Why Do I Feel Like I’m Going to Throw Up After Exercise?
“I feel sick.” Pregnant? No. Leg Day? Yes. We were joking today because some of the women on the team got a tad sick after last week’s booty camp. Mel joked, “If you’re not puking, you’re not working hard enough.” (Thank God I was slacking and only working at 85% last week!)
Nausea is one of those unfortunate things that accompany exercise sometimes. It can happen to anyone, Navy Seals and newbie gym goers alike, so don’t feel bad if it happens to you. But why does this happen? I checked out a few websites and here’s what I found:
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Dehydration. According to Livestrong.com, “When you exercise you lose sweat, which is made up of water and electrolytes, which are particles like sodium and potassium that help your muscles contract.” Loss of sweat can lead to thirst, decreased performance, muscle cramping and if you lose over 4% of your body fluid, can lead to stomach cramping and nausea. (Source: Livestrong – Do I Feel Nauseous After Exercise?) So remember to drink your water!
- Size Matters. If you are going to do strenuous exercise the size of your pre-workout meal can help or hurt you. If you eat too little, your blood sugar will get too low and you will feel
sick. If your meal is too big you might feel sluggish or get stomach cramps and feel sick. (Source: Mayo Clinic – 5 Tips to a Better Workout) Solution? Eat a healthy balance of protein and carbs before lifting.
- Motion Sickness. Huh?? According to Military.com, “Many people who like to begin their workouts with crunches or other abdominal exercises can actually get motion sick while performing abdominal exercises. This occurs when your eyes are either closed while exercising or your eyes scan the ceiling freely.” He suggests keeping your eyes open when doing your exercises and focus on a fixed point. (Source: Military.com – Nausea During Workouts)
Hope that helps you keep your lunch in your stomach! And I hope y’all like that eye candy picture of the guy eating lunch.
Lisa 😉
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Interesting about the crunches and motion sickness.
I was guilty of drinking too much water during my workout and feeling sick. I didn’t hydrate my muscles beforehand.
Since you suggested a protein shake a s almonds before my workout – I haven’t felt nausea.
Glad the protein & almonds worked for you! I hate feeling sick during a workout.
This post totallllly is what I needed to read. I have this issue and it’s soo frustrating. Good info, thanks!
Hope it helps!
That guy is really flexing to eat that food… must be a heavy fork.
I’ve never felt sick while or during working out, but I have had that feeling of nothing left to give, that hits me before anything else and goes for both cardio and weights.
Let’s hear it for heavy forks 😉
It sounds like you are doing exactly what you should be doing to grow muscle.