The Worst Foods to Eat Before Your Workout

When your body needs fuel for a workout it will burn carbs/sugars first, then fat, then protein.

And so, eating the wrong foods before your workout can actually hinder your workout progress! So make sure you stay away from these:

Carbonated Drinks

Carbonated drinks are mostly water – that should be good to help you hydrate, right? Not so much.

Carbonated drinks can make you feel gassy, full, and cause abdominal pain. If you feel bloated and crampy, you won’t hit your full potential during your workout. Instead, go for still water, or non-sugary sports drinks instead. You’ll feel much more comfortable and have a better workout.

Spicy Foods

Spicy foods can cause acid reflux and heartburn, which can make your workout feel horrible.

So, if you’ve got a long cardio session ahead of you, trying to run with heartburn or a burning gut probably isn’t what you want to do – so save that spicy food for when you’re done with your workout!

Fiber-Rich Foods

Fiber is great for your gut. It also makes you feel fuller than straight carbs, so you eat less. That’s great for your diet, just not great right before your workout.

Try to avoid fiber-rich foods in the six hours prior to your workout. Foods like lentils, high fiber cereals, broccoli, and legumes take more energy to digest.

They also draw blood away from your muscles and into your digestive system. This means the amino acids, oxygen, and glycogen that your muscles need during your workout aren’t going to where they are most needed – your muscles!

Nuts

Nuts provide a healthy source of fat. But as mentioned above, your muscles don’t use fat for energy during your workout.

They also work like fiber, in that they are processed slowly through your body, meaning your body will shunt blood to your digestive tract rather than your muscles. So, like fiber-rich foods, avoid nuts in the six hours prior to your workout.