Why do I feel sick during my workout?

Jessica0982
Jessica0982 Posts: 209 Member
edited December 27 in Fitness and Exercise
The past 2 workouts where I've done a killer leg routine, I've felt completely sick to my stomach after I'm done. Last time this happened, I kept working out (stupid me!) and continued on with abs. I felt horrible so I just grabbed my son from the gym daycare and left. I felt really blah all night long.

Today, same thing. I do my killer leg workout and end up feeling super sick to my stomach when I'm done. So I ended up leaving early and not getting to do my arms and abs.

I know this could be a total coincidence but I'm trying to figure it out. I'm not eating badly. I had turkey chili today for lunch. I drink water all day. I drank 1 complete bottle of water during my 30 mins of cardio. Then I drank another full bottle of water during my leg workout. Could it be from too much water? Is there such a thing?

I'm bummed out because this is the second time I've had to cut my workout short. Its frustrating because I feel like I'll never get ahead and make progress if I keep cutting it short.

Any ideas on what's going on here?

Replies

  • lindylubilou
    lindylubilou Posts: 51 Member
    Hi Jessica,

    I'm glad you asked this as the same thing keeps happening to me. I leave it at least 2 hours after eating to do my workout so I'm sure it's not that. Today after doing Ripped in 30 I felt like that for the last circuit and had to stop for a minute but still felt sick for a while afterwards and a bit faint too.

    I do have low iron levels it was 7 not so long ago and I'm not sure if it might be to do with this. I am going to the doctors on Friday and will ask them.

    It puts me off doing my workout but I don't want to have to stop working out.

    EDIT: After having a look on the web a lot of sites are stating dehydration as a cause for feeling sick.
  • vtmoon
    vtmoon Posts: 3,436 Member
    If I'm smelling food, or had too much water during a workout I get to the same point. Also if you ate something oily within 3 hour prior I get to that point to.

    I'm much better about it now, I remember it happening more often when i first started exercising extra hard. I try to take water in 3-4 oz every 5 minutes through out the workout to avoid drinking too much in one go and give my body the chance to spread it I guess.
  • wolfchild59
    wolfchild59 Posts: 2,608 Member
    I usually need about two hours after eating a regular meal before I work out otherwise I feel sick. If something small, then usually about an hour.

    Also, too much water right before working out or during will also make me feel sick, so I try to leave about an hour between finishing my last bottle of water and going to work out. Then I drink a bit every 15 minutes or so of the workout just to stay hydrated. If I drink too much while working out, I get almost instantly sick to my stomach.
  • jsabet
    jsabet Posts: 51 Member


    I know this could be a total coincidence but I'm trying to figure it out. I'm not eating badly. I had turkey chili today for lunch. I drink water all day. I drank 1 complete bottle of water during my 30 mins of cardio. Then I drank another full bottle of water during my leg workout. Could it be from too much water? Is there such a thing?


    Any ideas on what's going on here?

    Hyperhydration? Not likely. You would need a whole bunch more water for that to take effect. Hyperhydration feels like dehydration too, if you are wondering.

    If the feeling is in your gut, like cramp feelings, it's probably a sign of your diet rather than your workout. Try not eating before a workout. Some people, myself included, do much better on an empty stomach than something like turkey chili, which seems like a food that takes a while to digest.

    If the feeling is in your muscular system. It could be that you need to stretch a bit better, or possibly increase how much rotation you can get your core to do. Stretching is key for getting oxygen to your muscles and lactic acid to be released.

    The human body is a weird thing. I've worked myself sick before from not enough food - I've also worked out my body so hard it went into anaphylaxis (100 mile single speed bike ride to see how fast I could do it), like an allergic reaction, I found myself sitting in an aisle in Safeway chewing benadryl.
  • lou62803
    lou62803 Posts: 1
    I would feel sick every time I would do restince training( extra hard with a trianer) and was feeling nauseous and light headed and had to stop working out. I would feel terrible the rest of the day. What hepled was taking a 60 second rest between sets eating well balanced meals, plenty of water and as doctor recomended plenty off egg whites for breakfast.
  • Jessica0982
    Jessica0982 Posts: 209 Member
    I eat pretty well for the most part but today I got back to measuring portions and counting calories. I don't eat before the gym because I almost always feel sick. My last snack (if I have one) is about 3:30 in the afternoon and I don't work out until 5:30 pm. I don't drink water as I sit in traffic which can be 30-45 mins. I do drink water as I workout and usually drink about 2- 2 1/2 bottles in my 60-90 min workout.

    The feeling I had isn't cramps. It's nausea...almost like I could explode any minute (sorry if that's TMI).

