After a big meal in the evening, even the lightest form of physical activity can be the furthest thing from your mind. But it turns out there are many benefits to walking after dinner that we should all take into account.
We’re not just talking about boosting our endorphins or reducing stress levels during these relaxing, serotonin-inducing walks. Walking after eating has been proven to do a lot for our overall health and is definitely something to consider for future meals. But don’t just take our word for it. Below says Dr. Heather ViolaDO, a primary care physician at Mount Sinai Doctors-Ansonia, breaks down all the reasons why you should take a post-meal walk after breakfast, lunch or dinner.
The benefits of walking after dinner
Viola says walking after dinner has five primary health benefits: it improves digestion, can reduce the risk of heart disease, improve blood sugar control, help maintain a healthy weight and promote better sleep patterns. She breaks it down as follows:
Improved digestion
Bloating, constipation, acid reflux, upset stomach: these are all uncomfortable signs that you may have a digestive disorder after you eat. One way to relieve these symptoms is to take a short walk. “Walk after dinner [stimulates] your stomach and intestines, which helps your food move through you faster [aid with digestion],” says Viola.
Reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease
Have studies always shown that regular exercise is good for your heart health. It has been shown to lower your blood pressure and cholesterol and reduce the risk of heartburn, heart attack, stroke and other heart problems. A study even shows that doing small quick exercises, such as a 10 to 15 minute walk after meals, during one long workout could be more beneficial for reducing the risk of heart disease.
Regulate blood glucose levels
Viola says that not exercising after eating can result in excessive spikes in your blood sugar levels (this is also a tenant of the Jessie Inchauspé, also known as the Glucose Goddess). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explains that too much blood sugar in the bloodstream will overwhelm our liver and muscles, which normally store blood sugar, and cause the insulin in our body to store the excess in other places. If this continues to happen, over time our bodies will become insulin resistant, paving the way for pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes.
Studies show that walking after eating helps lower blood sugar levels and is an effective way to lower those risks.
Promote healthy weight loss
Regular exercise is the most effective way to stay healthy, but even a short walk after a meal can help maintain or lose weight. Viola explains that you need to burn more calories than you take in to lose weight (to lose one pound, you need to burn about 3,500 calories, she says) and that your body uses more energy when you walk, which causes you to burn more calories . Walking also helps regulate appetite and reduces the urge to reach for unhealthy snacks between meals.
She recommends a brisk walk of 3 to 4 miles per hour, but even a light walk at a slower pace will still do some good in just a few minutes. sit and do nothing.
Sleep better
Viola explains that walking after eating especially helps regulate circadian rhythm; it improves the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle, making it easier to fall asleep and enjoy a deeper, restorative rest. She adds that because these walks can help with post-meal stomach upset, it also allows for a more comfortable and – more importantly – uninterrupted sleep throughout the night.
When should you take a walk after eating?
According to Viola, there is no specific time frame to start your walk. You can go right after dinner, like some studies show that is the moment that yields the most benefits. But she says you can get an stomach upset if you do any physical activity soon after a meal, so it may be worth waiting about 15 minutes before walking. “It really comes down to how you feel personally,” she says.
How long should a walk take after eating?
This all depends on your goals. If you just want to help make food easier to digest, says Dr. Viola that a 10-minute walk around the block after each meal is enough to be helpful. But if you want to improve your overall fitness goals or reach those 10,000 steps, she recommends walking for about 30 minutes.
Don’t overdo it
Although walking is encouraged after eating, Viola advises against doing anything unusual, such as jogging or strenuous exercise, as this will lead to digestive problems. “The problem with jogging is that it requires blood flow to keep your working muscles supplied with the oxygen and fuel they need,” she explains. “This leaves your digestive system without the blood flow it needs to process food. Eating shortly before more vigorous exercise can overload the digestive system and potentially lead to cramps and discomfort once exercise begins.”
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 take control of your health, which is all anyone really wants.
