home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search
- $Unique_ID{BRK00740}
- $Pretitle{}
- $Title{Exercising After Eating}
- $Subject{diet exercise digestion Community Social diets metabolism exercising
- metabolic rate decrease appetite glycogen calories digestive}
- $Volume{Q-26,C-23}
- $Log{
- Exercise Increases Metabolism*0003205.scf}
-
- Copyright (c) 1991-92,1993 Tribune Media Services, Inc.
-
-
- Exercising After Eating
-
-
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- QUESTION: My boss is trying to lose weight, but I think he is on the wrong
- track. He gobbles down a quick lunch, then spends the rest of his lunch hour
- "speed walking". He thinks this helps to burn off the calories he has just
- consumed. I was taught that exercise after eating was dangerous. Is my boss
- in some type of danger? He really is too good to lose!
-
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- ANSWER: Well then, let's see if we can keep him fit, without any undue risks.
- Your lesson in the dangers of eating first then exercising probably came from
- the same admonitions I received as a lad; no swimming right after eating. And
- they still hold true. As the process of digestion starts, and foods are
- broken down into the fatty acids, amino acids and simple sugars used by our
- body; and large amounts of blood are sent to the abdomen, where the intestines
- are located, to aid digestion and absorption. Since active muscles demand
- increased blood flow, exercise can pull the blood away from its digestive
- functions, resulting in distress, cramps and indigestion. While a bloated or
- full feeling resulting from gorging on a feast can be relieved by low level
- exercise, like walking, your boss' actions will not help him accomplish his
- weight loss objective. However, reversing the pattern might. Vigorous
- exercise before a meal can raise the metabolic rate at which calories are
- burned. This rate remains elevated, even when the exercise stops, and this
- "afterburn" can help in weight control. In addition, exercise may also
- decrease appetite and help your boss resist the temptations of overeating.
- The exercise will also burn the stored reserves of glycogen (the body's ready
- source of energy), and the new food carbohydrates will be used to replenish
- this glycogen rather than being converted to fat. So here is a health tip for
- your boss (and other readers). Use exercise before meals as an appetite
- suppressant, and restrict after meal exercise to the slow walk that aids
- digestion.
-
- ----------------
-
- The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace
- the counsel and advice of your personal physician. Promptly consulting your
- doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
- problem.
-
-