There is one universal activity that is best following a meal, regardless of your diet preferences.
Going for a walk.
Going for a walk is beneficial at any time, but it is especially impactful after a meal.
This is especially true if you have a meal higher in sugar and refined carbs.
Sugar and starch spike your blood sugar, which is typically not a good thing, especially if you just go sit on the couch.
That glucose will get stored as fat, to be used as energy at a later time. In our sedentary culture, that time usually never comes.
The better option is to go for a walk, which makes use of the glucose in a helpful way — for your muscles.
Muscles soak up glucose when they are activated, so it’s important to engage your muscles following a meal.
Of course, high intensity exercise makes fantastic use of glucose as well, but that’s not a great idea following a big meal.
A walk is the perfect intensity level to dispose of the glucose in a beneficial way without upsetting your stomach after eating.
It doesn’t take much — even a 10-minute walk will stabilize blood sugar levels following a meal.
In addition to improving your health, this practice of going for a walk after meals can stabilize your mood and improve thinking ability as well.
If you have a big meal and then go sit at your desk, there’s a good chance you’ll feel lethargic and have brain fog.
Putting a 10-minute walk between your meal and your work time is a great way to prime your body and mind for productivity.
Plus, if you go for a 10-minute walk after each meal of the day, that’s 30 minutes of exercise right there.
Even if that’s all the exercise you do, that’s more than most people.
I suggest adding a dedicated workout to your schedule as well for optimal results, but walking is one activity that is available to nearly all of us, with profound health benefits.
The next time you have a meal, resist the urge to plop down on the couch or at your desk after — instead, go out for a 10-minute walk.
It’s the best thing you can do for your short and long-term health.
