Seniors often tell us not to exercise right after a meal or eating as it will lead to indigestion and discomfort. Should we exercise after a meal? How long should we wait to exercise?

How long should you wait to exercise after a meal? It depends on how much and what food you have had.

Our gastrointestinal tract takes around 3 to 4 hours to digest a regular meal. The digestion duration varies as it depends on the following two factors:

How much you eat: The more you eat, the more time your gastrointestinal tract needs to digest the food.

What you eat: The more fat, protein and fibre the food contains, the longer time it needs to be digested. Less time is needed if the food contains fewer of these substances. If you eat fried food and meat, your gastrointestinal tract will need 4 to 5 hours to digest the food.

In fact, we don’t need to wait for the food to be fully digested before exercising, but we at least have to wait for the stomach to finish its basic digestion. It needs 1 to 2 hours to digest food and pass it down to the large and small intestines for further digestion.

If you engage in intense exercises before your stomach has finished its job, it may trigger indigestion and the following symptoms:

Bloating

Abdominal pain

Nausea and vomiting

Acid reflux (also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease) or burning sensation in the upper abdomen (commonly known as heartburn)

How long should you wait to exercise after a full meal?

You can actually exercise after a meal, but simple exercises are preferred, such as going for a walk or stretching exercises. These exercises will not disturb digestion but can stimulate the effective use of blood sugar to reduce fat and get slimmer.

You can also do light and moderate exercises such as slow cycling 1 hour after a meal, and should wait for 2 hours to do intense exercises such as fast running and playing basketball.