After a big meal at night, even the lightest form of physical activity may be the furthest thing from your mind. But as it turns out, walking after eating has many benefits.
We’re not just talking about boosting our endorphins or reducing stress levels when taking a leisurely, serotonin-inducing strolls. Walking after eating has been proven to do many things for our overall health, and it’s definitely something to consider for future meals. But don’t just take our word for it. Below, Heather Viola, DO, primary-care physician at Mount Sinai Doctors-Ansonia, breaks down all the reasons you should be taking a post-meal walk after breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Key Takeaways
- The benefits of walking after a meal are many, including improved digestion, promoting healthy weight loss, and regulating blood-glucose levels.
- It doesn’t have to be strenuous; even a simple 10-minute walks is beneficial after a meal.
Dr. Viola says that not moving after eating might result in excessive spikes in your blood sugar levels. (This is also a tenet of the Jessie Inchauspé, also known as the Glucose Goddess.) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explains that having too much blood sugar in the bloodstream will overwhelm our liver and muscles that normally store blood sugar and cause the insulin in our bodies to store any excess in other places. If this keeps happening, it will make our bodies insulin resistant over time and set the stage for pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes.
When Should You Take a Walk After Eating?
According to Dr. Viola, there is no specific time frame for starting your walk. You can go immediately after you eat, as some studies show that is the time that reaps the most benefits. But she says you might encounter stomach discomfort if you do any physical activity soon after a meal, so it could be worth waiting 15 minutes or so before walking. “It really comes down to how you’re personally feeling,” she says.
How Long Should a Walk After Eating Be?
This all depends on your goals. If you just want to help digest food more easily, Dr. Viola says a 10-minute walk around the block after each meal is enough to be beneficial. But if you want to improve your overall fitness goals or reach those 10,000 steps, she recommends a 30-minute walk.
How Fast Should You Be Walking?
You don’t need to be speed walking to gain the most benefits, but Dr. Viola does recommend picking up your normal pace. She says studies have shown those who walk about 10% faster had greater effects on reducing blood sugar levels. Just be sure not to overdo it. “It doesn’t take very much activity to stimulate the bowel and stomach to move,” she says. “Overdoing it may divert blood flow away from the bowel and lead to poor digestion of food, causing an upset stomach or heartburn.”
Don’t Jog or Run Immediately After
While walking is encouraged after eating, Dr. Viola advises against doing anything more extraneous, like jogging or rigorous exercise, as it will lead to digestion problems. “The problem with jogging is that blood flow is needed for your working muscles to deliver the oxygen and fuel they need,” she explains. “This leaves your digestive system without the blood flow needed to process food. Eating shortly before more vigorous exercise can overwhelm the digestive system, potentially leading to cramping and discomfort once exercise begins.”
Is There a Type of Walking Method That Works Best After a Meal?
Dr. Viola says that you don’t really need a special walking technique after a meal. “A comfortable moderate-paced walk is probably the simplest and most practical,” she says.
Of the many trending walking methods, she says Tai Chi walking could be a nice option if you like slower, more mindful movement. Nordic walking can also provide a more substantial full-body workout, but she says that ultimately the best post-walk meal is the one you actually enjoy and do regularly.
Should You Be Walking After Every Meal?
Dr. Viola says that it would be ideal to do short walks after multiple meals. “Each meal produces its own rise in blood sugar and other metabolic activity,” she says. But that might not always be a realistic option, so it’s not necessary. If that’s the case, then she says to prioritize taking a walk after the largest meal, the highest in carbs, or the meal after which you tend to sit for a long period. “Even a 10-minute walk can be worthwhile,” she says.
Simply put, the benefits of walking are so good for you that there’s hardly any reason not to want to do it regularly. It’s an easy way to keep your health in check, and that’s all anyone really wants.
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