Walking after eating often sounds like a great activity – but so does laying down and relaxing. But which is better for your body? Is it good to walk after eating?
These are common questions people wonder about, perhaps leftover from when your parents touted the benefits of walking after dinner. But were your parents correct?
While it’s often harder to motivate to go walking after eating, people usually notice they feel better than if they just lay down. So what are the benefits of walking after eating?
Is it good to walk after you eat?
In short, yes. Walking after dinner is a good practice to work into your everyday life. It helps boost your energy and blood flow, decrease stress, and even helps you sleep better.
Does walking help digestion?
Yes, science tells us that walking after a meal is helpful because it boosts your metabolism, lowers your glycemic index, improves intestine movement, which aids in digestion and lowers stress.
How long should you wait to walk after eating?
As long as you are walking at a light pace, you can start walking as soon as you’re finished eating. Or, up to twenty minutes will still be very effective as that is how long it takes for your body to digest your meal. It’s always good to go for a walk, though. So if you wait longer than 20 minutes after your meal and wonder if walking after dinner will still be effective – it is still a good idea.
If you still struggle with the motivation after knowing the answer to should you walk after eating, there are ways to make it more fun and easier to motivate. For example, you can invite friends or family to walk with you and have a fun catch up while moving. There are also many interesting and inspiring (and FREE) podcasts to listen to on your walk to make it interesting and educational. Do you struggle to find time to read, but want to read more books? There are tons of audiobooks now available! Check with your local library and they most likely have free audiobooks to checkout and download.
When you do come to visit San Francisco, check out this list of SF landmarks you can walk to after your meal to make it enjoyable and productive.
