After eating, your stomach begins processing food and that can slow you down. The same goes for exercise—the more intense the better, right? Not necessarily.
After a meal or a workout, it’s best to take a break from physical activity until digestive processes have settled. This prevents you from overdoing things and possibly injuring yourself (or worse, causing an infection).
Planks are one of the most challenging core exercises there is because they require so much focus and stability. Therefore, it’s probably not the best idea to do planks after eating.
Luckily, there are other specific core exercises you can do safely after meals or with your lunchtime routine in mind.
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What Are Planks?
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Planks are a core-strengthening exercise that can be done either on the floor or on a mat. You lie face down on the floor or mat, resting on your forearms while keeping your abs engaged and your back straight.
Then, you take a push-up position, raise your hips, and lower your hips as far as you can, while also trying to keep your back straight. That’s one rep.
There are a couple of reasons why you shouldn’t perform these exercises straight after eating. First, food sitting in your stomach reduces your ability to focus and make quick decisions. Second, doing exercises immediately after eating can cause cramps, bloating, and nausea, which can make you feel worse.
What Happens After Meal?
Eating takes a while. Digestion begins in the mouth, continues in the stomach, and ends in the intestines. The whole process can take anywhere between one and three hours.
During this period, your body uses energy, which means that you can’t exercise during a meal. This means that you should wait anywhere between 30 minutes and an hour after eating before you start any type of exercise.
It’s also a good idea to take a break from exercise if you’re having a heavy dinner.
What Is a Good Time to Do Planks?
The best time to do core exercises is either right after you finish eating or in the morning. These are the times when your stomach is empty, allowing you to focus on the exercises and get more out of them.
That being said, if you’re looking for a good time to start the habit of doing core exercises, you can also do them in the evening. You should wait until your stomach has been empty for a while.
Planks are a great exercise to do at any time of the day, but they’re typically performed after a workout to increase muscle strength and endurance. They also help improve balance and stability, as well as core strength.
There are many different ways to perform planks, but most people find that it works best if they do them after a workout to increase muscle strength and endurance. They also help improve balance and stability, as well as core strength.
The key is just finding what works for you so you can get the most out of your plank workouts.
Is It Safe to Do Planks After Eating?
Planks are a very challenging and effective exercise but done right after a meal, they can be unsafe to do. If you’re wondering if it’s safe to do planks after eating, the answer is no.
Your stomach is not functioning well because it’s been empty for a while and you could experience cramps, bloating, and nausea if you stand and try to focus on exercises while you’re feeling all of those things.
Larger meals can be more difficult to digest than smaller ones, so you may experience more bloating and discomfort when doing planks right after eating a large meal. These symptoms can be reduced by practicing proper meal planning and taking smaller portions throughout the day.
When it comes to plank exercises, it’s better to wait a little while before starting than to push through when your stomach is already full of food. If you’re going to do planks right after eating, try not to eat anything more than an apple or some other light snack for a few hours afterward.
Can a Plank Be Done After Having a Heavy Dinner?
The answer depends on what you have eaten in the days leading up to your plank session. If you have just finished a heavy meal, it is best to wait a few hours before starting a plank session. On the other hand, if you had a light dinner prior to going into your plank session, then you can start right away.
There are two reasons why this is:
First, since you had a heavy meal, it will take longer for your muscles to recover from that workout than if you had just eaten a lighter meal. For this reason, it is better to start with a lighter routine later in the day.
Second, because you had a heavy meal, there is more of a chance that you will put too much weight on your joints and muscles and strain yourself beyond repair. This risk is higher when having a heavier meal, so it may be best to put off your plank session until the next day or take precautions to ensure that it does not cause any damage.
Pre-Dinner Core Exercise
If you eat a healthy dinner and wait an hour or so before starting your abdominal exercises, you’ll be in a much better position to reap the benefits. You may also want to try a pre-dinner core exercise to help strengthen your core muscles before you start your day.
You can use a stability ball or the wall to do push-ups, sit-ups, crunches, and squats. You can also do bodyweight movements such as lunges, squats, and rolling movements. These exercises should be kept light enough to do without hurting yourself.
How Long Should You Wait Before Doing Core Exercises?
This is a highly individual decision and one that you’ll have to make for yourself. Some people can do well with waiting only a few minutes, while others need a longer break.
If you’re not sure how long to wait, you can experiment until you find out what works for you. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to waiting before you exercise.
You’ll want to experiment until you find what works for you best. The best rule of thumb is to wait long enough that your stomach has been empty for a while.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should I wait after eating before exercising?
It’s best to exercise two hours after a large meal. This gives your body time to digest the food and avoid any discomfort. If you’re only doing a light workout, like walking, you can exercise 30-60 minutes after eating.
Why do I feel nauseous and get stomach pain after working out?
Nausea and stomach pain can be caused by low blood sugar or dehydration, so make sure to eat something with carbs and drink plenty of water before exercising. If they persist, stop exercising immediately.
How do I know if my core is strong enough?
If you find yourself slouching or experiencing back pain when carrying heavy items or working out, it’s probably time for you to strengthen your core!
How can I lose weight in my stomach?
To lose weight in your stomach, you need to strengthen your core muscles. Cardio exercises will also help you lose weight, but if you want to slim down your midsection specifically, then you should focus on core exercises.
If I do crunches, will I get a six-pack?
Crunches are great for toning your abdominal muscles and strengthening the core, but they won’t give you a six-pack. To get a six-pack, you’ll need to lower your body fat percentage by doing cardio and eating healthy meals that don’t contain processed foods.
Bottom Line
Planks are one of the most challenging core exercises there is, and they require a lot of focus. Therefore, it’s probably not the best idea to do them right after eating. Luckily, there are other core exercises you can do safely after meals or with your lunchtime routine in mind.
The best time to start doing these exercises is right after finishing your meal. If you wait too long, your stomach may not be able to digest the food and you could experience cramps, bloating, and nausea.
Pre-dinner core exercises are great to do before you have a heavy dinner. They’ll help you build core strength, which will make your stomach ready to handle the food you’re about to eat. These exercises include push-ups with rotation, crunch twists, and plank crunches.
They’re also great to do after a heavy dinner because they’ll help you digest the food and prevent you from experiencing cramps, bloating, and nausea.
References
- Can I Exercise Right After Having My Meals? https://www.sharecare.com/health/types-exercise/can-exercise-after-having-meals#:~:text=Most%20people%20typically%20tend%20not,out%20right%20after%20a%20meal.
- How Long After Eating Can I Exercise? https://www.today.com/health/it-ok-exercise-after-eating-it-depends-experts-say-t31581
- How Long Should You Wait To Workout After Eating? https://www.glamour.com/story/health-do-or-dont-do-you-exerc
- How to Do a Plank: https://www.verywellfit.com/the-plank-exercise-3120068
- How to Do a Perfect Plank: Techniques, Benefits, Variations: https://www.fitwirr.com/workout/plank/?utm_source=pinterest&utm_medium=social#.U-Z4c4BdVgs
- 30-Minute Core Exercises For Women: https://www.spotebi.com/workout-routines/core-exercises-for-women-abs-obliques-workout/
