Dr. Kundlas
A short, easy walk after eating helps lower the rise in blood sugar that follows a meal, because working muscles pull sugar out of the blood. Starting within about 30 minutes of finishing your meal and walking for 10 to 15 minutes is a good goal, and even 2 to 5 minutes of light movement helps. If you take insulin or a sulfonylurea pill, check with your doctor first and carry a fast sugar snack, because extra activity can make blood sugar drop too low.
Why blood sugar rises after you eat
When you eat carbohydrates such as bread, rice, potatoes, fruit or sweets, your body breaks them down into sugar (glucose), which enters your blood. Blood sugar usually peaks about 30 to 90 minutes after a meal. In people with type 2 diabetes or prediabetes, insulin does not work as well, so the rise is higher and lasts longer. Repeated high spikes over years add to the damage diabetes does to blood vessels, nerves, eyes and kidneys.
How walking helps
Your leg muscles are large and use a lot of glucose when they work. During and after a walk, they can take sugar out of the blood with less need for insulin. That lowers the spike after a meal.
The research is made up of small studies, but the results point the same way. In one 2016 study of adults with type 2 diabetes, a 10 minute walk after each meal lowered blood sugar after meals more than a single 30 minute walk at another time of day, and the effect was largest after the evening meal. A 2022 review of several small studies found that even 2 to 5 minutes of light walking after eating lowered blood sugar compared with sitting.
The American Diabetes Association recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week for most adults with diabetes, and getting up from sitting every 30 minutes for a few minutes of light activity. Walking after meals is an easy way to work toward both.
I like this habit because it costs nothing and fits into a normal day. It adds to your diabetes treatment. It does not replace your medicines, and you should not change or stop a medicine without talking to your doctor.
When to walk
- Start within about 30 minutes after you finish eating. Waiting 10 to 15 minutes is fine if walking right away upsets your stomach.
- If you can only walk once a day, choose the meal with the most carbohydrates. For many people that is dinner.
- Any meal counts. Walking after breakfast, lunch or dinner all help.
How long and how hard
- Aim for 10 to 15 minutes after a meal.
- If that is too much, start with 2 to 5 minutes and add a minute or two each week.
- Walk at an easy to moderate pace. You should be able to talk, but not sing.
- You do not need to go fast. A brisk, hard walk right after a big meal can cause cramps or heartburn.
If you have trouble walking: chair and indoor options
Limited mobility, arthritis, balance problems or Florida heat should not stop you. Any movement that uses your leg muscles helps. Try these for 5 to 10 minutes after a meal, sitting in a sturdy chair without wheels:
- Seated marching: lift one knee, then the other, at a steady pace
- Heel and toe raises: lift your heels, then your toes, 15 to 20 times
- Leg extensions: straighten one knee, hold for 3 seconds, lower, and switch
- Arm circles or arm raises, to add upper body muscles
- A pedal exerciser (a small “under the desk” bike) on the floor in front of your chair
If you can stand with support, hold the kitchen counter and do slow mini squats or calf raises. Walking laps inside your home, in a hallway, or at an indoor mall also works. Use your cane or walker as you normally would.
Safety tips
- Low blood sugar. If you take insulin or a sulfonylurea (glipizide, glyburide or glimepiride), extra activity can lower your sugar too much. Check your sugar before and after your walk when you start, carry glucose tablets or juice, and know the signs: shakiness, sweating, hunger, a fast heartbeat, confusion or irritability. If your sugar is below 70 mg/dL, treat it before you walk. Ask your doctor what number is safe for you before exercise; your doctor may adjust your medicine.
- Heat. In Central Florida, walk in the early morning or evening, or indoors. Drink water and stop if you feel dizzy, sick to your stomach or overheated.
- Feet. If you have nerve damage (neuropathy) in your feet, wear well fitting shoes with socks and check your feet for blisters or sores after walking.
- Heart and lungs. If you have heart disease, chest pain with activity, lung disease, or recently had surgery, ask your doctor what level of activity is safe.
- Falls. Walk on flat, well lit surfaces and use your cane or walker. Take your phone with you.
When to see a doctor
Make an appointment if:
- You have low blood sugar episodes after walking
- Your blood sugar readings are often above your target
- You get short of breath, tired or have leg pain with walking that you did not have before
- You want help building a safe activity plan, or you are starting exercise with heart disease, lung disease or recent surgery
CALL 911 RIGHT AWAY IF:
- You have chest pain, pressure or tightness, or pain spreading to your arm, jaw, neck or back during or after a walk
- You are very short of breath, faint, or feel your heart racing or skipping
- Someone with diabetes is confused, very drowsy, passes out, has a seizure, or cannot swallow safely during a low blood sugar. Do not put food or drink in the mouth of someone who cannot swallow. Use glucagon if it has been prescribed.
- You have signs of heat stroke: confusion, hot dry or red skin, a very high temperature, or fainting
- You fall and hit your head, especially if you take a blood thinner
If you take insulin or a sulfonylurea and your sugar is below 70 mg/dL, follow the rule of 15: take 15 grams of fast acting sugar (4 ounces of juice or regular soda, or glucose tablets as the label directs), wait 15 minutes, and check again. Repeat if it is still below 70. Call 911 if it does not come up, or if the person becomes confused, very drowsy or cannot swallow safely. Once it is back up, eat a snack if your next meal is more than an hour away.
Frequently asked questions
Does walking after meals lower blood sugar?
Yes. Walking after a meal helps your muscles use sugar from the blood and lowers the spike that follows eating. Studies show benefits with as little as 2 to 5 minutes of light walking, and more with 10 to 15 minutes.
How long should I walk after eating?
Aim for 10 to 15 minutes at an easy pace. If that is too much, start with 2 to 5 minutes and build up.
How soon after eating should I walk?
Start within about 30 minutes after you finish your meal, when blood sugar is rising. If walking right away upsets your stomach, wait 10 to 15 minutes.
Is it safe to exercise after meals if I take insulin?
For most people, yes, but extra activity can cause low blood sugar if you take insulin or a sulfonylurea. Talk to your doctor first, check your sugar when you start, and carry fast sugar with you.
What can I do after meals if I cannot walk?
Chair exercises such as seated marching, heel and toe raises and leg extensions, or a pedal exerciser, all use your leg muscles and help lower blood sugar.
Does it matter which meal I walk after?
Walking after any meal helps. If you can only do one, pick the meal with the most carbohydrates, which for many people is dinner.
Getting checked in Sebring or Lake Wales
If you have diabetes or prediabetes, we can review your blood sugar readings and medicines, check whether you are at risk for low blood sugar, and help you build a walking or chair exercise plan that fits your health.
Shield Medical Group has two offices:
- Sebring: 4597 Casablanca Cir, Sebring FL 33870. Phone (863) 236-9550. Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Lake Wales: 23607 US Highway 27 N, Lake Wales FL 33859. Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
You can book an appointment, and walk-ins are welcome for new and established patients. We accept many Medicare Advantage plans, so call to ask about yours.
Medical disclaimer
This article is for general education only and is not medical advice. It does not replace an exam by your own doctor. Do not change your diabetes medicines without talking to your doctor. If you think you are having a medical emergency, call 911.
