It’s all too easy to get wrapped up in the ins and outs of your pre-workout meal selections and forget to keep track of what you’re drinking. However, as you’ll discover, what you drink may drastically affect your exercise. Bloating and cramps to unexpected energy crashes —or worse— can all be side consequences of your drinking habits.
So, if you really want to make your exercises both fun and productive, keep an eye on what you drink. To keep your exercise full of energy and cramp-free, avoid these 12 worst things to drink before working out. And besides, you don’t want to waste half your run looking for a restroom, do you?
Smoothies and Fatty Shakes
Nuts, nut butters, and seeds are delicious additions to any drink or smoothie, but not just before a workout. The fat passes slowly throughout the GI system, causing stomach issues such as cramps when exercising. Avoid fat-filled drinks and smoothies a couple of hours before you exercise to keep your stomach happy. A fatty smoothie, instead, would be a wonderful post-workout alternative. It may help to reduce inflammation, and it’s a good addition to any healthy diet.
Pulpy Juice
Juice-containing pulp is the route to go in general. After all, the pulp contains a substantial amount of fiber, which, according to the Mayo Clinic, may help you stay at a healthy weight while lowering the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Juice with pulp, on the other hand, is a bad pre-workout alternative due to its high fiber level.
When ingested before an exercise, fiber is hard to digest, which might induce cramps, constipation, or diarrhea. Fiber also restricts the number of carbohydrates and sugar accessible to your muscles throughout your exercise since it is sluggish to absorb. So store the drink for another time and don’t consume it an hour hours before doing out. Trust us when we say that your stomach will appreciate you!
Alcohol
Alcohol dehydrates you while simultaneously limiting the quantity of oxygen supply that reaches your muscles, which is a lousy combination for your exercise. When your muscles don’t receive enough oxygenated blood, they don’t have the energy they need to operate, and your workout performance suffers. Not to mention, drinking affects balance and lowers response time, increasing your chance of an accident or injury. Drinks should be saved for a post-workout treat.
Sparkling Water
Whenever you start the HIIT exercise, cracking open that can of sugary LaCroix isn’t the best idea. While carbonated flavored water tastes fantastic, the bubbles may induce bloating and gas, making you feel sluggish and unpleasant during a workout. Stick to plain water for pre-workout hydration instead of fizzy water.
Sugar-Free Drinks
Sugar alcohols, which are low-calorie sugar replacements, provide sugar-free smoothies and beverages with their sweet taste. Sugar alcohols are manufactured from genuine sugar, but their chemical structure is modified so they aren’t ingested by the intestines. This makes them tough to digest, resulting in a lot of gas, bloating, cramps, and diarrhea, which is the last factor you want while you’re attempting to work out.
Drinks branded “light,” “diet,” or “diabetic-friendly” should be avoided. If you notice any of the common sugar alcohols such as maltitol, sorbitol, xylitol, mannitol, or erythritol on the ingredient list, pass.
