100 Steps

For many of us, one of the reasons why we want to lose weight is to live longer and healthier. We want to look and feel amazing at any age, see our children and grandchild grow, enjoy retirement and much more – all while living life to the fullest. Though there is no way to guarantee health and a long life, there are steps we can take to ensure we are doing everything we can to take care of ourselves. In this case, we mean “steps” literally – there is an ancient Chinese proverb that says if you take 100 steps after each meal, you will live to be 99 years old. Basically, it is the idea that if you take a short walk after a meal it’s good for you.

It’s something that many of us may have felt before – you eat a big meal and then you want to walk it off. Or sleep it off. One option makes you feel better, one makes you feel worse. When you get in the car, then drive to the restaurant, sit and eat a big meal, get back in the car and drive home then sit on the couch – there’s no question why it doesn’t sit well. As soon as we finish a meal our body gets to work digesting what we just consumed. Walking helps your body regulate blood sugar and will increase your gastric fluids to help you digest. This is especially good news for people with diabetes as it can help regulate blood sugar numbers. On the other hand, staying stationary or even lounging or laying back not only make us feel like sick, but it can even trigger physical pain and discomfort and acid reflux. For those of us who have a sedentary job where we spend a lot of our time at a desk or sitting we also know this feeling. We find ourselves snacking and feeling heavier and heavier in our chairs. Taking the time to walk around the block, to the car, or around the office, or house or up and down the stairs will give you that boost to make you feel better.

Even this short walk will help you with weight loss, even if you don’t participate in any other exercise. It kicks starts not only your digestion but also your metabolism. You can’t walk off a bad meal or snack, but when you are doing the right things and making smart choices it can only help. Walking after a meal also helps suppress the increase of triglyceride concentration – triglycerides are unhealthy fat particles that can lead to cardiovascular problems. We have explored how sleep is connected to weight loss in previous blogs – and walking can help with sleep as well. Walking after a meal can help reduce stress and promote circulation which are both important to having a good night’s sleep.

Overall, walking after a meal is a great habit to get into, especially for many of us who were stuck inside these past few days because of the snow. It benefits your body in so many ways and promotes a healthy lifestyle. It’s something that everyone in the family can enjoy and can even become a family tradition and a way to spend time together.