© AMI5 Weird Side Effects of Working Out
Pushing through a little pain is one thing. But if you’re plagued by these symptoms, listen up—your body might be trying to tell you something.
What does the average guy usually expect from a workout? Sweat, muscle failure, maybe a little pain from
lactic acid buildup? Heck, you might even welcome them.
And sure, things like dizziness, heartburn, and a side stitch that stops you in your tracks, on the other hand, can definitely put a damper on exercise plans. But when do symptoms go from tough medicine to warning signs? And when does sucking it up get sidelined in favor of an actual doctor's appointment?
Here, experts discuss weird workout side effects, what your body may be trying to tell you—and when you should actually start worrying.
#1. Shakiness
After doing your usual
squat routine, your trainer decides to mix in single-leg squats, and your first attempt makes your leg muscles shake as if you've been shot with a taser. What gives? It could be a number of things, says Keith Veselik, MD, director of primary care at Loyola University Health System in Chicago. "Often muscles shakiness is simply due to fatigue. You're likely pushing it to the point where you're maxed out."
Your blood sugar may also be low, says John P. Higgins, MD, director of exercise physiology at the Ironman Sports Medicine Institute at Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center. Hypoglycemia (low blood glucose) can cause symptoms ranging from tremors to fatigue, and even loss of consciousness, says Higgins.
How to reduce your risk: Eat before you exercise to avoid a drop in blood sugar. Think protein and carbs, like whole-wheat toast with peanut butter or half of an energy bar, suggests Veselik. And if it lasts for longer than a few hours, see a doctor.
#2: Dizziness
Clearly, hoisting 50-pound dumbbells over your face is not the time for a dizzy spell. And like the shakes, dizziness may be due to several different factors, says Veselik. Reasons behind it vary according the specifics. Vertigo can occur when you're leaning back and the room appears to spin, or significant dehydration can lead to a state called hypovolemia, or low blood volume, which may produce dizziness, says Higgins.
How to reduce your risk: Immediately stop working out and drink some water. Vertigo is likely an inner ear problem, says Veselik, and requires working with a physical therapist trained in vestibular therapy. If you're a normal healthy guy and you feel unusually dizzy for a few minutes or longer, call a doctor. It may be a sign of a heart arrhythmia or other heart problem.
#3: Nausea
Contrary to what you see on The Biggest Loser, nausea during a workout is not normal, and it may be triggered by a number of different things. Eating the wrong food at the wrong time or pushing yourself too hard can all cause queasiness and even vomiting. "If you're working out to that extent ,back off and gradually acclimate to that intensity over time," says Veselik. Nausea can also occur from taking vitamins on an empty stomach, says Higgins. "It's more common with supplements high in iron, multivitamins with herbal additives, and those containing lots of fillers and binders." Taking other medications at the same time as your vitamins, such as caffeine or birth control pills, may make it worse.
How to reduce your risk: Take vitamins with food, preferably at breakfast or lunch. And if you repeatedly suffer from nausea, you might want to void eating solid food three hours prior to a workout. For a more easily digestible, quick-energy alternative, try a liquid meal replacement that includes carb and protein about 30 to 60 minutes before you exercise.
#4: Heartburn
Common sense tells you that guzzling a 20-ounce bottle of water isn't a great idea before you do decline chest presses. "We all have a little physiological reflux, which is normal," says Higgins, and even those who don’t usually have a problem with indigestion may experience some reflux or heartburn at the gym. Higgins warns that taking ibuprofen on an empty stomach may make symptoms worse, as will eating or drinking too close to your workout.
How to reduce your risk:Try taking small sips of water during your workout instead of big gulps, and wait an hour or two after you eat before working out. If the heartburn is accompanied by shortness of breath and/or chest pain, see a doctor immediately, as these may be symptoms of a heart attack.
© AMI5 Weird Side Effects of Working Out
You know when your body's running at its best. You feel energized, powerful, and utterly invincible in the gym. Much of that can be attributed to your nutrition—specifically, the foods you eat before your workout.If you don't want to slog through your workout suffering from bouts of nausea, fits of stomach cramps, or waves of acid reflux, heed the advice of Jim White, RD, ACSM HFS, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics spokesman, owner and president of Jim White Fitness & Nutrition Studios. White has highlighted the foods that have no place in your pre-workout plan, so there won't be anything holding you back in the gym, in the pool, or on the track.
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"Don't change your pre-workout if it's already working for you!" White says. "All in all, you don't want to try anything your body isn't used to," he adds. You open the opportunity for your body to run through all sorts of unpleasant side-effects: gas, nausea, indigestion, heartburn, and some more graphic ones you can use your imagination with. Stick to what you know, and use trial and error.
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"Too many fibrous vegetables like leafy greens, broccoli, and cauliflower are hard to break down," White says. The result is a whole lot of stomach grumbling, discomfort, and gastrointestinal distress. "Before a workout, go light on anything plant-based," White adds. Go for a fruit salad with yogurt instead.
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Skip the burger at lunch if you plan on working out in the evening, even if you opt for a whole wheat bun and a lean beef. "Hamburgers contain about 10-30 grams of fat per serving," White says, "and that's not including all the other toppings." Its never a great idea to eat a huge high-calorie meal before working out, but you won't be able to digest this in time to pick up the weights or run, he adds.
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"Rice cakes are nice for an easy quick carb, but not lasting energy," White says. Skip the empty carbs and go for a whole-grain slice of toast instead.
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Most fruit can be an excellent pre-workout snack because of the high fiber content and good-quality carbs. Juice on the other hand is mostly sugar. "Stay away from this spike of energy," White warns. "You'll regret the crash you experience mid-workout."
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"Beans may be good for your heart but the high fiber can make you feel very uncomfortable," White says. Plus, no one will want to be next to you on the treadmill later that day.
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Again: "Skip the high-fiber foods," White says. When you speed digestion and get your gears grinding during exercise major gastro distress is almost always an outcome. "Low-fiber whole grains are more suitable such as a whole wheat bread, pasta, couscous, or a small portion of brown rice.
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Not that we ever recommended you eat fried food and greasy meats (think jerky and bacon), but these eats will create havoc on your digestion system if you eat them too close to your workout. "Aside from feeling uncomfortably full, the excessively high oil and fat combination increases your chances of acid reflux," White says. If you already suffer from heartburn, fatty food can make it even worse by relaxing the valve that separates your stomach and throat.
#5: Side Stitch
Typically seen in runners, this stabbing pain in the side can come out of nowhere and
literally take the wind out of your sails. It's known as exercise-related transient abdominal pain (ETAP) in the medical world and it’s common, says Higgins. "A new exercise program or increasing the intensity of your current program seems to increase ETAP." Several theories about ETAP exist, but posture appears to play a role, according to a 2010
study published in the
Journal of Science Medicine and Sport. Slouching or running hunched over may affect nerves that run from the upper back to the abdomen, resulting in pain.
How to reduce your risk: Run using good posture and try adopting a rhythmic breathing pattern, which involves coordinating your breathing with your foot strikes, says Higgins. ETAP typically reduces with time and as overall fitness improves.
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