Fitness Nutrition Forums

Hold the Dairy: 12 Foods to Avoid Before Going to Work Out

If you take your workout seriously, then you need to take your pre-workout nutrition seriously as well! That means eating 200 to 300 calories of fat, protein, and carbs in order to fuel your body for the coming workout. But did you know that what you eat is just as important as how much you eat? Eat the wrong foods, and they could drastically slow down your workouts.

Here are a few foods to avoid before a workout:

  1. Hummus -- It's healthy and delicious, but it's packed with indigestible carbs that can make you feel gassy and bloated during your workout. Save hummus for a snack hours after your post-workout meal.
  2. Flaxseeds -- These fiber-rich seeds can cause bloating and gas, thanks to the fact that much of the fiber is insoluble. Pretty much any seed should be avoided before your workout.
  3. Dairy Products -- Milk, cheese, and yoghurt should always be consumed after your training session. The high fat content of dairy products may cause you to feel lethargic, will increase your stomach's acid content during the workout, and can even cause you to burp during the workout. All that churning won't do your stomach good.
  4. High Sodium Foods -- Salted nuts, chips, pretzels, and anything else with a lot of sodium will affect your body's fluid balance. Sodium causes water retention, which pushes your heart to work harder during the training sessions.
  5. Raw Veggies -- Before your workout is the ONLY time in the day when you should avoid raw veggies. These high-fiber foods are packed with carbs and fiber that your body will have a hard time digesting, leading to bloating and gas.
  6. Spicy Food -- This may be a hard saying for some, but it's best to avoid anything with too many spices. The movement of your workout increases the risk of food washing back up into your esophagus, leading to heartburn and acid reflux.
  7. Protein Bars -- The majority of protein bars on the market are basically candy bars, but with a bit more protein than usual. Unless it has a sugar ratio of 1:1 (1 gram of sugar to 1 gram of protein), it could cause your energy levels to bottom out mid-workout.
  8. Hard-Boiled Eggs -- Eggs are packed with protein, but don't contain a lot of carbs to fuel your body. Hard-boiled eggs are even harder to digest, meaning your stomach could still be working by the time you start working out--leading to cramps and ineffective digestion.
  9. High-Sugar/Fat Coffee Drinks -- If it's not regular coffee with a little milk and sugar, don't drink it! Black coffee is the best pre-workout drink, as the caffeine gives you a boost of energy and reduces pain. High-fat and high-sugar coffee drinks are TERRIBLE for your health, as they affect energy levels and slow digestion.
  10. Fruit Juice -- It may be 100% natural, but the high sugar content can disrupt your natural blood sugar balance. You'd be better off eating the fruit itself.
  11. Trail Mix -- High in both fat and sugar, trail mix is a food that takes far too long to digest.
  12. Baked Goods -- Cakes, cookies, muffins, and anything high in sugar, refined flour, and butter are a no-no before your workout!

[Images via Getty]

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