Practiced intensively, sport could cause nausea or vomiting. It is certainly an unpleasant experience that risks compromising the results of this activity. Fortunately, there are a number of methods to prevent exercise-induced vomiting. The first step is proper preparation. By eating a light meal, keeping yourself hydrated, and warming up your muscles, you can prepare your body for sports. Being able to cool off and take a few breaks to rest and drink during your workout also helps prevent this malaise. A combination of preventative measures will allow you to exercise without the risk of feeling nauseous.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Prepare to Workout
Step 1. Have a light meal 1-3 hours before exercising
If you exercise without eating for several hours, you risk a severe drop in blood sugar which can cause dizziness, nausea, and eventually vomiting. By eating 1-3 hours earlier, you will give your body enough time to assimilate nutrients and digest food so it doesn't settle on your stomach during exercise. The ideal pre-workout meal includes complex carbohydrates and protein from lean sources.
- As for complex carbohydrates, you can eat grains and brown rice, quinoa and fruit. Instead, excellent lean sources of protein are chicken and turkey, fish and beans.
- Avoid foods that are greasy and high in saturated fat. They are digested slowly and remain on the stomach during training, promoting vomiting.
- It is very important to eat, especially if you work out early in the morning. It is a time of day when you have not nourished for more than 12 hours, so your body is lacking in nutrients. Make sure you have a light breakfast before playing sports in the morning.
Step 2. Stay hydrated throughout the day
Dehydration is one of the main causes of nausea during exercise. You may think that drinking water while exercising is enough, but it's just as important to stay hydrated in the hours before. You should drink half a liter of water in the two hours before physical activity so that the body is properly hydrated for what lies ahead.
- The intake of liquids must be such as to allow you to have clear urine and eliminate thirst. Both, in fact, are signs of proper hydration. If you have dry mouth, dark urine, thirst or dizziness, consume more water. Don't work out until you've hydrated.
- Also avoid overhydration, which is excessive fluid intake, because it can be equally harmful. Half a liter of water is enough to hydrate you. Only drink more if it's not enough to quench your thirst.
Step 3. Avoid sugary or carbonated drinks before exercising
Fizzy drinks, energy drinks and sports drinks contain a lot of sugar and, as a result, can cause stomach upset during exercise. Likewise, the bubbles in fizzy drinks can cause belching and vomiting during exertion. Avoid them at least 2 hours before exercising.
- Unsweetened liquids, such as sparkling water, can also promote nausea due to carbonation. If you tend to feel nauseous when exercising, avoid carbonated water at least two hours before exercising.
- Sports drinks can be helpful after exercise, but first provide the body with excessive amounts of sugar that can cause nausea during exercise.
Step 4. Warm up your muscles before moving
The direct transition from rest to full-motion movement can be physically traumatizing. When the body is not prepared to process this effort, it can react by vomiting. Then, warm up for 10-15 minutes before the actual workout to get used to it gradually.
- An adequate warm-up consists of walking briskly or jogging for a few minutes. Then do some stretching exercises before you start exercising.
- Jumps with legs and arms apart or skipping rope are also effective for warming up.
Part 2 of 2: Preventing Nausea While Exercising
Step 1. Moderate the intensity of your workout if you tend to throw up
Sometimes, vomiting after a workout indicates that the exercise was too intense for your physical condition. So, pay attention to everything your body communicates to you and try to understand your limits. If you always throw up after a particular physical activity, try decreasing the intensity so that you gradually get used to it.
- Symptoms that indicate too intense a workout include difficulty in breathing, cramps, muscle or joint pain, and rapid heartbeat. Try to keep your workload down if you experience these ailments so that you don't throw up.
- Slowly increase the intensity to avoid trying too hard. Don't go 8 to 16km from one week to the next. Instead, increase the route by 1.5km at a time.
Step 2. Focus your gaze on a fixed point to prevent motion sickness
During running or sit-ups, nausea can actually be triggered by motion sickness. Prevent it by keeping your gaze on a fixed point. If you run, it could be a building in the distance; if you do a series of sit-ups, it could be something on the ceiling, like the smoke detector.
If you have motion sickness, don't close your eyes while exercising. Keep them open and fixed on one point so as not to lose the feeling of stability
Step 3. Drink 200-300ml of water every 10-20 minutes of exercise
Staying hydrated while exercising is also important in warding off nausea. So, keep a bottle of water nearby while exercising and stop after 10-20 minutes of exercise or when you are thirsty.
- Take small sips of water during your workout. If you ingest a large amount at one time, you risk overfilling your stomach.
- Avoid energy drinks when playing sports. A high sugar intake during exercise can upset the stomach. If the exertion has been substantial and you need to replenish lost electrolytes, consume these drinks once you are done with the workout.
Step 4. Dress lightly on hot days
Hyperthermia is another cause of nausea during physical activity. Keep cool by dressing appropriately for the weather. Wear a pair of shorts and a light shirt during the summer. Also, consider that light colors help reflect sunlight.
- On hot days, train in the coolest hours, i.e. in the morning and in the evening.
- If your body produces more heat than it can dissipate during exercise (hyperthermia), consider exercising in the gym on hot days.
Step 5. Go slower if you start to feel nauseous
Even if you are tempted to hold on and move on, nausea is often the body's way of letting you know that you are putting too much strain on yourself. In these cases, slowly decrease the intensity of the workout. Don't stop completely because even an abrupt interruption can be physically traumatizing and promote vomiting. For example, if you are running, switch from running to jogging until the discomfort subsides.
If it disappears, you can slowly resume the intensity you are used to
Step 6. Cool down once you have finished exercising
If you stop suddenly after your workout, your body may get confused and react with nausea and vomiting. As you warmed up before starting, so you should cool down when you finish. A gradual cool-down allows the body to recover from the effort and enter the state of rest. A 5-minute walk helps you get your heart rate back to normal rhythms.
Also, you should add stretching exercises during your cool-down to avoid muscle pain
Advice
- Sometimes, workout nausea can be caused by anxiety. This reaction can be triggered if you train at an amateur level or for a major competition. Go slower as you learn to manage stress. Hit it up when you feel mentally ready.
- Always carry water with you when playing sports, especially if it's hot. Working out in the height of summer can promote heatstroke. Symptoms include muscle weakness, dizziness and vomiting.