    Worst case...I save my leg workout till the very end and do cardio/arms/abs first. It just sucks because it slows me down.

    ETA: I hit the gym after I get out of work. So I eat lunch around 12 or 1 the latest and workout at the gym around 5:30 or 6:00 pm. Maybe I need to go back to super light lunches. Which brings me to the problem of not eating enough calories. I have a hard time eating enough calories when I eat salads for lunch.
  • ahmommy
    ahmommy Posts: 316 Member
    This happened to me when I worked out in the morning before breakfast. When I workout after I've had some food, it's not as bad, but I do still feel sick sometimes. Breathing through my nose as much as I can seems to help.

    A website I found says that motion sickness can also be a cause (http://www.military.com/military-fitness/workouts/nausea-during-workout).
  • wolfchild59
    wolfchild59 Posts: 2,608 Member
    ETA: I hit the gym after I get out of work. So I eat lunch around 12 or 1 the latest and workout at the gym around 5:30 or 6:00 pm. Maybe I need to go back to super light lunches. Which brings me to the problem of not eating enough calories. I have a hard time eating enough calories when I eat salads for lunch.

    With that amount of time in between, I'd actually say that you should have a snack between lunch and working out. I know that for some people, they like a totally empty stomach like that, but I'm not like that. I need some fuel in my system or I get queasy and weak. I'd say try to have a snack of some kind about an hour to an hour and a half before you do your work out the next time and see if that helps.
  • repmlrs
    repmlrs Posts: 154
    the leg is the biggest muscles in ure body. i never felt sick untill i started putting more weight for my leg workouts. maybe cause like the other person said...your muscles werent ready for the weight ure pushing. and you need to eat more
  • PennStateChick
    PennStateChick Posts: 327 Member
    Unfortunately, I don't think anyone is going to have a definite answer for you. It's something you need to play with. I get really sick/lightheaded if I don't eat something before my workout. I CANNOT workout in the morning without eating something first, but many people say that's when they workout best.

    I drink a ridiculous amount of water when I am working out, but some people have told me that their stomach gets upset if they have too much water. Also, some people can't stomach that much water on an empty stomach.

    I would just suggest changing things up until you figure out what works for you AND write it down to track it. You will eventually get it, but it could take a while.
  • smileruk93
    smileruk93 Posts: 2
    Hi there, as other people have said the legs are the biggest muscles to work out, this is why working them is great for burning body fat, especially squats, but this take allot of energy. With this in mind you need more Carbs in your system, allot of body builders, olympic lifters would take a pre workout Protein Shake with added Carbs to help them through the training programme about an hour before. If after training you are light headed, dissy, extra tiered, and end up with a headache, its a sign of low blood sugars.
  • al369
    al369 Posts: 170 Member
    I get sick when I push myself really hard. Everytime.

    I can feel it coming though and am familiar with it enough now that I know my limits a little better. I know when I'm getting to the point that if I keep going I'll feel sick for hours versus the point where I feel sick for a few minutes and it's gone. So, if I get to that point, I just stop pushing so hard. If it's running, I slow down or walk for a few minutes and then run some more. If it's strength I allow myself a minute to rest.
  • SyStEmPhReAk
    SyStEmPhReAk Posts: 330 Member
    As said before, leg day is tough for MANY... Even Pros get to the point of feeling sick! You're not just working your legs, but your core as well. Be sure to stay hydrated, get some good rest the night before and control your breathing - very important too.
  • uncbluci
    uncbluci Posts: 31 Member
    the leg is the biggest muscles in ure body. i never felt sick untill i started putting more weight for my leg workouts. maybe cause like the other person said...your muscles werent ready for the weight ure pushing. and you need to eat more

    Same here--- it only happens to me on leg day and especially with squats. Although it has stopped happening, so maybe when your legs get stronger it goes away (or, I'm not pushing myself hard enough.. I kind of liked getting that sick feeling because I knew it meant I was really working it haha)
  • FitBeto
    FitBeto Posts: 2,121 Member
    There was this fat dude at my old gym who wore booty shorts and had inner thigh bags with a mix of cottage cheese. Thats what made me sick.

    Anyways i hope that helped.
  • jr1985
    jr1985 Posts: 1,033 Member
    Do you eat or drink before you go? I have to go on an empty stomach or else I feel horrible too.
  • qballjr13
    qballjr13 Posts: 174 Member

    Worst case...I save my leg workout till the very end and do cardio/arms/abs first. It just sucks because it slows me down.

    Have you tried doing legs first? Since your legs are such a major muscle group they will use your energy much faster. Try doing your legs first and take plenty of time between sets to recover.
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