Walk After Meals: Lower Blood Sugar, Lose Weight!
“If you’re going to eat something sweet or starchy, use your muscles afterward. Your muscles will happily uptake excess glucose as it arrives in your blood, and you’ll lessen the glucose spike, reduce the likelihood of weight gain, and avoid an energy slump.”
― Jessie Inchauspé, Glucose Goddess
Researchers from the University of Otago in New Zealand suggest that short walks right after eating can lower blood sugar levels.
Researchers wanted to see if walking at a specific time, like after meals, would be more helpful than just walking any time. They worked with 41 people with Type 2 diabetes, aged 18 to 75 years.
Participants were split into two groups. One group took a 30-minute walk each day, while the other group took a 10-minute walk after each meal. They did this for 14 days, then took a break, and switched groups.
During the study, the researchers tracked the participants' activity and what they ate. Blood sugar levels were measured with blood samples and special glucose monitors.
The results? Walking for 10 minutes after each meal lowered blood sugar levels by 12% more than taking just one 30-minute walk a day. Walking after dinner gave the best results, especially when the meal included a lot of carbs, lowering blood sugar by 22% compared to a single daily walk.
Researchers say that these findings suggest new guidelines should recommend walking after meals, particularly when a meal contains a good amount of carbohydrates. Walking after eating may even reduce the need for extra insulin to control blood sugar.
More research is being done to find out what motivates people to follow regular walking routines.
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