MMA Hour that the idea of fighting in MMA is under consideration. She's brought on board top manager Malki Kawa, who reps the likes of Jon Jones and Tyron Woodley, to represent her.
“Yes, absolutely,” Kang said when asked if she wanted to do MMA.
However, she denies the reports of doing MMA in the near future. She plans on taking up some more Muay Thai fights which include her prospective debut in the U.S. this coming July. Apart from that, she’ll also get training in disciplines other than Muay Thai, primarily wrestling, with the very famous Izzy Martinez. She'll also be doing work with her striking coach Phil Nurse, as well.
“In the meantime, really laying down some foundations in wrestling, some Jiu-Jitsu,” Kang said. … “Let’s not forget, this is fun for me. This is what I want to do. I’ve really fallen in love with martial arts and I wish I’d done it earlier and I want to see what else is out there.”
Kang is now in New York, resuming her modeling career, riding high off the win from her first Muay Thai bout. She feels that the initial pressure has now subsided, mainly due to Muay Thai and the support from Sports Illustrated, which is now filming a documentary about the fights and struggling journey of Mia Kang.
“The two things coupled together,” she said, “really gave me the confidence to come back to New York and come back to the fashion industry and the modelling world — the entertainment industry — and say, ‘I’m not gonna conform to your standards anymore. I’m not gonna starve myself and be insecure about myself because I’m trying to fit into a size zero pair of jeans. I’m not going to do that anymore. I found health, confidence, and happiness through this sport, through everything. This is who I am.’”
This makes her an ideal role model for our kids and the kind of woman we all need to look for in magazines.
“I’ve been that 14-year-old girl who’s looking through magazines, going, ‘Why don’t I look like that? Why am I not that skinny?’ No. Something needs to change. Really, Muay Thai has done more for me than people know. People look at me and they think, just another model posing in those gloves. But I’m about that life — I’m about that life.”
Her first stint at MMA may be soon. But Kang is in no hurry to make a start. She is going at her own pace and enjoying the ride. For now, she just wants to occupy herself with fighting and martial arts training.
“Knowing me, I will get there down the line,” Kang said. “But I’m not trying to rush anything. I’m going at my own pace, what I feel comfortable doing.”, she adds positively.