Is a walk after meals the answer to weight loss?
You are probably reading this because you saw the title and are looking for a weight loss solution. As I write this, as a health coach working with clients around weight release, I must caveat that there is no answer to weight loss, no silver bullet for it. Everyone and every BODY is different and will respond differently to various diet and exercise strategies. Having said that, I wanted to share something that I have personally experimented with and learned may be a good consideration for those who are interested in being strategic about not only managing weight but also reducing disease risk.
As I was preparing for the EmBODY WELL 30-day NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity) Challenge early this year, I searched for the data around non-exercise (low to moderate intensity) activities and their benefits, particularly for managing weight. I found several small interventional studies concluding that walking after a meal can be helpful with not only weight loss goals but also reducing the glycemic (and therefore blood sugar and insulin) impact of a meal (vs walking before or not at all). I also found several anecdotal stories in articles that claimed weight loss from walking after meals. (See below for links to a sampling of the studies and articles.) At the same time, my YouTube feed has been bombarded recently with various videos suggesting non-workout walking to burn fat. Then, when I myself added non-exercise walking after meals during the NEAT challenge, without any changes to my eating and exercise habits, I lost 9 pounds of fat in 2 months!!
Now I was intrigued.
I did a little more research and discovered even more evidence that walking after eating was linked to many health benefits including loss of excess bodyfat. Additional benefits include not only cutting disease risk and lowering blood pressure, blood glucose and cholesterol, improving digestion and digestive issues but also reducing stress, improving mental focus and alertness and enhancing sleep. Personally, I usually walk for its mental benefits, as a meditation or to give my brain a rest and inspire creativity, especially when I can get outside. What I have added is walking for the physical benefits, strategically after meals.
If you are interested in adding walking after meals, my research and experience suggests the following:
Get moving as soon as you feel comfortable (don’t overstuff yourself!) after the meal. The research seems to be consistent that the benefits are greatest within 15–20 minutes after a meal and decrease over time after that through 1 hour post-meal.
Take it easy! Stay in the low to moderate zone. The benefits discussed above were achieved at a NON-exercise pace. By increasing your activity level with non exercise/NEAT activities like walking, you are adding activity without the risk of over exercising that adding exercise activity can bring. Going too hardcore and walking too quickly at a high intensity, especially after meals, can have the adverse effects your parents always warned you about!
Start slow and buildup. Especially if you are new to activity, don’t overdo it. Start with a minute or step target and build up (5->20 minutes or 250->1000 steps).
Can’t get out? Don’t let bad weather, darkness, lack of sidewalks, or anything else stop you. Just don’t stop and sit for long after meals. You can get steps inside. Pace in your hallway or around the kitchen.
Make it social. Invite, call a friend or make it a family affair! Social support is important to stick to new healthy habits. And, for some of us, walking after meals may feel like we will miss out on the post-meal social time for a lot of households. Take the conversation on the road or walk around the dining room table together.
Interested in getting more info about the NEAT Challenge to introduce more non-exercise activity and movement throughout your day? Send a message to tanya@embodywell.com for a copy of the EmBODY WELL NEAT Challenge calendar! And, be sure to follow EmBODYWELL on social media or become a member of the EmBODY WELL community to find out about future health and wellness challenges!
Studies and articles:
Walking after a meal more effective for weight loss — https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3119587/
Effects of post-absorptive and postprandial exercise on glucoregulation in metabolic syndrome — https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17372321/
Contrary to what your parents told you, there are benefits to getting moving right after eating — https://www.eatthis.com/secret-side-effects-of-walking-right-after-a-meal-says-science/
Can walking after a meal help in faster digestion? — https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/food-news/can-walking-after-a-meal-help-in-faster-digestion/articleshow/87516630.cms
