There is nothing wrong with eating food before exercising. However, don’t eat bad food before exercise that can reduce performance and interfere with your health.
Bad food and drink consumed before exercise
Filling energy by eating before exercise is very good for you. This can maximize calorie burning and increase the intake of nutrients for exercise.
When you know the right way to keep your body fit while exercising, you will of course avoid consuming certain foods before going to the fitness center ( gym ).
Consumption of fast food, aka junk food, such as french fries, burgers, and soft drinks, definitely needs to be avoided when starting a workout.
Even so, there are also some foods that you think are healthy can actually have a negative impact on activity and sports performance.
The following are various dietary restrictions before exercise that you need to avoid.
1. Vegetables high in fiber
Salad is often a food choice before exercising, but eating a salad before exercising can have a bad effect.
Foods consisting of vegetables high in fiber can slow down the digestive process. This results in abdominal discomfort and bloating during exercise.
Some other types of vegetables, such as bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage can also have the same effect and you need to avoid.
For convenience while exercising, you can eat salads and other vegetables a few hours before or after your workout.
2. Raw banana
Bananas are also often a snack that many choose before exercise. The benefits of this banana come from the potassium and carbohydrate content in it.
However, unripe bananas can be bad food for the body if consumed before exercising.
The reason is that unripe bananas have a high starch content making them difficult to digest. So, unripe bananas can cause flatulence.
So, if you plan to eat bananas before exercising, make sure the bananas are ripe and yellow, not looking like they were just picked from the tree.
Consumption of ripe bananas is the best choice. The ripening process has turned starches into sugars that are easier for your body to use as exercise fuel.
3. High-fat foods
Indeed, not all types of fat are bad for health, but you should avoid foods that are high in saturated fat before exercising.
Types of high-fat foods are oily foods, red meat, milk, and their processed products.
In addition, foods high in healthy fats, such as cheese, almonds, and avocados, can be foods that reduce performance during exercise.
Although avocados are known as good fats, the added fiber in them contributes to high levels of flatulence.
Regardless of the type, fat is generally processed into energy much more slowly than carbohydrates and protein.
As a result, your body will find it difficult to take energy or additional calories from fatty foods during exercise.
4. Spicy food
Eating spicy food before exercise is certainly a bad decision. The reason, this habit can cause discomfort in the stomach.
Spicy food can also trigger gastric acid reflux caused by acidic substances that come out of the stomach and up into the esophagus.
5. Packaged fruit juice
Juice from fruit concentrate is a bad food to eat before exercise. The reason, packaged fruit juice has a high sugar content in it.
In addition to the high sugar content, packaged fruit juices do not contain much fiber. The nutrients obtained are not the same as when eating whole fruit.
Nutritionists prefer to eat whole fruit before exercise. However, you can drink juice after exercise to maintain body fluid intake.
6. Energy drink
Many people drink energy drinks to improve their performance, even though these types of drinks are considered bad to be consumed before exercising.
Energy drinks are claimed to increase energy, endurance and concentration. According to Michigan Medicine, this effect is obtained through the caffeine content as the main ingredient of this drink.
Unfortunately, caffeine intake in some people can increase heart rate and blood pressure. This condition can cause feelings of restlessness when exercising.
Better, consume sports drinks that contain carbohydrates, electrolytes, and minerals to help restore lost body fluids.
7. Fizzy Drinks
Fizzy drinks are a bad drink to drink before exercise because they contain carbon dioxide which can cause bloating and stomach upset.
Most fizzy drinks are also high in sugar or artificial sweeteners. This can make your body lose energy more quickly before the training session is over.
You can drink plain water instead. Keeping your body hydrated is the main key so that your body can work optimally during exercise.
Consumption of high-fat foods, junk food, or high-sugar drinks before exercise can have a negative impact on your performance.
Therefore, as much as possible avoid the consumption of foods and drinks mentioned in the list above before starting the exercise.