Should you eat and run?                       

                Is it OK to exercise after a meal? There are many variables in that question but the most important one is “How much?” It applies both to the activity and the food. For the simplest answer, let’s go back to the Stone Age.

            We were grazers until we became civilized, eating food as we found it and being quite active in doing so. Observations on modern hunter-gatherer societies reveal that they walk about nine miles a day. People without wheels use muscle power whenever anything has to be moved; the simplest tasks are done using no or only primitive tools. Until relatively recently we all lived that way. Because Stone Agers probably never ate a big meal and daily life required frequent but not very strenuous activity, there was no reason to be concerned about discomfort after eating. The question that opened this column is usually posed by someone who might run or work out after dinner.

            If you would like to include a 30-minute run during your lunch break or to pump iron after work the best time is before the meal but there is something else to consider. Don’t run during the lunch hour if you haven’t had breakfast. An overnight fast will deplete your energy stores and a bran muffin or whole grain bagel during your coffee break will solve that problem. Note that a jelly donut, Danish pastry or sugary soft drink are not the best choices. Refined flour and sugar cause a spike in blood sugar and a burst of insulin, resulting in a drop in energy just when you need it an hour or  two later.

            Resistance exercise that involves weights and machines, if done properly and with adequate intensity, demands that you pay attention to protein intake. A protein shake that contains about 20-40 grams of protein (depending on your size and the vigorousness of your workout) will help to rebuild the muscle cells that break down during exercise and that increase in size and strength as they heal. A protein shake with a few ounces of fruit juice will provide carbohydrate calories too and it’s best to take about half the shake before the workout and half afterwards. That will give good muscle-building results and you can still enjoy dinner, albeit perhaps a lighter one. Come to think of it, that’s probably not a bad idea.