Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is so important. Proper nutrition and fitness help maintain physical functionality, increases energy while also aiding in preventing chronic diseases. That’s why incorporating fitness into our lifestyle is so essential. So, where do we start? It all begins with knowing what to do and how to care for your body before you get to the gym.
We’ve all been there, excited to go to the gym and workout only to have it cut short because we have a lack of energy, or suddenly we don’t feel well. There are some common mistakes we often make before a workout.
Drinking too much water
Normally, drinking excessively of water is great and beneficial for your body, but not before a workout. Your kidneys can process close to a litre of water an hour so drinking too much water is detrimental. Mike Donavanik, a fitness health expert in New York, recommends two to three cups of water at least 2 to 3 hours beforehand. Too much water can cause a rare condition called Hyponatremia, a condition where blood becomes diluted and the concentration of sodium drop too low.
This can result in cramps, muscle weakness, and a loss of energy, the complete opposite of what we want for an effective workout. Additionally, it’s an uncomfortable feeling, water moving around your stomach as you run or jump. Consuming a 16-ounce bottle of water is more than enough to hydrate your body for an intense workout.
Preworkout Supplements
We all know there are numerous benefits to adding pre-workout supplements to our fitness regimen. Supplements are effective and easy to use. Moreover, they can increase exercise performance, boost energy, improve muscular endurance, and enhance muscle protein synthesis and more. However, let’s not put all our eggs into one basket. Supplements are there to do just that, supplement, not add all the nutrients and vitamins our bodies are lacking. We cannot depend on supplements to provide the care we are not providing to ourselves.
As women, we’re often multi-tasking between our careers, family, home, etc., and sometimes we forget to take care of us. We have to remember to take time for ourselves, therefore, it’s so critical to acquire enough sleep, eat healthily, and take vitamins. We cannot go to the gym with only 4 hours of sleep and think we’re going to have a great intense workout.
Additionally, we have to eat healthily to supply our bodies with the nutrients to produce enough energy and strength. Get at least eight hours of sleep, eat fruits and vegetables, take multi-vitamins and invest in a great protein shake. Preworkout for women shakes or supplements are best when taken at least 30 minutes to an hour before your workout.
No Alcohol
We’ve all had those stressful days when we may need a break or two. However, do not participate in a girl’s brunch or dinner and treat yourself to 3 or 4 mimosas and a bloody Mary and expect to go to the gym and bust out a great workout; it’s not going to happen. Drinking alcohol before a workout is never a brilliant idea (actually it’s quite dangerous). Alcohol will be conducive to an effective workout.
Alcohol can dehydrate your body, impair motor functions, and narrow your blood vessel. Furthermore, it can lead to you feeling shaky and nervous. It can deter your workout and set you back. Hence, avoid those happy hour drinks, before a workout.
No Spicy Food
Most of us enjoy great delicious Buffalo wings or a little spicy-ness to our food, but consuming curry, or spicy foods before a workout might not be the best ideal. Going to the gym with a tummy full of food, in general, may have consequences such as causing cramps, bloating, nausea, and more. However, attending the gym with a belly full of spicy food, boy, you’re asking for trouble. Spicy foods tend to cause gas, heartburn, and acid reflux.
These symptoms can not only cause trouble for you during a workout they can completely haul it, depending on how severe the symptoms are. Stick with a light snack such as fruits or a pre-workout shake before going to the gym.
No Static Stretches
We’ve all witness women at the gym stretching, holding static stretches, then afterward proceeding full throttle into a workout with intense cardio and lifting. That is not a way to begin your workout. Fitness enthusiasts should begin stretching by using dynamic poses. According to an article published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, people who used static stretches reduced their strength by 8.36 percent and lower-body stability by 22.68 percent when they performed a squat, in contrast, to those who did dynamic stretches.
Dynamic stretching enables your muscles to fully contract and warm-up thus, creating a great pre-workout before you get into your beast mode.
Pre-Workout mistake: Lack of Confidence
As women, we need to realize that we are bold, resilient, and capable of anything. There is this sense that women are weak and can’t lift or require a man to direct them to the gym. This is incorrect. We have to be bold and confident to take our fitness goals to the next level to see improvement. Research gym equipment, workouts, nutrition and come into the gym with an open mind and confidence to push yourself to the next level.
