After a meal, you may not want to exercise at all. But it turns out that walking after meals can have many health benefits.
Here are 5 great benefits of walking after meals that you may not know.
1. Improve digestion
Walking after eating stimulates the stomach and intestines, allowing food to move faster and aiding digestion.
This simple activity can alleviate discomfort associated with bloating, constipation, acid reflux and colic.
2. Reduce the risk of heart disease
Regular exercise, including short walks after meals, is associated with improved heart health.
Studies show that short, frequent workouts may be more beneficial in reducing the risk of heart disease than a long workout.
3. Regulate blood sugar
Being inactive after meals can lead to spikes in blood sugar.
Walking after eating has been shown to effectively reduce these spikes, helping to reduce the risk of insulin resistance, prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.
4. Promotes healthy weight loss
Even a short walk after meals can help control weight
Walking helps burn calories, regulate appetite and limit cravings for unhealthy snacks between meals.
5. Sleep better
Walking after dinner helps regulate circadian rhythms, enhancing the natural sleep-wake cycle.
This not only promotes easier sleep onset, but also contributes to uninterrupted sleep, helping the body recover by reducing post-meal stomach discomfort.
When should you go for a walk after eating?
There is no specific time frame for you to start your walk. You can go right after eating, as some studies show that’s when the most benefits are obtained.
But if you feel stomach discomfort if you do any physical activity right after a meal, wait about 15 minutes before walking. This depends on your personal feelings.
How long should I walk after eating?
This depends on your goals.
If you just want to help digest food more easily, a 10-minute walk around the block after each meal will be enough.
But if you want to improve your overall fitness goals or reach 10,000 steps a day, you should walk for about 30 minutes.
Don’t overdo it
Although doctors recommend walking after meals, you should not jog or exercise too hard, as it can lead to digestive problems.
For example, jogging redirects blood flow from the digestive system to the muscles so the muscles work. This causes your digestive system to not have enough blood needed to process food.
Eating right before an intense workout can also overload the digestive system and potentially lead to cramping and discomfort at the start of the workout.
