How long after eating can you exercise

　　　　If you start doing strenuous exercise during this period, your body's priorities will change to redirect blood flow to the muscles; this also happens when the body is under stress, setting off a chain reaction that prepares the body for strenuous exercise (the fight-or-flight response). The worst situation usually occurs when swimming soon after a meal, because at this time blood must not only supply the muscles and digestive system at the same time, but also must keep the body in the water at a certain temperature. Therefore, the most conservative result is: insufficient blood supply to the muscles leads to cramps, and you cannot swim again for the time being!

　　The length of time between after a meal and before exercise depends mostly on the meal and dosage. Other decisive factors include age, physical condition and exercise intensity. Let’s assume this reader is an average middle-aged person! If you eat a large meal before exercise, and most of it contains high amounts of protein and fat, the interval should be more than two hours; if the meal is small and contains mainly carbohydrates, the interval can be shortened to 30 minutes to 1 hour. It's best to make any changes gradually, but pause if any muscle or digestive problems arise.