Before you go to the gym, it’s good to prepare by eating some food. However, choosing the wrong meal may make it hard for you to work out, thus sabotaging your progress. How would it feel when you have a stomachache after a serious workout? It’s such a wearisome feeling but can be avoided.
If you consume foods and drinks carelessly before a workout session, you could damage your body system and cause cramps.
Avoid the following foods before the gym
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Flaxseed
Too much fiber will make your stomach gassy and bloated-flaxseed is rich in fiber. Consuming much of this will hamper your workout routine. Specialists recommend that people should not consume high-fiber foods two hours before or after a workout. You also should avoid high-fibre foods like vegetable salads and other supplements. You’d instead choose something containing carbohydrates and proteins.
Protein bars
There are so many protein bars popular in most supermarkets. That shouldn’t fool you. Those bars contain lots of calories and minimal protein-same as a bar of chocolate. Thus you must carefully check the protein bar you’re buying. If it contains more than 10 grams of protein, it could easily lower your blood sugar levels and make you feel tired faster. The nutrition table on the packaging should guide you when choosing a protein bar.
Fast foods
Yes, you need carbohydrates and proteins before you go to the gym-but. That doesn’t mean you grab the burgers and fries at your nearest restaurant. Junk foods are rich in fats and need a minimum of four hours to be digested. When food is digested, the heart is focused on pumping more blood to your stomach to help in that process. During that time, blood flow to the muscles reduces, which could impair your workout. Avoid fast foods and those snacks like almonds, cheese, and such that will make you sluggish.
Again, the high sodium level in junk food interrupts the body fluids balance that you need during a workout.
Dairy products
You’ve heard it said that low-fat milk is part of dieting but most of the time, but that’s not always true. Most dairy products have high levels of saturated fats, which will hamper the body during workouts. Proteins are necessary for helping your body recover quickly, but high protein drinks and food have less carb, and thus your energy is drained faster. Proteins like fats travel slowly in the blood, and therefore, even after a heavy meal, you may feel tired and shaky.
Sugar
Those smoothies and food high in carbs and sugar will only provide temporary energy, not the continuous one you need during a workout. Good bacteria on your bowels is paramount for a good flow. When you consume too many artificial sweets, the growth of ‘good bacteria is curtailed. This causes a disturbance in the absorption of nutrients. The sugary and high-carb snacks increase the blood sugar level and don’t be surprised if you faint midway. If you’re planning for an intense workout session, avoid isotonic drinks, orange juice, and such.
You could opt for caffeine before a workout, but you should be careful because it could ruin your sleep pattern. With not enough sleep, then you don’t have enough energy for physical exercise.
When going to the gym, you must ensure that you take foods and drinks that will not hamper your effort. High sugars and carbs will downplay the effort, and therefore, you’ve to take these in suitable proportions and some hours before.
