feeling sick after workout

n0pants3ver
n0pants3ver Posts: 175
edited September 25 in Health and Weight Loss
For the past three times i went to the gym, i have been feeling so sick after. like i'm going to throw up. it could be driving in the car right after the gym because i get motion sickness but i don't know! i ate lunch before, and some carrots in the car. what could be wrong? i dont think i'm over doing it.

Replies

  • I was always told to not eat to heavily before working out. I usually work out in the mornings...if first thing in the AM then just some almonds or a half banana...if it is mid morning then I have a bowl of Kashi Go Lean at least an hour before going. After an early morning workout I would have my normal breakfast and after mid-morning workouts I have a yogurt.

    Be sure to have plenty of time between eating and doing a lot of cardio as that will definitely 'shake' everything up. Sometimes it is also getting used to a new environment, air circulation, etc. When our bootcamps moved from outdoor to indoor due to winter season it took a good couple workouts to get used to the air flow of the building vs. the fresh air outdoors.

    Hope helps, if not I look forward to reading other replies. Good Luck!
  • kao708
    kao708 Posts: 813 Member
    Personally, my blood pressure drops really quickly after I work out so I really have to do an extended cool down or the same thing happens to me. Not saying that this is what is happening to you but maybe you just need a longer cool down before you hop in the car.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,330 Member
    Just to be clear, this is not during exercise, but after you finish and leave the gym right? If is was during exercise I would say you might want to dial back the intensity a bit. If it is afterward and your heart rate has gone back down, then the problem could be something as simple as needed something more than a few carrots as a recovery food. I would suggest making a protein shake with some fruit mixed in.
  • gsather
    gsather Posts: 6
    Are you eating enough food? Are you overdoing it at the gym? If you're new to working out, go easy on yourself... start something like 10 minutes light rowing and 15 minutes on the elliptical aiming to burm maybe 10 calories per minute instead of 17 or 18. Work your way up. If your gym has personal trainers, make an appointment and let them know your particular situation. Also make sure to eat a good breakfast far enough in advance so that you've digested the food but aren't hungry. It could be that carrot full tummy upsetting you.

    Finally - drink enough water!
  • n0pants3ver
    n0pants3ver Posts: 175
    Just to be clear, this is not during exercise, but after you finish and leave the gym right? If is was during exercise I would say you might want to dial back the intensity a bit. If it is afterward and your heart rate has gone back down, then the problem could be something as simple as needed something more than a few carrots as a recovery food. I would suggest making a protein shake with some fruit mixed in.

    It's like directly after I work out. I don't feel sick before or during but right after.
  • AreneeS22
    AreneeS22 Posts: 42 Member
    I have that same problem if I eat or drink a lot right before a workout... I've noticed I have to give myself at least 1 &1/2 hours after a meal before I can exercise or it makes me extremely nauseous...same thing if I drink like, a whole bottle of water before I exercise, it will make me feel sick...
  • skinnylizzard
    skinnylizzard Posts: 460 Member
    Could you be dehydrated? Sometimes I feel queezy if I'm dehydrated.
  • n0pants3ver
    n0pants3ver Posts: 175
    Are you eating enough food? Are you overdoing it at the gym? If you're new to working out, go easy on yourself... start something like 10 minutes light rowing and 15 minutes on the elliptical aiming to burm maybe 10 calories per minute instead of 17 or 18. Work your way up. If your gym has personal trainers, make an appointment and let them know your particular situation. Also make sure to eat a good breakfast far enough in advance so that you've digested the food but aren't hungry. It could be that carrot full tummy upsetting you.

    Finally - drink enough water!

    I was always told to make sure you eat before the gym. I think i'm eating enough food. I've been going to the gym for a few months now. Thanks for the advance!
  • I am wondering if maybe you're dehydrated? I see you're eating before working out - that's a personal preference. (I generally won't eat for 90-120minutes before a workout, but I do a high intensity bootcamp.) I'm wondering how much WATER you're drinking before workout? That should be a big priority, especially if you're working hard. You should also be drinking DURING your workout, to stay hydrated.

