Fitness experts advise against cardiovascular exercise soon after a full meal. Doing so can compromise the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the working muscles, and can also cause stomach discomfort.

Cardiovascular exercise, cardiorespiratory fitness, and aerobic exercise all mean the same thing: exercise that involves large muscle movement over a sustained period of time, elevating the heart rate to at least 50% of maximum level. Examples are walking, jogging, biking, swimming, and other repetitious activity that is performed over an extended period of time.

The American Fitness Professionals and Associates organization recommends waiting 60 to 90 minutes after a full meal before doing those kinds of exercise. The level of exercise and the amount and type of food eaten affect the time required for digestion to be completed before beginning exercise. The higher the exercise intensity and/or the greater the amount of food consumed, the longer you should wait between eating and exercising.

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