Foods to Avoid Before Workout are the Keys to Excellent Results

Foods to avoid before workout are usually identified as unhealthy foods. But not all foods to avoid before you hit the gym are those in the red zone. Some of these are the common foods we eat.

Foods to avoid before a workout are those without a portion of nutrition. The common foods we avoid are high in sugar and bad cholesterol. But there are foods that we can keep on eating before a workout.

Eating before a workout is not bad, but choosing what to eat in your meal is what we need to do. If you want to achieve your goal in the time frame you set, you will need to list down the foods to avoid before a workout. Make sure that you opt for fruit as your snack instead of junk foods and flavored drinks. It is essential because if you are eating some foods that make you gain more weight and replace all the calories you burned after exercise, you will not see the progress of your performance.

You will keep on saying that even you workout hard, you are not losing weight. Do not blame your gym instructor or the routine you are making. Maybe you should check the foods you are eating before and after your workout. Also, check how many glasses of water you drink to keep you hydrated as you sweat out the body fats. More veggies mean to improve and maximize your strength in completing your routine.

Therefore, it is crucial to know what foods to avoid, just minutes before a workout because it will have a significant role during your workout. Also, if you are doing your training, your energy should focus on powering your exercises instead of digesting the food you eat before a workout. This will lead to better fuel your blood with nutrients. Morning meal especially breakfast helps you to prevent discomfort for the whole day session.

Here are some of the foods to avoid before a workout.

Too much fiber foods

Eating foods rich in fiber is a healthy way of getting yourself to feel satiety. But too much fiber is not suitable for your body before a workout. One good example of a food that you need to avoid is flaxseeds.

Flaxseeds are the best source of fiber, but too much of it can develop gas in your stomach. So, getting bloated before a workout should be avoided. However, if you are in a diet full of fiber, you should eat 2 hours before and after a workout.

Other foods to avoid before exercising are bran, high-fiber bread and fiber supplements. Instead, eat foods rich in protein and carbohydrates. Just enough to make you feel nearly full so your energy will be used especially when doing sports, not for digesting the food.

Energy Drinks

Energy drinks are one of the misconceptions for food to intake before a workout. Why? Because energy drinks contain more sugar than other beverages, but excluding sodas. Though our body needs sugar as a source of energy, the food we are eating contains sugar, which our bodies stored if we are going to do some exercises.

So refrain from drinking energy drinks instead choose beverages that will keep you hydrated for the whole day.

Carbohydrates that are Hard to Digest

Acidic food

Non-acidic food is vital if you want to get the best result of your workout. We suggest skipping consuming dairy products. Though our body needs calcium, the intake of dairy products before an exercise can result in digestive problems like too much burping or being acidic. You do not want to be exposed to this kind of situation during a workout, so better stay away from dairy products.

Salty Foods

Do not get this wrong because foods that are salty like nuts can boost your mood to workout. But high sodium foods can disrupt the natural flow of fluid in your body. You do not want to experience joints and muscle cramps during your exercise, so make sure you only have enough salty foods.

Unripe Banana

Before a workout, you have to avoid eating a green or unripe banana. If you want to eat bananas before a workout to have enough potassium, which is good for the heart and muscles, you have to opt for ripe bananas. 

Green banana should be avoided to eat before a workout because it will make you bloated and uncomfortable. Also, it will take longer to digest because it contains starch. Foods rich in starch are challenging to digest, so you have to avoid these before a workout.

Hard-Boiled Eggs

Avoiding hard-boiled eggs before a workout will save you from carbohydrates and protein that you cannot use. Before exercise, it is essential to have foods that provide a good source of carbohydrates and protein.

However, hard-boiled eggs do not contribute to your workout. Instead, you have to avoid this kind of food so you can get the best results of your exercise.

Spicy Foods

Aside from salty foods, you have to be careful when choosing other variance of foods. For instance, spicy foods like Thai or Mexican should be avoided before a workout. Though you can see the ingredients of these dishes are more on vegetables and fish, and lots of spices, you should know that these spicy foods can make heartburn.

If you are experiencing heartburn before a workout, you should skip your schedule at the gym. Because, when you are in this state, workout and exercises can only worsen your heartburn. So it is better to skip spicy foods before hitting the gym.

Delicacies

Of course, another food source of sugar are delicacies like muffin and protein bars. Do not be conceived when someone told you that treats are free from sugar and low carbohydrates. Sometimes, these labels can be tricky and affect the judgment of your choice.

For instance, muffins have too much butter and oil, which can make your stomach feel empty quickly. So the tendency is you are going to eat something every once in a while.

The protein bars on the hand contain lots of sugar like candies. You should not go after the labels of ‘more protein less sugar’ or ‘ 0% calories’ — these advertisements about foods to avoid before a workout should be watched closely. 

Caffeine Drinks

Other beverages have lots of sugar especially juice and smoothie. But also you have to avoid foods rich in caffeine. Lots of sugar and dairy always accompany coffee and other drinks with high caffeine percentage. Milk tea, for instance, is one of the beverages with caffeine and lots of sugar and coffee. A cup of caffeinated drink will make you dehydrated faster than normal people do.

However, you can still consumed the recommended caffeine in a day to get the health benefits. With the right amount of it, you can prevent the feeling of fatigue and do not lose hydration.

Rice Cakes

Asian’s most common foods are rice cakes. When the celebration comes, rice cakes are always present on the table, causing you extra sugar and carbs.

Though you consider as dish or snacks, rice cakes are foods to avoid before a workout. It prevents you to perform and make your routine effective.

But according to studies, the carbohydrates and sugar it contains can replace all the calories you burned after the workout. So take a little amount if you cannot resist the temptation of eating rice cakes. It is that simple and veggie as your option for healthy snacks. Also, try oatmeal to balance carbs and fiber for your diet meal plan. Other alternatives for carbs are cauliflower and wheat.

Avocados

Avocados are known to be high in fat, and we are aware of it. So we are giving you these ultimate tips when eating avocados – Eat avocados two hours before and after your workout. Why? Because healthy fat is what our body needs to aid the digestion of food. So, eat avocado in moderation and avoid taking it right before a workout. 

Our Insights

As mentioned above, some foods need to avoid before a workout, but it does not mean that we should not eat these foods at all. Health-conscious people recommend to include the right intensity of fitness training with the number of meals or vice versa. Eating in moderations is the best way to enjoy the food you want to eat and, at the same time, achieving the goal you set for your workout.