feeling nauseous if eat food before exercise

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im not sure whether not post this in the food or exercise section since its about both! but i tried to eat a small snack half an hour to an hour before exercising, like a banana but then when i exercise i feel nauseous and sometimes i keep burping and can feel that the food isnt digested yet, i know that sounds weird but its like if i exercise too soon i will be nauseous because i havent digested the food yet
usually i have to wait like 3 hours after a meal and then its ok, maybe for a small snack 2 hours before i ok but is that too long of a gap between eating a snack and exercising that it wont really have much effect? i read that the body doesnt store potassium for very long

thanks!

Replies

  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,701 Member
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    There is no solid rule on whether or not one should eat before training. Lots of people train fasted and are fine. I personally train fasted every day (usually I train at 10am-11am and then eat after 12pm, with my last meal the night before around 11:30pm).
    Sometimes eating a few hours before works for people.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • Ruckus85
    Ruckus85 Posts: 23 Member
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    Bananas are kinda heavy. What about two hard boiled eggs, only one yolk or almonds. Maybe you just need to go lighter. Don't drink milk or OJ before either, you may puke. From either the acid or the milk curdling.
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
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    When you exercise, you're not really using just the last food you ate. Experiment with different foods and timings, and see what works best for you.
  • Maleficent0241
    Maleficent0241 Posts: 386 Member
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    I have a digestive disorder, so things are a bit different for me, but I can't eat before I exercise or I get very sick. Even for long running races, I stick to a liquid meal beforehand or nothing at all now. Sometimes I can get away with white rice a few hours before.

    Your body runs on stores from the cumulative effect of what you have had to eat lately - as long as you are eating normally the rest of the time, you should be just fine for working out unless you have some sort of medical condition or are participating in an ultra or something.
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
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    So don't eat before you work out? I almost always work out on an empty stomach, personally.
  • Kalici
    Kalici Posts: 685 Member
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    If I eat before exercising I feel sick and it doesn't usually go away until I throw up. So, I don't eat beforehand anymore.
  • itsbasschick
    itsbasschick Posts: 1,584 Member
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    have you tried eating an hour and a half before you work out - complex carbs like bread, a bagel or oatmeal?
  • WLG1974
    WLG1974 Posts: 90
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    Is there any pain??

    I'm not a doctor but it sounds like a gallstone attack. I have those and it's like what you just explained, but there is pain involved.
  • JazzFischer1989
    JazzFischer1989 Posts: 531 Member
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    I can definitely relate. If I run shortly after a full meal, I get a really painful knot in my stomach. To prevent this, I wait about an hour and a half or eat very light (usually some dry cereal or a handful of grapes) or just run on an empty stomach.
  • slemonfit
    slemonfit Posts: 97 Member
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    There isn't any pain it just feels like I want to throw up because the food isn't digested yet
    I think if I wait 3 hours after eating then it's ok
    I like to eat a normal meal then exercise a few hours later
    I tried a small snack but sometimes that makes me sick so I can't eat too much
    I'll try maybe 2 hours after a banana to see if it's better
    I thought a banana would help with my muscles since otherwise I get tired easily
    Maybe an empty stomach is ok as long as i ate a good meal 3-4 hours earlier so I don't feel hungry if I'm hungry while running I might get light headed
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,326 Member
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    So don't eat before you work out? I almost always work out on an empty stomach, personally.

    same here. . ialso did the same when i played rugby. i work out better on an empty stomach. otherwise i'm sluggish or feel like i'm going to puke
  • PunkyDucky
    PunkyDucky Posts: 283 Member
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    Yep that's mee...can't stand the feeling of working out right after eating ANYTHING small. :sick:
    I've been doing my sessions on an empty stomach for awhile now. There's no problem with not eating beforehand.
  • awomaninsane
    awomaninsane Posts: 75 Member
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    I can't eat anything before i exercise. If i exercise in the morning i eat afterwards and if i exercise in the evening the last thing i would eat would be lunch. I still feel like i've got plenty fuel to work hard so you could give it a go, see how you feel.
  • rejectuf
    rejectuf Posts: 487 Member
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    It's completely normal. Experiment with different foods if you want, or just don't eat until your exercise is done. If I eat anything less than 90 minutes before my workout I almost always get nauseous. So I either eat 90 minutes before or not at all if I don't have time.
  • smetka01
    smetka01 Posts: 99 Member
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    So don't eat before you work out? I almost always work out on an empty stomach, personally.

    same here. . I also did the same when i played rugby. i work out better on an empty stomach. otherwise i'm sluggish or feel like i'm going to puke

    Me to. I can't even drink anything an hour before, I eat 3 hours or more before exercising. My stomach is strange :) But after exercise I can eat anything :D