Does Walking After Eating Help You Lose Weight?
It's par for the course that anyone interested in improving their health and fitness will be acutely aware of their daily step count. You might even have goals of increasing yours. However, when it comes to when you walk, evidence suggests that after eating a meal could deliver further benefits beyond hitting your daily step goal.
What Does the Science Say?
A (very) small study published in the International Journal of General Medicine explored the effectiveness of walking immediately after meals versus waiting an hour for weight loss and blood sugar control. While the sample size was only two participants, they lost between 3.3 and 6.6 pounds and experienced improved blood sugar control. However, the small scale of the study limits the strength of its conclusions.
A more promising study, while not directly relating to weight loss, published in the European Journal of Physiology found that low-to moderate-intensity activity (including walking) immediately following breakfast lowers blood sugar levels. Conversely, exercise before breakfast or delayed post-breakfast activity does not.
Published in Sports Medicine, another study similarly notes, 'The most effective way to cope with high blood sugar spikes is to engage in physical activity in temporal proximity to food intake.' The researchers wanted to analyse specific timings which had the most significant impact, they concluded the exercise such as walking has a greater short term beneficial impact on blood sugar levels after eating when undertaken as soon as possible after a meal rather than after a longer interval or before eating.
To further confirm the benefits of walking after eating, a study in Diabetes Care explored the impact of three 15-minute postmeal walks versus a single 45-minute walk on blood sugar control. Both methods improved 24-hour glycemic control, but post-meal walking was particularly effective in reducing evening blood sugar levels.
What Does It All Mean?
These findings may not confirm that walking after eating will definitely lead to weight loss, especially without the presence of a calorie deficit, but they do suggest that shorter, frequent walks timed after meals may be a practical and effective strategy for managing blood sugar. This is especially important for those who manage conditions such as Type 2 Diabetes.
How Long It Should Take to Walk a Mile
Walking Just 4,000 Steps a Day Can Reduce Risk of Dying Prematurely
Why Walking Is a Totally Underrated Way to Exercise and Lose Weight
Forget the Gym: Walking Is the Superior Form of Exercise
How Does Blood Sugar Control Relate to Weight Loss?
In the context of weight loss, while improved blood sugar control won't directly cause weight loss without the presence of a calorie deficit, it can make the likelihood of a calorie deficit occurring more likely.
To explain, when we eat a meal, we will have a natural rise in blood sugar levels. This isn't a bad thing; it's a normal response to eating. The issue can arise when we frequently eat large quantities of foods that are very high in sugar which therefore put us in a calorie surplus. Over time this can then lead to something called insulin resistance which is a predictor of type 2 diabetes.
Insulin resistance occurs when your body doesn't respond well to insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar. Along with the health risks of becoming more insulin resistant, it can also drive our appetite higher, therefore leading to an increase in calorie consumption and weight gain. While overeating and its causes are incredibly complex and multifactorial, a lack of blood sugar control can contribute. While a higher calorie intake than what we burn is the key driver of weight gain, insulin resistance in the brain could contribute to a lack of appetite control, potentially linking it to obesity.
On the other side of the coin, if we can become more insulin sensitive with better blood sugar control, we can have better appetite control and reduce our calorie intake, which can in turn induce weight loss.
The Bottom Line
If we already have good blood sugar control and are healthy, we needn't worry too much about when to walk, more about making sure we stay active throughout the day. However, if blood sugar control is a concern of yours, the simple tweak of walking after eating could give us additional benefits, and potentially support our weight-loss goals.
You Might Also Like
