Regulate Blood-Glucose Levels
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.
Studies show that walking after eating will help reduce blood sugar levels and is an effective way to lower those risks.
Promote Healthy Weight Loss
Exercising regularly is the most effective way to be healthy, but even a short walk after a meal can help maintain or lose weight. Dr. Viola explains that you must burn more calories than you take in to lose weight (to lose one pound, you’ll need to burn about 3,500 calories, she says) and that your body expends more energy when you walk, thus burning more calories. Walking will also help regulate appetite and curb the urge to grab those unhealthy snacks between meals.
She advises a brisk walk of three to four miles per hour, but even a light walk at a slower pace will still do some good over just sitting and doing nothing.
Better Sleep
Dr. Viola explains that walking after dinner particularly helps regulate circadian rhythms; it enhances the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle, making it easier to fall asleep and enjoy deeper, restorative rest. She adds that because these walks can help with post-meal stomach discomfort, it also allows for a more comfortable and—more importantly—uninterrupted sleep throughout the night.
Regulates Blood Pressure
Dr. Viola says that studies have shown that walking for about 30 minutes or in several 10-minute intervals throughout the day can reduce high blood pressure by a significant amount. She says you can easily achieve that goal if you take three 10-minute walks after each meal of the day.
Boosts Your Mood
To quote Legally Blonde: Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people don’t [insert unpleasant action here], etc. Dr. Viola says walking can kick-start dopamine and serotonin to get you feeling good. Even a short 10-minute walk, she says, can help release these hormones.
Can Possibly Help With Inflammation
Dr. Viola points to emerging evidence that any movement after a meal, especially after one that is high in fat, can help moderate temporary inflammation. “The mechanism is less clear, but physical activity appears to influence some of the metabolic changes that happen after eating,” she says. “I wouldn’t call a short walk an anti-inflammatory treatment, but it may help create a healthier post-meal metabolic response.”
Regulate Triglyceride Levels
Dr. Viola says that walking after a meal may help your body manage the rise of blood triglycerides, (a type of fat found in your blood and can cause a stroke, heart attack, or heart disease if levels are too high), which can occurs after eating. She explains that your muscles are actively using energy when you walk, including some that fuels circulation in your bloodstream after a meal. That can help your body process nutrients, including triglycerides, more efficiently.
