The cause of your exercise-induced nausea may not be evident at first, but one thing\u2019s for sure: Throwing up when you\u2019re trying to work up a sweat is zero fun.<\/p>\n
Not only does it derail your workout, but it also makes it difficult to feel motivated and excited to continue challenging your body.<\/p>\n
The good news? That turbulent feeling in your stomach is avoidable if you take the proper precautions.<\/p>\n
1. Eat and Hydrate Properly<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
To prevent nausea, be smart about\u00a0when and how you fuel your body before a workout.<\/p>\n
Give yourself at least an hour to digest a meal before you start moving, recommends Kristin McGee, an ACE-certified personal trainer based in New York City.<\/p>\n
Keep pre-workout meals light, and be sure to include both proteins and carbs if you can.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re hungry and can\u2019t wait an hour to work out, opt for a banana, handful of raisins, or an energy gel, all of which can be digested quickly.<\/p>\n
As for fluids, make sure you\u2019re hydrated, but don\u2019t overdo it.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s no need to chug all the water in your 24-ounce bottle 10 minutes before you start your run \u2014 an eight-ounce glass or two will do the trick.<\/p>\n
And though sports drinks can help replenish lost minerals, the high sugar content of many of them can\u00a0subvert your hydration efforts.<\/p>\n
Dunston says it\u2019s important to consume sports drinks in accordance with the duration and intensity level of your workout.<\/p>\n
Good old-fashioned H20 is sufficient under most circumstances, but for those seeking an edge during particularly tough or long workouts, try a low-sugar sports drink that maximizes fluid absorption and replenishes lost electrolytes.<\/p>\n
Possible risks of too much or too little food and water<\/h3>\n
Dunston says dehydration \u2014 when your body doesn\u2019t have enough water to function optimally \u2014 is a significant cause of feeling nauseous after a workout.<\/p>\n
The other possibility?\u00a0You guzzled too much H2O, and your stomach is overly full.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow recently you have eaten and what you ate before your workout can be issues as well,\u201d says Dunston. \u201cLow blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, is particularly a problem if you work out in the morning and don\u2019t eat anything beforehand.\u201d<\/p>\n
If that\u2019s the case, Dunston says you\u2019ll usually experience both nausea and dizziness.<\/p>\n
Overeating\u00a0before exercise also pits your stomach against your muscles.<\/p>\n
Dunston says the body moves blood to the gastrointestinal system to help with digestion.<\/p>\n
But if you exercise on a full stomach, your body also has to send blood to your muscles to support their movements.<\/p>\n
When your body tries to handle both digestion and strenuous exercise simultaneously, there isn\u2019t enough blood flow to assist with digestion, Dunston says. Nausea can result.<\/p>\n
\u201cNausea is a precursor to vomiting,\u201d says Dunston. \u201cDumping out the food in the stomach is one way the body can alleviate the blood supply problem.\u201d<\/p>\n
2. Lower the Intensity<\/h2>\n
![\"woman](\"https:\/\/bod-blog-assets.prod.cd.beachbodyondemand.com\/bod-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/02113622\/nauseous-after-workout-600-intensity.png\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\n
If you haven\u2019t prepared your body for a specific type of exercise or intensity (like running five miles at a seven-minute pace, or swimming laps non-stop for 30 minutes), don\u2019t go at it full force.<\/p>\n
When you\u2019re not used to a certain speed, distance, or movement, it\u2019s essential to ease into it and adjust your expectations accordingly.<\/p>\n
\u201cKeep the intensity level within your tolerated range,\u201d says Dunston.<\/p>\n
In other words, don\u2019t assume you can handle a hilly six-mile trail run if you\u2019ve only ever jogged on the comparatively flat streets of your neighborhood.<\/p>\n
Make an effort to approach new workouts and movements with equal parts enthusiasm and caution.<\/p>\n
When you do feel ready to increase your pace, distance, or reps, do it gradually, and be sure to notice when your body starts to feel overworked so you can back off\u00a0before\u00a0you hit your breaking point.<\/p>\n
Possible risks of overexertion<\/h3>\n
The line between pushing yourself to run two more minutes and pushing yourself to the point of nausea can be blurry.<\/p>\n
Exercise isn\u2019t supposed to be easy (it\u2019s meant to challenge you, after all), but it shouldn\u2019t make you so sick that you can\u2019t complete a workout.<\/p>\n
McGee says overexertion can lead to nausea.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you\u2019re exercising at an intense level or pushing yourself past your threshold, your body reacts by increasing blood flow to your muscles, heart, lungs, and brain so your body can process energy and continue working out,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen this happens, blood is diverted away from your stomach and that can make you feel sick.\u201d<\/p>\n