    If that doesn't work, I'd suggest some kind of recovery or workout powder - it will keep a relative amount of carbs in your system to allow your body to come down easier. There are calories in these drinks, though, so you'll have to consider that. I have been using a workout fuel since I started bootcamp, and really notice a difference on the nights I don't have time to grab one. Just a suggestion.
  • sara_m83
    sara_m83 Posts: 545 Member
    This has only happened to me once after a very vigorous workout at the gym. I felt really great up until about 10-15 minutes AFTER I finished. I started to feel nauseous and developed a headache. The symptoms hung around for over an hour until my partner told me to drink some gatorade. I had had plenty of water so it wasn't dehydration as such, but apparently the loss in electrolytes or whatever other nutrients that sports drinks can help replenish in the body. Within 20 minutes I felt back to my usual self.

    I suggest you drink a recovery drink after intense workouts if you're feeling sick. Grab a powerade or gatorade or something from your gym.
  • arfdemob5
    arfdemob5 Posts: 109 Member
    My trainer said to eat a small snack about 1 1/2 hours before working out, healthy protein/carbs...like 1 slice wholewheat toast and 1 tablespoon peanut butter. This snack should be around 150 calories. If you eat too soon before working out you can get nauseaus, for me 1.5 hours before does the trick. HTH
  • meggersd
    meggersd Posts: 55
    its probably your blood sugar drink some orange juice before or after or pb
  • ChelDM
    ChelDM Posts: 145
    I think it is blood sugar..

    Check with your MD above all else.
  • In addition to what everyone else is saying, don't neglect your cool down. A lot of people just cut their intense workout at the end without properly cooling down and letting their heart rate drop at a slow pace. Make sure after you do your workout you walk around the track or on the treadmill slowly for a couple of minutes and do some stretching and deep breathing. It's really bad for you to just let your heart rate drop really fast, and maybe feeling sick is your bodies way of telling you that.
  • Are you drinking enough water?
    I see you are eating before working out, thats good, make sure its enough to keep you going.
    Do not have any sweets before working out .......... pop or candy, that can mess with blood sugar

    Here is a great link on what you are asking:

    http://www.nauseahelp.com/?p=53
  • AzkAdAsh
    AzkAdAsh Posts: 2
    I've been in the Army for just shy of a decade and we do some pretty intense training to include 50 mile ruck marches with 100 pounds on your back and 25 mile runs for fun and cancer awareness and other things and one of the biggest problems I always saw with the newer guys is that even though they eat, they don't eat right and even though they hydrate, they don't hydrate right. I don't know your specific diet or hydration table, so please bear with me. You're body needs time to digest what you eat to turn the food you consume into the energy your body needs to survive. It's the same way with hydrating. Like everyone else is saying, you need to eat well enough in advance to ensure the food is out of your system before any major work out. Before a heavy workout you can't have that sitting in your stomach. That being said, we've always had success with eating today to prepare for tomorrow. Essentially, knowing what you're going to do tomorrow, be it intensive, moderate or light, you can reverse plan so you know what you need to eat today to have the energy tomorrow, (specifically a dinner meal, but all meals should be considered). The same goes for hydration. It is important to drink water while you do your workout, but more importantly is making sure your body is hydrated in advance. I drink about a half gallon at the gym everyday while i work out and then throughout the day I drink about another gallon or so to replenish what was lost and prepare for the next day. As far as meals go, before a heavy day I take high calorie, high protien and high complex carbohydrates to make sure my body has the stored energy it needs to function. Before a moderate or light workout, the same thing, just not as much quantity. Equally as important is the warm up and cool down. Before one of the 25 mile runs, we usually warm up with stretching* and calisthenics for 20-30 minutes and then after, we cool down for 45-60 minutes to make sure everything is stretched out and that our heart rates have returned to normal. *Please note that while stretching is important before any intense training, it is equally, if not more, important to stretch afterwards while the muscles are peaked to get maximum range of motion, maintain proper blood flow and improve flexibility. Pre-workout boosters or drinks or shakes are a personal preference and may or may not suit/help you. I'm sorry this was so drawn out, but I hope it was helpful.
  • GiniN
    GiniN Posts: 39 Member
    I had this problem too. It did not occur immediately after stopping, but about 20 minutes later. What has helped me:

    1) Extended cool-down, with about 10 minutes of very light exercise before stopping

    2) Hydration - I sweat a LOT during exercise, probably because I am so deconditioned. I also crave something sweet after exercise, and I don't have a sweet tooth normally. I started drinking a low cal hydration fluid (like G2) and eat a bit of watery fruit (orange or melon) after exercise. When I drank plain water after exercise it made me nauseated, which is odd since I drink lots of water (and only water) normally.

