In high school track practice, we used to joke that it wasn’t a real workout unless someone puked. But exercise-induced nausea is no laughing matter, especially for those who feel those unwelcome waves with nearly every workout.
"Why, Oh, Why?"
Once you've ruled out pre-race jitters as a possible culprit, there are a couple of possible medical explanations, explains Stephen Simons, M.D., director of sports medicine at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center in South Bend, IN. The first involves blood flow. "When you begin exercise, there's a shifting of blood flow away from GI tract and to the working muscles," says Simons. When the GI tract and stomach are deprived of blood, digestion slows dramatically, which may induce the discomfort. The effect can be intensified if it's very hot out or you're working at a very high intensity. Another possible cause is more mechanical—if your stomach contents are suddenly physically jostled around, you may not feel so great. "In some limited studies, it's been demonstrated that runners have more trouble than bicyclists with upper GI symptoms," says Simons. "It may be due to the bouncing up and down nature of running.” (On that note: 16 Things You'll Only Understand If You're a Runner.)
"Please, Make It Stop!"
First, do some triage: Does it feel like "I ate too many cookies" or more like "I'm gonna toss my cookies"? The former you may be able to push through, though perhaps at a lower intensity. You may also try mixing up your workout to be less "bouncy," coming back to those earlier exercises later, if you're up for them. When it's the latter, well, the only surefire way to feel better is to take a break until the ickiness subsides. A sip of water may or may not help—it could wash down refluxing acid, or it may just contribute to that sloshy feeling—so test carefully.
"How Can That Never Happen Again?"
The easiest prevention step: Time your eating and drinking more wisely. Don't take in water or other clear liquids for 10 to 15 minutes before your workout, though be sure you're well hydrated in advance of that, as dehydration can reduce blood volume and cause that aforementioned blood flow problem. Foods need longer to pass out of your stomach—a minimum of two hours for easily digested items such as bananas and toast and up to double as long for heavy meat or fatty meals. "I learned the hard way in high school that I couldn't have chili right before a meet," says Simons. You also may want to choose activities that require less bouncing (the elliptical rather than running, or indoor cycling rather than step aerobics), and take your time to ramp up into high-intensity workouts. If it keeps happening, see your doctor; some medicines can ease digestion to lessen symptoms.
More like this from Women’s Health:
The Top 5 Exercise Moves That Never Go Out of Style
If You're a Newbie Runner, You Need to Read This
Should You Mix Walking Into Your Runs?
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Amy Roberts is a certified personal trainer.
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