When you have a hectic lifestyle, juggling work, family, housework, and social life, it can seem impossible to find time to go to the gym and dedicate an hour to exercise in order to lose weight.
But what if I told you there is a creative solution for this problem? We are talking about exercising after lunch to lose weight! Yes, you heard that right. You must be wondering about the downsides of moving your body to exercise after a meal. Don’t worry; in this blog, we will tackle all those curious questions, and you can determine for yourself whether exercise after lunch is the right thing for you.
Let's discuss the benefits of exercise after lunch for weight loss!
Table Of Contents
- What Exercises To Do After Lunch For Weight Loss?
- Is Walking After Lunch Good For Weight Loss?
- How Many Steps To Walk After Lunch For Weight Loss?
- Dietitian’s Recommendation
- The Final Say
- FAQs
- References
What Exercises To Do After Lunch For Weight Loss?
Exercising after a meal can help you strengthen your muscles, keep your body in shape, and improve circulation. It's a new way of looking at the number of calories burned.
Experts often do not recommend heavy exercise after a meal, but incorporating moderate-intensity exercise such as brisk walking, stair climbing, and yoga exercises can improve digestion and speed up weight loss. In fact, doing yoga after eating can also help you fall asleep quickly.
Let us read about these exercises after lunch for weight loss:
1. Walking
Walking after a meal may seem like the last thing you want to do, but studies show that it can help you lose weight.
In 2011, the International Journal of General Medicine studied the benefits of a 30-minute walk immediately after a meal and after just one month, when participants walked for 30-60 minutes every day straight after lunch and dinner, they lost between 1.5kg and 3kg.
Glucose levels peak 30-60 minutes after a meal, so you need to start walking before they peak because once insulin is secreted, the muscles are less able to absorb glucose efficiently, making the walk less effective in lowering blood sugar levels. Because of this, walking right after a meal is optimal for controlling blood sugar levels.
Also Read: 10 Health Benefits of Walking For Weight Loss | ToneOp Fit
2. Stairs Climbing
Stair climbing has gained popularity as a way to shed excess body fat and stay fit. You can use the stairs at your home to maintain health and fitness and improve your mental and physical health.
Climbing stairs after lunch helps boost metabolism and aid digestion. This low-impact yet effective exercise helps elevate your heart rate, promoting calorie burn while strengthening your legs, glutes, and core. A few minutes of doing this regularly can help prevent the energy slump often felt after meals, regulate blood sugar levels, and contribute to weight loss.
Also Read: Step Up Your Fitness Levels With The Right Way To Climb Stairs For Weight Loss
3. Yoga
Some yoga exercises you can do after lunch for weight loss:
i. Vajrasana (Thunderbolt Pose or Diamond Pose)
This yoga for digestive health prevents indigestion and helps with liver function. Among its many benefits, it helps relieve sciatica, nerve problems and indigestion. Backed by science ( and Indian mothers), doing Vajrasana after lunch, dinner, or any other meal can help with digestion, relieve constipation, and ward off abdominal discomfort. It can reduce stress and help you sleep better as well.
How To Do Vajrasana |
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ii. Supta Baddha Konasana (restrictive lying position)
This position stretches the inner thighs and knees, improving digestion by encouraging deep, diaphragmatic breathing and allowing the abdominal organs to relax. It also promotes the opening of the hips and groin, alleviating tension and stress. By lying back in this position, you can enhance circulation and help the body efficiently process the food you've just consumed, reducing bloating and discomfort.
How To Do Supta Baddha Konasana |
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iii. Urdhva Prasarita Padasana (Extended up leg position)
This yoga exercise for belly fat loss helps when working on the core. If you do this quickly, it works the lower, middle, and upper abs and makes them flatter. In addition, it can help treat stomach problems and improve digestion.
How To Do Urdhva Prasarita Padasana |
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Also Read: Top 12 Best Yoga For Weight Loss With Ways To Lose Weight In 7 Days!
Is Walking After Lunch Good For Weight Loss?
Yes, walking is considered to be very effective in controlling weight gain!
According to research published in JAMA Neurology and JAMA Internal Medicine, a half-hour walk daily is effective for weight loss. Even if you don't go to the gym every day and walk each day, you can easily lose 2-4 kgs in a month. Walking is also the safest activity after a meal, and a 15-20 minute walk or 1,000 steps is relatively easy and good for your body.