    3) I sit down or walk around a little for at least 15 minutes before trying to drive. Usually outside because it is cooler (60-65) and windy, which helps me cool down.

    Good luck!
  • autumn13
    autumn13 Posts: 295
    In addition to what everyone else is saying, don't neglect your cool down. A lot of people just cut their intense workout at the end without properly cooling down and letting their heart rate drop at a slow pace. Make sure after you do your workout you walk around the track or on the treadmill slowly for a couple of minutes and do some stretching and deep breathing. It's really bad for you to just let your heart rate drop really fast, and maybe feeling sick is your bodies way of telling you that.

    Sounds to me like u may have hit the nail on the head!Most people do this...Cool down people!
  • I think it is blood sugar..

    Check with your MD above all else.

    I second this, I would definitely guess blood sugar is low, or maybe even iron. Whatever it is, I really think this is one of those things you should discuss with your doctor. I don't think a trainer or nutritionist can give you the kind of all over check-up you need.

    Just a quick thought... no chance you are pregnant is there? I just remember when I was pregnant workouts made me sick to my stomach. Not trying to scare you :happy:
  • n0pants3ver
    n0pants3ver Posts: 175
    I think it is blood sugar..

    Check with your MD above all else.

    I second this, I would definitely guess blood sugar is low, or maybe even iron. Whatever it is, I really think this is one of those things you should discuss with your doctor. I don't think a trainer or nutritionist can give you the kind of all over check-up you need.

    Just a quick thought... no chance you are pregnant is there? I just remember when I was pregnant workouts made me sick to my stomach. Not trying to scare you :happy:

    Nope, no way i'm pregnant lol!
  • I have just had this happen to me after a strenuous day of exercise. I have a runny nose, the sweats and flu like symotoms.
    So after much thought on the matter, here is what I think is going on. When u exercise, you essentially cause damage to your tissues, to stimulate new tissue growth. This process is the same inflammatory process that occurs when a person is sick.
    Because the body cannot differentiate between exercise and damaged tissue cause by the flu, or a cold, or some other process,
    It unleashes the same response to repair damaged tissues. In other words, regardless of cause, the same chemical mediators of inflammation and subsequent tissue repair, histamine, cytokines, prostiglandins, complement and so forth, make us feel the same as if we are sick or getting sick. To alleviate symptoms, I believe over the counter cold medicine would have the same positive affectto bring relief of symptoms.

    In other words, we've all exercised way to hard, initiated a massive body wide inflammatory response and now we feel like Crap. What is the lesson learned? Moderation is the key. I, myself, must resist doing this tso my body again, even though it is hard to not give in to advancing ones regime when one is not ready.

    Rest, take some Theraflu, and wait for the inflammation and tissue repair to complete itself. U will feel a lot better. And it is also likely that we feel great after lesser routines, because we have not initiated a massive inflammatory response but a minor one, so we are unaware of the flu like symptoms.

    Good luck.

    Eric.
  • I first time I went to the gym was when I was 11 I had realllllhy bad nausea... first is dont over do it and also dont eat too too much before going to the gym..I have always got nausea after a gym workout so if you do lie on a bed, floor, couch etc flat with your stomach 2 the celling then you want ro rub your stomach, eat maybe a quarter of a banana SLOWLY.and trrust me it helps
  • pinkiemarie252
    pinkiemarie252 Posts: 222 Member
    It could be a lot of things, so I would suggest trying electrolytes to make sure you're not dehydrated. A Gatorade/Poweraid drink might be good because you could also make sure your blood sugar is high enough, but if you don't like sweet drinks there are plain electrolytes available too.
  • These are great suggestions. I recently have had the same symptoms. However I work out at 5:30am. So I'm not going to eat before I workout. But I'll have to try the electrolyte replacement afterwards. I was so sick today after I had a protein smoothie after my workout I didn't eat for the rest of the day.
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