Why Puking After a Workout Is Nothing to Be Proud Of

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Making players run until they puke is an old favorite of self-serious coaches. In sports movies (consider that pivotal scene in Miracle) it’s often posited as necessary and just. The team needs to head to hell and back together in order to finally understand what it takes to win. Right?

But “exercise-induced nausea” — a post-workout sickness that affects a higher percentage of experienced athletes than you’d think — isn’t something to glorify or celebrate. It’s actually a sign of significant reduction in blood flow to your stomach and intestines. The body handles an exercise intensity it’s never experienced before (or at least, hasn’t experienced in a while) by prioritizing blood flow to the heart, lungs and muscles. Then the (temporarily) non-vital digestive system is left feeling out of whack.

The most commonly reported cases of exercise-induced nausea intersect with aerobic pursuits (running, cycling) and high-intensity interval training. But it can arrive whenever and especially if your fueling habits leave much to be desired. On the food and water fronts, it’s important to have something in your system. Eat a full meal about three to four hours before exercise, snack an hour to two beforehand and drink a cup of water each hour before a workout starts.

Also, if it’s a long period of exercise (like a practice with an aggrieved coach), definitely make sure to drink water throughout. When I was younger, coaches used to scream at us, “Water makes you weak!” Seriously — this would happen at summer training camps in humid, 100-degree heat. Well, it’s dehydration that makes you weak; it can lead to heat illness, which can put you out of commission for days, or, as in the case of far too many high school and college football players over the years, kill you.

Read more at: https://www.insidehook.com

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