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Ever feel uncomfortably bloated after eating, as if you've stuffed your stomach full? Or maybe you've experienced irregular bowel movements, despite eating three meals a day with each plate packed with good nutrients. If so, the issue might not always lie in what you're putting into your body, but in your digestion and how much you're moving after you eat.

Nourishing your gut with high-fiber foods is a given, but if you're aiming for weight loss or a healthy lifestyle, here's why what you do post-meal matters just as much as the foods you choose.

Walk It Off

The number one thing you should always do after eating is walking. Research has repeatedly shown that there are many benefits to going on a light, low-intensity stroll post-meal, and this is often said to be the best time to walk compared to any other time in the day. In fact, going for a walk immediately after you eat seems to be the most effective way to lose weight, compared to going an hour later.

Walking as a form of exercise is already known to be extremely beneficial for boosting mood and helping you live longer, but it can also aid in better regulating important processes in the body, such as digestion, bowel movements, and metabolism.

Prevents Bloating

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If you often feel stuffed after eating, it's a good idea to get up and go for a leisurely stroll around your neighborhood than lie down. Staying sedentary, especially post-meal, may only worsen bloating and may even trigger gas to build up in the gut, leading to an upset stomach.

Walking post-meal, on the other hand, helps kickstart digestion by stimulating the gut to keep things moving. This may especially help those with irritable bowel syndrome, and they may experience fewer intense symptoms the longer they walk. Walking and physical activity also seem to work better at relieving indigestion and gastrointestinal symptoms compared to taking medication.

Helps Reduce Heartburn and Acid Reflux

Walking post-meal doesn't just help prevent or reduce bloating—it can also help relieve heartburn and acid reflux. This is because if you're used to lying down after you eat, stomach acid could creep up into the throat and cause these uncomfortable, common symptoms. Standing and moving your body gently can thus lessen these unpleasant effects.

But there's more: walking may help keep your blood sugar levels down by preventing and dulling excessive spikes that occur after eating. And as you keep moving, you can keep your blood pressure levels low as well, since regular physical activity is known to increase circulation and get the heart pumping.

Encourages a Healthier Lifestyle

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Even if you're not looking to lose weight, walking after eating also encourages you to build healthier habits by staying active. But remember: just because you shouldn't stay sedentary doesn't mean you need to increase the intensity to get more of a workout in. Your walks post-meal should be at a leisurely pace, as any intensive movements could backfire and cause indigestion instead. So, don't make it a race—just keep it light and fun.