Things to avoid before a work out

Apr 09, 2023 News

Fit-Nest…

By: Davina Bagot

Kaieteur News – One of the great ways to make sure your efforts bear fruit, especially when you dedicate so much time to your routine, is by ensuring you don’t make certain common mistakes.

This week, we discuss some of those mistakes and how avoiding these can be more beneficial to you.

Over-eating

To begin with, it’s important to note that when looking at pre-workout habits, it’s important to focus on nutrition. While you never want to go into a workout hungry, you may also want to avoid over-eating.

This can cause literal disaster at the gym! Eating too heavy or too soon before your workout can cause nausea, cramps, acid reflux, indigestion, and overall decreased performance.

Before your workout, aim for a light meal or snack and ensure it’s taken about an hour before you session.

Stocking-up on pain relievers

Preparing for a good day’s workout means you know you’ll be sore just after. This is normal and the muscles that are sore will repair themselves as long as you do what’s necessary.

Be sure to avoid taking pain killers prior to a work out, even if you are sore going into a session, as some specialists say this can lead to further injury. This is particularly so as the body won’t have the pain signals to know if you’re pushing past your threshold. It is important to give your muscles time to repair; hence protein is important as is rotating your workout to exercise the different parts of your body.

Don’t nap for more than 30 minutes!

If you’re preparing for a work-out session, do not nap for more than 30 minutes, even though you may be feeling low on sleep. Napping for over 30 minutes can cause you to feel more tired and unmotivated for your session.

Avoid the use of alcohol

Some people claim that the use of alcohol works as an added boost of energy. The truth is, using alcohol before your session can actually expose you to injury. Some experts believe even using just a little before exercise is off-limit. Besides leading to dehydration, alcohol is known to affect your motor skills and coordination. If you are working with weights, this puts you at greater risk for suffering from an injury.

Avoid granola or protein bars

This may seem strange as these are usually stocked with the great nutrients such as such and protein; but in addition to these food groups, what you may also need to look out for is the extra sugar these bars are usually packed with. If they do, your body will burn through that fast, and you may not get much else.

Avoid high fiber foods

Your body needs fiber, but before a workout may not be best. Vegetables like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, or cauliflower can be hard to digest and could make exercising uncomfortable. Stick with veggies that are easier on your system, like well-cooked asparagus or potatoes.

Stay away from energy drinks

Energy drinks may seem like a great pre-workout boost but the truth is that they have lots of ingredients inside that can make you jittery. This can cause your heart rate and blood pressure to rise; hence some experts suggest steering clear from these before going into your workout session.

Don’ starve yourself

Earlier on in this article, I explained the importance of not overeating. Critically important is the need to have food before your session. I recall one morning trying to weights at home and tummy was rumbling it felt so empty. It is important to eat before your routine, simply to avoid fainting, dizziness and light-headedness; just make sure you are going into your session with a full stomach.

Remember, your body needs fuel to keep you strong, but it needs to be taken at the right time.

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