Is It Safe To Exercise After Eating? This Is What The Expert Says

JAKARTA - After eating big, some people choose to sit back immediately, maybe even lie down. But not a few are wondering, can you exercise after eating? Apparently, doing physical activity after eating is not taboo.

Nicolette Pace, MS, RDN, a nutritionist, explained that doing light activities after eating can actually help the body manage energy better.

"Light activities after eating are allowed. In fact, this is recommended because it can trigger insulin to be free from muscles and help the body use energy from food, not store it in fat cells when the reserves in the liver are full," he explained, quoted from the Real Simple page.

This free insulin is important because it can help the metabolic process more efficiently, especially if we just eat heavy foods.

Baltazar Villanueva, fitness coach added exercise after eating was harmless as long as the body felt comfortable.

"If dinner is your biggest meal time or your only chance to move, it doesn't matter exercising afterwards as long as you don't feel too full or uncomfortable," he said.

The type of activity suggested after eating is a leisurely walk or slow cycling. This helps digestion without burdening the stomach. Although light activities can help, heavy exercise should be avoided after eating.

"High intensity sports after eating can cause cramps, bloating stomach, or feeling unwell, especially if the food is heavy or high in fat," Villanueva said.

If you plan to do cardio or weight training, experts suggest waiting at least 30'60 minutes after eating, depending on how much portion of the food you eat.

For those of you who have a sensitive digestive system, Nicolette Pace recommends giving a break between eating time and exercise.

"Wait about 30 minutes after a snack and 1.2 hours after a big meal." he said.

Interestingly, several studies show that short exercise before eating can also help control blood sugar levels more effectively than long sports sessions after eating.