Walking – Morning, Evening, or Postprandial?
Yes, make walking – a weight bearing exercise a part of your routine as it is considered great for overall health. Just 40 to 60 mts of brisk walk daily can increase cardiovascular fitness, strengthen bones, reduce excess body fat, and boost muscle power and endurance.
Walking is low impact, and requires minimal equipment – it can be done at any time of the day (morning or evening), and can be performed at your own pace. It’s a great form of movement for the elderly and also for those who haven’t exercised in a long time.
But for those suffering from metabolic disorders like, pre diabetes, type-2 diabetes, fatty liver, coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, etc – and even for those aiming to augment their general health – consider including “postprandial walk” to your daily chores as well.
It has been found that 15 to 20 minutes of postprandial walk – that is walking at a leisurely pace after a meal (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) is twice as effective metabolically than walking 40 to 60 minutes at any other time of the day. The reasons being: A) walking soon after a meal allows the muscles to draw in the glucose from the food you eat and utilise it rather than letting your blood sugar levels spike. This is very important in the scheme of management of fatty liver, type-2 diabetes, reversing diabetes, or even preventing diabetes – in the first place. It will also aid you in weight management by reducing fat storage, B) walking soon after a meal will also help you in how your body processes dietary fat and this can prevent high triglyceride levels and therefore support long-term cardiovascular health, C) last but not the least – mild form of exercise like strolling after a meal will increase gastric motility – that will aid in digestion and reduce bloating as well.
The thing you have been doing since you were about a year old, is now being proved as closest to being a “wonder drug”!
Zareer Patell – Black Belt, Personal / Online Fitness Trainer and Wellness Columnist (since 1972).
