How to Avoid Getting Nauseous While Working Out

Head off nausea during or after a workout by taking precautionary steps.

Many exercises experience lightheadedness or nausea while working out. Nausea while working out can be attributed to hydration, caloric intake and motion sickness. An imbalance in any of these factors, or a combination, may lead to exercise-induced nausea. Knowing what you can do to avoid nausea will allow you to continue enjoying your workout.

Instructions

1. 

   Schedule your meals to optimize your workout.

   Eat at least one to two hours before your workout. Stew Smith, a certified strength and conditioning specialist with the National Strength and Conditioning Association, states that working out on an empty stomach commonly triggers nausea. Exercise-induced nausea can happen at any time of the day if you skip a meal before your workout.

2. 

   Drink plenty of water at least two hours before you work out.

   Hydrate. If you work out and are not hydrated, you may experience nausea. Drink water at least an hour before your workout, then again during the workout and afterward, to help your body flush out the lactic acid released after exercise.

3. 

   The head motion of crunches could lead to exercise-induced nausea.

   Exercise care when doing abdominal routines. In abdominal exercises, each time you raise and lower your head, your eyes may shift to a different spot on the wall, room or ceiling, resulting in motion sickness. Dr. Timothy Hain says this constant head motion often causes nausea. Stew Smith suggests picking a focal point and focusing on it each time you raise your head, or keeping your eyes closed.

4. Exercise outside only when it's not too hot. Extreme heat or excessive sun exposure can cause nausea, which can be a sign of heat exhaustion. According to Oklahoma State University's Department of Environmental Health and Safety, heat exhaustion is a serious condition. Symptoms include nausea, extreme thirst, excessive perspiration, feeling lightheaded, lack of balance and clammy skin.

Tips & Warnings

• If your workout will follow a meal by at least four hours, eat a big meal. Eat smaller portions if you plan on working out within two to three hours. Eat small snacks if you plan to work out within an hour of eating.

• If symptoms persist, consult your physician immediately.

References

• Military.com; Nausea During Workout; Stew Smith
• Mayo Clinic: Eating and Exercise: 5 Tips to Maximize Your Workouts
• Fit Sugar; Nausea and Dizziness During Workout?; August 2010
• Dizziness and Balance; Motion Sickness; Timothy C. Hain, M.D.; July 2010
• Oaklahoma State University: Environmental Health and Safety: Heat Stress