3. Warm Up Properly and Avoid Exercising in Extreme Conditions<\/h2>\n
![\"runner](\"https:\/\/bod-blog-assets.prod.cd.beachbodyondemand.com\/bod-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/02113619\/nauseous-after-workout-600-warm-up.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\n
If you go from sitting at your desk to running at full speed without a sufficient transition period, you\u2019re going to overexert yourself before you even get into your workout.<\/p>\n
To prevent nausea by overexertion, McGee says it\u2019s crucial to warm up your muscles before you start working them.<\/p>\n
Depending on your workout, you can jog lightly for five to 10 minutes, walk briskly for a few minutes, or do some\u00a0dynamic stretching\u00a0to boost blood flow, activate your central nervous system, and optimize strength, power, and range of motion.<\/p>\n
Another tip? Avoid working out in extreme conditions, says McGee.<\/p>\n
Exercising in overly humid or hot environments can lead to\u00a0heat exhaustion, nausea, and dizziness if you\u2019re not careful.<\/p>\n
If you love hot yoga or outdoor runs in the summer, don\u2019t stress \u2014 stay adequately hydrated and start slow to give your body time to adjust to the high temperature.<\/p>\n
Other Possible Causes of Nausea While Exercising<\/h2>\n
![\"woman](\"https:\/\/bod-blog-assets.prod.cd.beachbodyondemand.com\/bod-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/02113614\/nauseous-after-workout-600-crunch.png\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\n
1. Disorienting movements<\/h3>\n
\u201cSpecific exercises, particularly those that contract the abdominal wall muscles and those that require head twisting can induce nausea as well,\u201d Dunston says.<\/p>\n
Moves like crunches apply extra pressure to the stomach, says Dunston, while twisting motions can cause the inner-ear vestibular system \u2014 the network of sensory components in charge of our sense of balance \u2014 to become disoriented.<\/p>\n
Anyone who\u2019s ever closed their eyes during sit-ups or tried to do\u00a0camel pose at the end of a yoga class knows what happens when your body feels off balance: You get nauseous.<\/p>\n
2. Performance anxiety<\/h3>\n
If you\u2019re involved in a competitive event in which there\u2019s enormous pressure to succeed \u2014 like a race, sporting match, or weightlifting competition \u2014 you might experience occasional or constant performance anxiety, which can cause you to feel overly nervous and nauseous.<\/p>\n
You don\u2019t have to take the starting line of a 10K or Tough Mudder to feel anxious, though.<\/p>\n
Dunston says any exercise under pressure can cause serious nerves.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt could be as simple as being in a new [workout] class where you are concerned with keeping up and looking good,\u201d says Dunston.<\/p>\n
3. Larger health concerns<\/h3>\n
Dunston says exercise can sometimes exacerbate the symptoms of gastrointestinal disorders and other health conditions, causing nausea and other problems.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf the nausea persists despite addressing all of the above concerns, it\u2019s best to see a doctor to be evaluated for underlying potential health issues that need to be addressed,\u201d says Dunston.<\/p>\n
What to Do if Your Workout Makes You Nauseous<\/h2>\n
Even when you think you\u2019ve done everything right, sometimes nausea just happens.<\/p>\n
When that horrible, sick-to-your-stomach sensation starts to creep up on you, Dunston says it\u2019s best to rest for a few minutes.<\/p>\n
Stop what you\u2019re doing and find something sturdy to sit or lean against.<\/p>\n
If the nausea doesn\u2019t subside, \u201cit might be best to call it quits for the day or lower the intensity of the activity,\u201d says Dunston.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
You\u2019re halfway through a three-mile\u00a0run, intense Pilates\u00a0class, or round of your weight circuit when \u2014 suddenly \u2014 you\u2019re feeling nauseous. Despite your best intentions to push on with your workout, you\u2019re forced to stop, sit down, and struggle just to take steady breaths. Within moments, your body feels zapped of energy. What little strength you […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1612,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[91],"class_list":["post-1611","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health","tag-fitness"],"blocksy_meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1611","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1611"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1611\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1612"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1611"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1611"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1611"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}