Why Walking Before vs. After Meals Changes Everything

 

Walking is one of the simplest habits you can build, but when you walk can make a real difference. In this episode, I break down the difference between walking before meals and walking after meals, and how each option can support your blood sugar, digestion, energy levels, and long-term results. You’ll learn how a simple 10–15 minute walk can help your body use food as fuel and support consistency without adding stress to your routine.

Here is what you will learn:

• Why walking after meals can help stabilize blood sugar
• How post-meal walks support digestion and energy levels
• What walking before meals can do for appetite and fat burning
• How to decide which option fits your goals
• Simple ways to make walking a consistent habit

If this episode was helpful, make sure to follow the podcast, leave a review, and share it with a friend who could use a simple way to move more.

Want to pair your walking routine with structured strength training? Head to movementwithjulie.com to get started inside the Movement With Julie app.

If you want more from me, be sure to check out… 

Website: www.juliealedbetter.com

Transcript

 (0:00) Hey, hey, beautiful human. Can I steal five minutes of your time? I have something super important to share with you (0:06) but I promise I'll be really quick. You're listening to my weekly bonus episode of Embrace Your Real with me, Julie Ledbetter.

(0:13) I'm about to give you a quick tip for building your confidence, honoring your body, and unconditionally loving your authentic self. (0:19) Stay tuned if you're ready to Embrace Your Real. Let's get it, let's go! (0:37) Hello and welcome back to another bonus episode on the Embrace Your Real podcast.

(0:41) I'm so glad that you're here with me today. All right, let's talk about walking. I know, I know it sounds so simple, (0:47) maybe even too simple to make a real difference, but here's the thing.

It's not just about walking more. (0:51) It's about when you are walking. Have you ever wondered if there's actually like a best time to walk? (0:56) Like does it matter if you walk first thing in the morning versus after lunch or movement is just movement (1:00) so the timing doesn't really matter? Well, the short answer is yes, timing does matter, (1:05) especially when it comes to walking around your meals.

(1:07) So today I want to break down kind of the science of walking before your meals versus walking after (1:12) and why that simple timing shift can actually have a surprisingly big impact on your blood sugar, (1:17) your digestion, your energy levels, and even how your body stores fat. (1:21) And don't worry, I'm going to keep this very simple and very practical, no complicated jargon, (1:26) just clear, actionable information that you can start using today. (1:30) Before we dive in though, I want to share this review.

(1:33) You should give a five-star view and said, you need this. Stop everything you're doing and listen. (1:37) That is a nice dose of reality and motivation.

I've been doing movement with Julie for seven (1:41) months now and I've never felt more empowered and strong. Julie, girl, you are changing the world one (1:46) podcast at a time. Thank you so much.

Oh my goodness. I love that so much. Thank you so (1:51) much for taking time out of your day to send in this review.

I love just hearing how the (1:55) podcast is helping you, maybe a specific episode or just in general, I would love to hear it. (2:00) So if you could scooch over to Apple Podcasts and leave a rating interview, that would mean (2:03) the absolute world to me and our team. All right, let's just get into it.

(2:06) So let's start with walking after meals because this is where the research gets really compelling. (2:11) When you eat, especially if you're eating carbohydrates, your blood sugar is going (2:15) to naturally rise, which is normal. Your body breaks down the food into glucose and that (2:19) glucose enters your bloodstream to be used as energy or stored later.

Here's where walking can (2:24) come in. Studies show that taking a 10 to 50 minute walk within 30 minutes after eating (2:29) can actually significantly reduce your post meal blood sugar spike. We're talking about a (2:34) 20 to 30% reduction in some cases.

Why does this matter? Because when your blood sugar spikes too (2:40) high or too fast, your body is going to release a lot of insulin to bring it back down. And when (2:45) that insulin is high, fat storage is more likely. Your body is in this storage mode rather than (2:51) burning mode.

So when you walk after eating, your muscles start to use that glucose for (2:56) energy immediately. Your blood sugar rises more gradually and insulin doesn't have to work as (3:01) hard and your body is more likely to use that food as fuel instead of storing it. This is (3:06) especially helpful if you're eating a higher carb meal like pasta, rice, bread, or even fruit.

(3:12) A short walk afterwards is going to help your body to handle that glucose more efficiently. (3:17) And here's the bonus. Walking after meals is also going to help support your digestion.

(3:21) It's going to help move food through your digestive track, which also reduces bloating (3:25) gas, that heavy sluggish feeling that you sometimes get after eating. So if you've ever felt (3:30) uncomfortably full or bloated after a meal, try a 10 to 15 minute walk. That can be a total game (3:35) changer.

All right. So what about walking before meals? Does that do anything different? Yes, (3:39) it does. And the benefits here are more about appetite regulation and tapping into fat stores.

(3:44) So when you walk in a fasted state, meaning that you haven't eaten recently, (3:49) your body doesn't have a fresh supply of glucose to use for energy. (3:52) So it has to pull from stored energy instead. That usually means that your body (3:57) taps into glycogen first, and then it starts to use fat as fuel.

(4:02) So this is why fasted walks are often recommended for fat loss. Now I want to be very clear here. (4:07) Fasted cardio is not magic.

