You are a complete fitness freak – you always skip on eating stuff that’s bad, never miss out on your leg day and hit those heavy bags harder than anyone else you know!
However, if you’d like your body to keep performing like a Lamborghini, then it’s essential that you keep filling it up with high-octane fuel – meaning that you must eat the right amount of food before you start working out.
Imagine this – You’ve got a sports car and it works just fine because of all that old unleaded gas, but you know what… it will not function as long or as optimally you expected it to. Similarly, how can you expect it to reach the destination when all this time its tank was empty?
Now, although, fasted cardio has been a trending diet plan amongst people who’re on the mission of losing weight, only when you’re fueled up and all set to take on those dumbbells, will you be able to maximise the exercise you do while training.
Speaking of workout, the way it’s essential for you to have a personal trainer to do your work in the right manner, it’s equally important for you to have pre-workout nutrition in place.
Whilst certain food items are healthy – perhaps, ideal for your weight loss plan – it isn’t necessary that they’ll do any wonders for your workout. That being said, in this article, we’ve put together a list of food that you must avoid at all cost before you get into your daily exercise routine.
Salad
Yeah, we know that salads are by far considered to be the healthiest food, but that isn’t really true in the majority of cases thanks to the high-calorie dressing that most of them has drizzled all over them.
Now, even though you say that salad is really healthy since it is packed with veggies, it is a big NO-NO when it comes to food that one must eat before hitting the gym. Besides, food items that contain high-fibre like fruits and veggies have the ability to slow down the process of your digestion, ultimately leading to bloating and gas during your workout session.
Must Read: Ever Tried A Kitchen Workout To Stay Fit?
Flaxseeds
Do not get us wrong; flaxseeds are indeed the best when it comes to eating healthy, mainly because of all the fibre that they’ve got. However, the intake of fibrous food items before your workout session will only make you feel bloated.
Bear in mind, it is essential to reduce the consumption of fibre at least 2 hours before and after the workout. That apart, you’ve also got to prevent the intake of any kind of high-fibre bread and supplements; rather opt for proteins and carbohydrates.
Hummus
Hummus is yet again a healthy food item for one’s body, especially when made at home with a limited amount of oil and other essential elements. But, it is still not recommended to eat it before you go to the gym because it contains a considerable amount of chickpeas.
In addition to all this, it is also better that you replace those hummus dips with either raw vegetables or high-sodium snacks before you hit the gym.
Dairy
There’s no denying to the fact that dairy products are lip-smacking delicious, but it’s also true that they can make you feel all sluggish and sleepy. Thus, it’s better that you ensure you’re not drinking or eating dairy minimum 2 hours before heading to the gym. Otherwise, you’ll feel really lethargic and acidic, and you may even keep burping the entire time.
Protein bar
Just because of the name, you might feel that these bars come with a lot of protein. But, mind you, these usually contain a large number of calories rather than the amount of protein which your body requires.
As per an experienced nutritionist, intake of protein bars containing less than 10g of protein will only drop the count of your blood sugar, thereby making you feel way too tired whilst you’re performing your exercises.
If you wish to have a vigorous workout session, then always opt for bars consisting 1:1 ratio of protein-sugar.
Fatty foods
When it comes to food items that you must avoid at all cost before your workout session, there are some of them that are very obvious like hamburgers, cheesecake and fries, to name a few.
However, you’ll also have to limit the intake of healthy fats, like nuts and avocados because it consists of a large quantity of fibre, which will definitely increase the odds of gassiness. Now, you certainly don’t want to embarrass yourself whilst working out in the gym.
Well, that wraps our list of food items which every gym enthusiast must avoid eating before hitting those heavy bags! So, eat right, workout hard and stay fit all the time!
