French Exercise Secrets

When I lived in France, it was almost a ritual - eat the Sunday afternoon meal, then take a leisurely walk.  During the meal itself, conversations between family members and guests would flow back and forth.  When dinner was over, the entire family (and any guests) would continue their conversations strolling around the neighborhood.n nI would often see groups of people walking around.  Elderly ladies in their skirts and heels (LOW heels, mind you) men in their crisp pants with walking sticks, their sons, daughters, and grandchildren alongside.  It was truly a family affair.  Even the family dog would tag along!

I remember one of my first Sunday dinners in France (the dinner itself will be another story - what an experience!).  The dinner plates had been cleared, coffee and dessert served and eaten, the cleaning up was done, and everyone got ready for the afternoon stroll. 

As it was the first Sunday meal I was invited to, I had worn a nice outfit, with my good shoes.  I thought to myself, “Walking, now?  Can’t I go home, maybe lie down for an hour, then I’ll get my sweatpants and sneakers?  I mean, these people are crazy?”  Yup, that's exactly what I was thinking.

I was a newbie to the country and didn’t want to offend anyone, so I sucked it up and went along. Nnot only was it lots of fun, but boy did I feel good afterwards!  Just getting up and moving for a while really kept my energy up.  I couldn’t believe it.  And my feet (and shoes) were fine!

Have you ever felt really lethargic, especially after a big meal?

Walking can help.  It’s been shown that walking after eating improves digestion, keeps blood sugar under control, and helps the muscles in the lower part of your body return blood back to the heart, which in-turn keep at bay that sluggish feeling.

Now, this doesn't mean you can stuff yourself and just think you can "stroll it off"!  It also doesn’t mean you should walk at a really brisk pace (after all, you've just eaten).  No big exertion is needed, but get your body moving. n nNot only is it healthy, but the he added benefit of walking with family or friends is a way to spend more time with them (REAL time, not watching TV time). n nYou should wait about 30 minutes after eating before strolling.  And it really should be more of regularly-paced WALK, not a turtle-like crawl!n nThough I originally thought the French were crazy for taking these walks, I came to enjoy them myself.  It became automatic and part of my lifestyle.  I didn’t have to consciously think, “now go walk after that big meal.”  It was just second-nature.  And it can be the same for you too.n  nYOUR ACTION PLANn nNext time you have a meal and just want to hit the sofa and TV remote (hey, we ALL do it) - instead, have the family go for a walk, or just go alone if needed.  You’ll feel better, you'll get some fresh air, and maybe one day it will be a part of your lifestyle too.nn© Dinneen Diette, 2008.  nnn