Walk vs Climb Stairs after Meal
Ultra.fit
Shifa Fathima's photo

By Shifa Fatima, MSc.,

Medically Reviewed by Dr. Apoorva T, MHM.

Reviewed: June 8, 2022

Medically Reviewed iconMedically Reviewedcevron icon

The article reflects upon the comparison of making a better choice between post-meal sit-down and post-meal stair exercise.

Exercise has potent beneficial impacts on the body. Its innumerable advantages may be listed down as

  • Maintaining blood sugar level
  • Improving digestion
  • Reduce the risk of heart diseases
  • Helps in promoting weight loss
  • In the regulation of blood pressure

Experiment Question

Which is the better choice?Take a Walk or Climb some Stairs after a meal?

Experiment Answer

Climb stairs for 5 minutes after a meal!

Going up and down the stairs engages the entire body while walking is more of lower body exercise. Although both are beneficial, climbing stairs will help burn more calories and will warm the body up quickly.  After following through with a couple of literature reviews as well as self-conducted exercises, the majority of experts came up with the answer that walking a staircase after a meal is proven to be more beneficial than just sitting around.  Going up and down the stairs engages the entire body while walking is more of lower body exercise. Although both are beneficial, climbing stairs will help burn more calories and will warm the body up quickly. Also know about pp sugar range

Scientific Rationale

Today’s world has seen an epidemiological transition where the focus of disease has shifted from communicable diseases to non-communicable diseases. What we forget to appreciate is that, unlike communicable diseases, NCDs are much in our control. The major risk factor for developing NCD is a sedentary lifestyle. 

Carrying forward an athletic performance towards one’s life, you may be able to bypass several consequences such as reduced physical strength and endurance, the risk of developing cardiovascular issues, spiking blood sugar levels, and blood pressure.  Working out has improved metabolic health drastically. However, today’s generation has sided with a lesser active way of living than actually required. Also know about post prandial blood sugar.

Bottomline

The end note would be to boost insulin sensitivity by engaging all muscles in the body. Results in previous studies have proved that walking post-meal has had a positive impact on the body. The results that were concluded after the experiment was that at the end of the staircase exercise session, the mean value of blood sugar did not much differ in the entire session. However, it had a rapid fall when compared to their rest session. Thus, the decrease in the postprandial blood sugar level was seen in staircase exercise when compared to resting.

FAQs

1. Can walking post-meal lower blood sugar levels?

Various studies conducted have assured that walking post-meal is beneficial in reducing spiked blood sugar levels. Thus, three short walks are recommended after a meal within 24 hours so as to reduce diabetic issues.

2. How long should a diabetic person walk after eating?

The ideal time of walking should be at least 30- 45 minutes post-meal in order to gain control over diabetes.

References

https://www.joinvitalhealth.com/blog/cgm-experiment

https://medium.com/nutrisense/cgm-blood-glucose-experiment-5-insights-from-a-non-diabetic-baf026d429c7

Book a Free Session

Disclaimer

This website's content is provided only for educational reasons and is not meant to be a replacement for professional medical advice. Due to individual differences, the reader should contact their physician to decide whether the material is applicable to their case.