However, weight loss by walking can only be successful if you combine it with a healthy diet with a calorie deficit. Over time, you should increase your speed and duration to achieve even better results.
Also, note that walking immediately after a meal or 30 minutes of brisk walking as soon as possible after lunch and dinner leads to greater weight loss than 30 minutes of walking starting an hour after a meal.
Try ToneOp’s Diet+Fitness Weight Loss Plan for weight loss that lasts! Our two experts will provide a personalised region-based plan with a sustainable diet and live workout and yoga sessions!
Also Read: 10 Benefits of Walking for Fat Burn: Discover How Simple Steps Can Lead to Big Results!
How Many Steps To Walk After Lunch For Weight Loss?
Walking right after a meal—lunch or dinner—is a great way to promote weight loss.
Although there is no rule for how long one should walk after eating, studies suggest that even walking for 10-15 minutes after each meal may be enough to improve your health. That's about 1,000-1,800 steps, depending on the speed. A 30-minute brisk walk after lunch may be even more beneficial in promoting weight loss, in which a person typically walks 3,000-4,000 steps.
Beginners can start with a shorter walk of 5-10 minutes. Then, slowly build up to longer walks as your fitness improves. Add 5 minutes of walking each week until you reach 20 to 30 minutes. If you have been walking or exercising for quite some time, you can go for longer walks, add intervals of vigorous walking, or walk uphill to make the walks more challenging.
Remember that after a large meal, you may need to give your body time before doing any vigorous exercise.
Also Read: 7 Benefits Of Walking After Dinner For Weight Loss With Considerations!
Dietitian’s Recommendation
Exercising after lunch to lose weight means engaging in physical activity after your afternoon meal. Yoga, walking, and stair climbing are some of the best exercises to do after lunch. A short 10-15 minute walk after each meal can benefit weight loss.
For strenuous exercises, you should wait at least 30-60 minutes or more, and incorporate fast-digesting carbohydrates such as energy drinks and bananas during workouts lasting more than 1 hour.
Dt. Lavina Chauhan
The Final Say
Exercising after lunch is supposed to speed up the metabolism, support digestion, control blood sugar levels and help burn some of the calories consumed. Whether it's brisk walking, yoga, or intense cardio, post-lunch activities can help you meet your fitness goals.
FAQs
1. When should you eat after exercise?
Aim to eat a protein-rich meal or snack within 30 minutes post-workout. This helps to promote your body's regeneration, rebuild muscles and replace lost glycogen.
2. Can we do exercise after lunch for weight loss?
Yes, you can exercise after lunch for weight loss, but it's best to wait about 1-2 hours after a moderate meal to allow for some digestion. Engaging in light activities like walking can help with digestion and may even enhance your weight loss efforts.
2. What are the best post-lunch exercises for weight loss?
Post-lunch exercises for weight loss include brisk walking, stair climbing, yoga (like Supta Baddha Konasana), and light bodyweight circuits to boost metabolism and burn calories.
4. Does walking after lunch reduce weight?
Yes, walking after lunch can help reduce weight. Studies show that walking immediately after a meal is more effective for weight loss than waiting, as it helps control blood sugar levels and burns calories more efficiently.
References
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3119587/#:~:text=Walking%20just%20after%20a%20meal,walk%20after%20a%20meal%20%2D%20PMC
- https://www.medindia.net/health/lifestyle/all-you-need-to-know-about-post-meal-exercises.htm
- https://www.goodrx.com/well-being/movement-exercise/how-long-should-i-wait-to-exercise-after-eating
- https://www.healthshots.com/fitness/staying-fit/yoga-after-eating-5-yoga-poses-to-practice-after-overeating/
- https://emmalacy90.medium.com/exercise-after-dinner-weight-loss-d68d335cb070
- https://www.herzindagi.com/hindi/entertainment
- https://www.goodrx.com/well-being/movement-exercise/benefits-of-walking-after-eating
- https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/food-news/can-walking-1000-steps-after-every-meal-help-in-weight-loss/photostory/77063333.cms?picid=77063382
- https://www.myjuniper.com/blog/how-many-steps-a-day-to-lose-weight
- https://www.myjuniper.com/blog/how-long-after-eating-should-you-exercise
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