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I thought you had to wait an hour after eating before swimming or you'd get cramps
My parents drilled that into me as a kid, and I followed it for like 20 years. Last summer at the lake, I ate a burger and jumped in after 10 minutes just to test it. Nothing happened, no cramps at all. I looked it up and found articles saying it's a total myth with no medical backing. But some people still swear by it, saying they've felt sick. Has anyone else actually gotten cramps from swimming right after a meal, or is it just an old wives' tale?
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the_jade7mo ago
Tbh my whole family believed that too. I ate a huge lunch and swam right after last year and was totally fine.
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nathana487mo ago
See this all the time with old wives' tales.
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felixfisher6mo ago
I read a whole article on this last year from a sports medicine doctor. He said the idea started because blood flow goes to your stomach to digest food, so people thought there wouldn't be enough for your muscles. But he explained your body can handle both just fine. The only real risk is if you eat a huge meal and then try to do really hard laps, you might feel a bit sick from being so full. But cramps? That part is totally a myth.
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