If you want to have maximum energy for your workout, you already know you need to get some food in your system first. However, do you know that not all foods are of benefit for you exercise? Here are a few items you want to avoid eating before a workout and the different reasons why.
Spicy Foods
It shouldn’t be too surprising to learn that consuming spicy foods before exercising isn’t the best idea. It can lead to heartburn and indigestion, and this irritation in your stomach can distract you from your workout and make it uncomfortable to move around. It could send you running to the bathroom too, which would be a complete disaster for your workout.
Dairy Products
For some people, dairy products like milk and cheese can be hard to digest, causing stomach discomfort and bloating. Lactose intolerance can further exacerbate these issues, so it’s generally advisable to avoid eating too many dairy products before a workout.
Beans and Legumes
While they’re undeniably healthy, beans and legumes are very high in fiber, which could cause gas and bloating during your workout. It’s better to save them for after your exercise session, as they will still do a wonderful job at replenishing your energy.
High-Fat Foods
It’s never wise to eat fatty foods before a workout, as these take longer to digest and sit heavily in your stomach. This can lead to discomfort, bloating, and sluggishness during exercise, because, as Medical News Today explains, your body works harder to convert the fat to energy. So, instead of loading up on high-fat foods, opt for lighter, easily digestible meals that won’t weigh you down.
Sugary Snacks
While it might seem like a good idea to grab a candy bar for a quick energy boost before you start working out, sugary snacks can lead to a rapid spike in blood sugar followed by a crash. This fluctuation can leave you feeling tired and less motivated, so it could actually work against you when doing exercise.
Carbonated Beverages
Drinks like soda and sparkling water can introduce gas into your digestive system, causing bloating and discomfort. This extra gas can make it difficult to engage in strenuous activity and maintain focus during your workout, and nobody wants that. Instead, it’s best to stick to plain old water.
Cruciferous Vegetables
Broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts are all examples of cruciferous vegetables, all of which can cause gas and bloating due to their high fiber content. As a result, consuming them before a workout might lead to reduced performance, so it’s best to eat them post-exercise instead, just like with beans and legumes.
High-Fiber Fruits
It can be a great idea to eat apples, pears, and berries after your workout as they’ll quickly replenish you with vitamins, but they are rich in fiber, which will no doubt cause you digestive discomfort if eaten before a workout. If you want a healthy but sugary pre-workout kick, consider eating fruits with lower fiber content, such as bananas or peeled peaches.
Large Meals
Anyone who has ever eaten a large meal before exercising knows that it makes you feel sluggish and uncomfortable. Your body will be focused on digesting the food rather than fueling your workout, so stick to smaller, easily digestible snacks if you need to eat close to your exercise time.
Energy Drinks
Even though energy drinks are marketed to boost performance, they are often loaded with sugar and caffeine. While this may give you a temporary performance boost, the sugar and caffeine can both lead to an energy crash and too much caffeine can cause jitteriness and dehydration, negatively affecting your workout.
Alcohol
It should go without saying that drinking alcohol before you work out isn’t smart. It can dehydrate you and impair your coordination and focus, leading to poor performance and potentially causing you an injury. It’s not wise to drink alcohol immediately after exercising, either, but later in the night should be fine in moderation.
Fried Foods
The unhealthily high-fat content of fried foods will sit heavily in your stomach, and trust us–you don’t want that during your workout. For this reason, it’s best to avoid fried items like chips or fried chicken before a workout, helping you to feel lighter and more energetic.
Processed Foods
Just like fried foods, processed foods, such as fast food or pre-packaged snacks, are often high in unhealthy fats, sugars, and sodium. These can cause bloating and provide little nutritional value, making them poor choices for a pre-workout nutrition kick.
Pastries and Doughnuts
Due to their high levels of sugar and fat, pastries and doughnuts are other foods that you should never eat before a workout. While they’ll certainly give you energy, this will come in the form of a quick spike in blood sugar, eventually followed by a crash. As a result, they’re going to seriously mess up your endurance in the gym.
Caffeinated Beverages
We already mentioned energy drinks as a poor pre-workout drink option, but this goes for all caffeinated beverages, including coffee and tea. While a small amount of caffeine can be beneficial, consuming too much can lead to dehydration, jitteriness, and increased heart rate. It can also cause digestive issues, which you really do not want to deal with when you’re out for a jog.
Artificial Sweeteners
Any food that contains artificial sweeteners, such as low-calorie snacks and diet sodas, can cause very similar digestive issues to caffeine, such as gas and bloating. Not everyone experiences these symptoms, but if you do, they can be distracting and uncomfortable during exercise.
Heavy Protein Shakes
These days, it’s common for people to think that they should consume a heavy protein shake before their workout, but this couldn’t be more wrong. They can certainly be a great post-workout recovery option, but consuming a heavy shake right before exercising can lead to stomach discomfort, and the protein hit will come at the wrong time for your muscles to recover properly.
Salty Snacks
If you eat salty snacks like pretzels or chips, your body is going to become dehydrated, which is never good for exercise. You’ll need to drink an increased amount of water, which can become a nuisance when working out, especially when it sends you to the bathroom every 10 minutes.
Fast Food
Above all, any sort of fast food is generally high in unhealthy fats, sugars, and sodium, which can all negatively impact your workout performance. They will cause sluggishness, bloating, and discomfort, making it difficult to exercise effectively, so if you need a quick snack, consider making your own healthy, light alternatives.