Actress Lee Min-jung showed her concerns about exercising the day after drinking.
Recently, Lee Min-jung uploaded a video on her YouTube channel about spending the end of the year. In the video, she said, "I drank alcohol yesterday, so I have to go exercise," while also expressing, "Exercising the day after drinking is really not good," showing her dilemma.
Ultimately, she decided to do light exercise and visited a Pilates center. She said, "This is my first time doing Pilates," and added, "I will release the alcohol I consumed yesterday."
Reasons to Avoid Exercising the Day After Drinking
It seems that after eating high-calorie food and drinking alcohol, one must exercise the next day to avoid gaining weight. However, as Lee Min-jung mentioned, it is better not to exercise the day after drinking. Exercising on the day you drink reduces the effectiveness of the workout. Drinking alcohol increases the secretion of lactic acid, leading to muscle cramps and fatigue. If you drink frequently, recovery time after exercise is longer, and muscle development is hindered.
Exercise ability, reaction speed, and concentration can also decrease. In fact, research shows that doing aerobics while experiencing hangover symptoms can reduce efficiency by about 11%. Alcohol slows down metabolism, making exercise difficult and results unsatisfactory. The risk of accidents also increases.
Exercising the day after drinking can put a burden on the liver, which is already exhausted from breaking down alcohol. When we exercise after drinking, our body breaks down stored glucose in the liver for energy. We also need to synthesize protein for muscle creation. Accumulation of fatigue substances in the liver can impair liver function. Therefore, instead of intense exercise after drinking, light walking or stretching is more suitable.
What Are the Benefits of Pilates?
Meanwhile, the Pilates that Lee Min-jung practiced can strengthen core muscles, abdominal muscles, and spinal erectors. The pectoral muscles that move the shoulders also develop. Strength necessary to maintain proper posture develops, and overall muscle mass increases, raising the basal metabolic rate.
The diaphragmatic breathing emphasized in Pilates promotes metabolic activity and reduces body fat. In fact, research has shown that regular practice of Pilates led to a reduction in body fat. According to a joint research team including Marymount University in the U.S., young women who are obese but have no health issues participated in Pilates classes twice a week for 12 weeks, resulting in an average body fat percentage reduction of 2%.
However, using joints excessively during Pilates can lead to injuries in tendons, muscles, and ligaments. If you have a herniated disc, you should not excessively use your abdominal and back muscles. If you feel pain during exercise, it is best to stop immediately.
