A lot of us feel that we need to eat something healthy and interesting before our workout because it’ll give us energy or the right proteins to assist in our workout. We’re all tempted by energy bars and drinks because we think we’ll get that little bit of an extra edge while working out and it’s going to help us build muscle. The last thing you need before you want to get into the gym is to have a sudden upset stomach, or tire out after 5 minutes of working out and wonder what went wrong. To avoid sticky situations, here are four foods you should avoid before you work out:
French Fries – I think it’s fairly obvious that you should be avoiding French fries. While potatoes might be an interesting workout fuel, deep dried fats slow you down. Snacks are an obvious source of slowing you down, but you’ll be surprised to know that even almonds can make you sluggish. So don’t think you can hit McDonald’s or Burger King before your workout with the mindset of burning them off later!
High Protein Bars – Sounds ridiculous, but while protein is an important fuel source for working out and aids a lot in recovering your muscles, a number of high protein bars often lack the right number of carbs and therefore instead of helping you work out and giving you energy – they end up depleting it.
Vegetable Salads – By this point, you’re probably thinking about throwing your training clothes away because it just seems ridiculous that veggie sales could hurt you before working out! The simple explanation? Lettuce, cabbage and cauliflower are common sources of gastrointestinal problems and having too much fiber in your body while working out could cause some extreme discomfort especially if you’re thinking about running. See?
Carbonated Drinks – So what do you do once you’ve donned your sportswear and put on your running shoes? Right before you head to the gym or to begin your workout, you think about grabbing a drink. I probably shouldn’t have to say this, but you shouldn’t go anywhere near a carbonated drink three hours before your work out. In fact, avoid them if you can completely. They cause you go become a little bloated and give you gas, and while you might be tempted to try out some caffeine to boost your exercise, it’s often recommended that you go with something a little more stomach friendly such as black tea.
I hope that helps out! You should remember that everyone has different levels of food tolerance and you’ll find tons of people who will tell you that they have vegetable salads before they work out and it helps them, but everyone has a different metabolism and you shouldn’t confuse yourself with someone else, especially when it comes to workouts. Avoid these foods and stay on the safe side people!