You're not going to burn it dramatically more fat because you walked (4:12) before breakfast instead of after. Your total calorie balance over the course of the day (4:17) is what's going to matter most more than the timing of one walk. But what fasted walking can (4:22) do is slightly increase fat oxidation during that specific walk.

And for some people, (4:26) that makes a difference over time. Walking before meals can also help regulate your appetite. (4:32) There's some evidence that light movement before eating can actually reduce hunger signals, (4:37) especially if you're someone who tends to overeat or feel very ravenous before meals.

(4:41) If you struggle with cravings or feel out of control around food, maybe a short walk before (4:46) eating can help you feel more grounded and in control when you actually sit down to eat. (4:50) And so that kind of brings us to the big question. Which one is better? Should you walk before meals (4:54) or after meals? Well, like anything in your health journey, it really does depend on your goals.

(4:59) You should walk after your meals if you want to manage your blood sugar and reduce that (5:03) post meal spike. You're eating higher carb meals and want to use that glucose efficiently. (5:09) You tend to feel bloated or sluggish after eating and you want to support your digestion.

(5:13) You should walk before meals if you want to tap into those fat stories slightly more during (5:18) your walk. You're doing fasted cardio in the morning before breakfast. You struggle with (5:23) overeating and want to regulate that appetite before your meal.

Honestly, both are beneficial (5:28) and the best approach might be to do both at different times of the day. For example, (5:32) you could do a walk in the morning before breakfast to start your day and then take (5:35) a short walk after lunch or dinner to really help with that blood sugar and digestion. (5:39) The key here is consistency.

Whether you walk before or after your meals, (5:43) the fact that you're walking regularly is really what's going to make the biggest difference. (5:47) So let's actually make it very practical. How do you actually implement this without (5:51) feeling like it's another thing that you have to do perfectly? (5:54) Here's some simple strategies.

Start with one meal. You don't have to walk after every (5:57) single meal. Pick one meal.

Maybe that's lunch or dinner and commit to 10 to 15 minute walk (6:02) after. That's it. Make it easy.

You don't need to change into your workout clothes or (6:05) go to a specific place. Just step outside your front door or if you even have a walking pad, (6:10) you can do it inside. But if you're outside, you can just walk around the block.

Movement (6:14) counts even if it's not this like Instagram worthy walk. Use it as a mental reset. Post (6:20) meal walks can really give you a chance to step away from your desk, get some fresh air, (6:25) reset your brain.

It doesn't feel like exercise. It feels like a break. (6:29) Don't stress if you miss it.

Some days you won't be able to walk after your meal. That's okay. (6:33) This isn't about perfection.

It's about building a habit that supports your body most of the time. (6:37) And here's what I really want you to take away from this episode. Small, (6:39) consistent actions add up to big results over time.

Walking after meals isn't going to transform (6:45) your body overnight. But when you do it consistently day after day, week after week, (6:49) it's going to support your metabolism, improve your digestion and help to regulate your blood sugar (6:53) and make it easier for your body to use that food as fuel instead of storing it as fat. (6:59) And the best part is it does not require willpower or motivation.

It's just a simple, (7:03) gentle habit that fits into your life without adding stress. So if you've been looking for (7:08) one small thing that you can do that will actually make a difference, this is it. After your next meal, (7:12) set a timer for 10 minutes and go.

You don't have to go fast. You don't have to track anything. You (7:17) just have to move your body and really notice how you feel.

All right. I hope that this gave you (7:23) a fresh perspective on something as simple as walking because sometimes the smallest shifts (7:27) really do create the biggest changes. And if you want to pair your walking habit with a structured (7:32) strength training that actually builds the body that you want, head over to sale that's (7:36) S A L E dot Moomoojuli.com. These dumbbell only workouts are going to give you everything that (7:41) you need to train at home and see real results.

Very effective, very efficient. And if this (7:46) episode was helpful, I just want to ask if you could send it to a friend who's maybe been trying (7:51) to figure out how to fit more movement throughout their day or a family member, someone in your (7:55) life. Sometimes again, the simplest habits are the ones that change everything.

And if you (7:59) haven't already, make sure that you're following the podcast so that you don't miss new episodes. (8:04) They release every Monday and Thursday and leave a quick review that really does help more women (8:08) find the show. All right.

I will talk to you in the next episode. Now go take a walk. (8:13) I love you so much.

I mean it. All right, sister, that's all I got for you today, (8:26) but I have two things that I need you to do. First thing, if you are not already following me on the (8:32) gram, be sure to do so.

Julie A Ledbetter. Yes, it's with an A in the middle for that daily (8:38) post-workout real talk, healthy tips and tricks, and honest accountability to keep your mind and (8:43) heart in check. The second thing, be sure to subscribe to Apple podcasts to never miss an (8:49) episode.

Thank you so much for joining me. It means the absolute world. And I'm going (8:54) to leave you with one last thought.

The most beautiful women that I have met in my life (8:59) are the ones who are completely confident and secure in being authentically themselves. (9:06) Remember that beauty goes so much deeper than the surface. (9:09) So go out there and embrace a real because you're worth it.

 
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