3 Foods You Shouldn’t Be Eating Before Workout

It doesn’t matter if you are doing your morning running routine or you’re lifting weights at the gym trying to bulk up, one thing is certain – your body needs fuel in order to perform.

What you choose to eat and drink before your workout session can either make it more efficient or will only hinder your progress.

It’s up to you.

This is why we decided to give you the list of 3 things you shouldn’t be eating pre-workout.

1. Carbonated Drinks

All sodas are packed with carbon dioxide and those fun bubbles will usually make people feel gassy and full, while they can also cause abdominal pain, says Pamela Hinton, Ph.D., director of nutritional sciences graduate studies at the University of Missouri.

Although most of the carbonation caused by drinking sodas will escape through your mouth, some of it still makes it to your stomach, causing short-lived bloating and gas which will certainly hinder your training session.

“You really only need a sugar-containing sports drink if you’re exercising long enough to deplete your carbohydrate stores,” Hinton explains

Drinking plain water to hydrate is always the nest option!

See also: How Safe Is Our Drinking Water Exactly?

2. Foods Rich In Fiber

Yes, foods rich in fiber are great for our digestive system, but eating these pre-workout will ruin your exercising session.

Fiber-rich foods (think broccoli, high-fiber cereals, lentils…) take longer to digest and draw blood to your digestive system.

“Then you have a lot of blood flowing to your gastrointestinal tract when you want it to be flowing to your muscles,” Hinton says. “This means your muscles aren’t getting the oxygen, sugar, and amino acids—all delivered by the blood—that they need during a workout.”

Also check out: 3 Major Mistakes You Are Making With Your Pre-Workout Supplement.

3. Nuts

According to Hinton, nuts aren’t exactly this “amazing super-food” everybody’s talking about. “They’re mostly just fat,” says Hinton, which means that – much like fiber – it travels more slowly through your body.

Also check out: Before And After Workout Eating