How Cho Yeo-jeong Maintains Her Physique Off-Camera: Swimming and Strategic Breakfast Choices

Actress Cho Yeo-jeong revealed that she maintains a disciplined diet and exercise regimen even when she is not actively filming.

Appearing on the YouTube channel “PDC by PDC,” Cho shared details about her daily wellness routine and approach to staying in shape. “This morning, I swam for about 20 minutes, then had a slice of rice toast and an egg,” she said during the broadcast.

When a production team member asked if her strict habits were meant to prepare for ongoing film festival appearances, Cho nodded, explaining that she keeps her body weight within a strict 1-kilogram range. “Because I have such a small frame, gaining just 1 kilogram is far more noticeable on me than on most people,” she noted. “My friends ask why I make such a fuss over 1 kilogram, but I can’t help it.”

Full-Body Caloric Burn and Joint Protection Through Swimming

Morning swim sessions like the one Cho practices offer substantial cardiovascular and metabolic benefits. Swimming engages major muscle groups against the natural resistance of water. Because moving through water requires overcoming drag and hydrostatic pressure, even basic movements consume significant energy, burning an estimated 360 to 500 calories per hour depending on intensity.

In addition to calorie expenditure, continuous swimming builds muscular endurance and core stability. Staying buoyant and driving forward requires constant lower-body engagement, strengthening the glutes, quadriceps, and abdominal core. Meanwhile, water buoyancy offsets the effects of gravity, minimizing impact on joints. This makes swimming an ideal low-impact exercise for individuals with joint pain, muscular discomfort, or higher body weight.

To maximize physical benefits, fitness experts recommend swimming at least three times a week, with each session lasting at least 20 minutes at a moderate-to-vigorous intensity. However, individuals with chronic rhinitis or sinusitis should exercise caution, as exposure to cold pool water can irritate nasal passages and exacerbate symptoms.

The Glycemic Impact of Rice Toast and the Importance of Protein Pairing

Although rice toast is frequently marketed as a healthier alternative to traditional wheat bread, its impact on blood sugar can still be significant. While rice flour is naturally gluten-free, it consists primarily of carbohydrates. Milling rice into fine flour reduces particle size, allowing digestive enzymes to break down starches rapidly and causing faster glucose absorption than whole cooked grains.

Commercial rice breads also frequently incorporate added potato, corn, or tapioca starches to improve texture and elasticity. When these refined starches are present in high proportions, rice bread may offer little advantage over standard white wheat bread in terms of glycemic control. Experts advise consumers to review nutrition labels for total carbohydrate content and ingredient composition rather than relying solely on "rice" or "gluten-free" claims.

To mitigate blood sugar spikes, pairing refined carbohydrates with protein or dietary fiber—as Cho did by eating an egg alongside her toast—is highly effective. Consuming carbohydrates with protein-dense foods like eggs, tofu, or cheese, or fiber-rich vegetables, slows gastric emptying and helps prevent sharp post-meal glucose surges.