Is it okay to do aerobics after dinner?

There is really no absolute "good" or "bad" in this matter. It must be judged based on the length of time between meals, exercise intensity, and your own physical condition. It is easy to deceive people if you insist on giving a one-size-fits-all conclusion.

My friend who used to run night runs with me has stepped into a trap. That weekend, he stewed ribs at home, ate three pieces and drank iced Coke. Within 10 minutes of putting down the bowl, he went out to meet us in his running shoes. After running more than 800 meters, he squatted with his right abdomen. On the roadside, my face turned pale from the pain, and I vomited two mouthfuls of the meat I had just eaten. It took me almost half an hour to slowly walk home. After that, I felt my stomach dropped after eating for three days in a row. I went to the hospital to find out that it was gastrointestinal dysfunction induced by strenuous exercise after meals. Think about it, you just finished eating and your stomach is very full. All the blood supply in your body has been given priority to go to the digestive system to help with digestion. Now you start to move suddenly. Not only do your muscles take away the blood supply, your stomach is also shaking around and pulling on the mesentery. It’s no wonder it doesn’t hurt.

But it doesn’t mean that you have to lie motionless on the sofa after dinner. I have adjusted my habits in the past six months. After dinner, I stand to clear the table and wash the dishes. It takes about 40 minutes. Then I take the keys and go for a brisk walk to the Wetland Park next to my house. Sometimes I meet friends and ask them to ride a shared bicycle around the Hebin Road for a quick ride. The speed was not fast, and I was sweating slightly but not panting after riding. I went for an annual physical last week and found that my previously high triglycerides had dropped to the normal range. The gastroenterologist praised me for this habit when he heard about it, saying that this rhythm would not burden my gastrointestinal tract, but could also help consume excess calories, which was much better than lying down and browsing on my phone after eating.

I have also read before that some fitness bloggers said that doing low-intensity aerobics immediately after meals can help control blood sugar. This is actually not unfounded, especially for people with high blood sugar. Taking a 10-minute break after eating and walking slowly for 15 to 20 minutes is indeed true. It is better to stabilize the post-meal blood sugar peak than sitting down after eating, but the prerequisite is that it is really "low intensity" - that is, you can still chat with people normally while walking, and you will not be out of breath and unable to speak. If you walk very fast, or even walk with your heart pounding, that will definitely not work. If you want to do high-intensity aerobics, such as aerobics, running 5 kilometers, playing badminton, etc., then you have to wait at least 1.5 to 2 hours until the food in your stomach is almost digested before exercising, otherwise you will still suffer.

Of course, there are exceptions. For those who have gastroptosis or reflux esophagitis, even if they are walking slowly, it is best to wait an hour after eating before moving. If you really don’t want to move, you can just rest on the sofa. Otherwise, when you move, your stomach acid will go up and cause pain in your esophagus, which is not worth the gain.

To put it bluntly, there is no need to worry about the standard answer. You will know after trying it twice. If you don’t feel uncomfortable after resting for thirty or forty minutes and moving, that’s absolutely fine. If you get shortness of breath and acid reflux after eating or even walking slowly, then rest for a while and do whatever makes you feel better.