Why Do People Feel Sick When Doing Ab Workouts? Feel The Burn, Not Churn
Anyone who has ever done an ab workout knows that afterwards, you can sometimes feel a little sick. But why does this happen?
Is it because you’re working your abs too hard? Or is there something else going on?
Turns out, there are various reasons why people feel sick after ab workouts and you need to get to the bottom of it so you can get back to crushing your fitness goals.
So let’s take a look at some of them…
Why do people feel sick when they do ab workouts?
If you’re not properly fueled before a workout, your body won’t have the energy it needs to sustain a tough ab workout. This can lead to feeling sick afterwards, especially if you’re doing a lot of reps or high-intensity moves. It’s important to eat a balanced meal or snack before working out and to make sure you’re drinking enough water. This will help ensure your body has the energy it needs to power through and avoid feeling sick, but make sure you leave enough time to digest the food or else this may cause sickness too. Another reason why you might feel sick after an ab workout is that you’re exerting a lot of energy. Remember, your abs are muscles too and they need time to recover after a workout. If you’re pushing yourself too hard, you might end up feeling sick or even dizzy. It’s important to listen to your body and take breaks when you need to. You might also feel sick after an ab workout if you’re not breathing correctly. When you hold your breath while working out, it can cause you to feel lightheaded or dizzy. Make sure you’re taking deep breaths and exhaling fully so you can avoid this. In general, it’s also important to warm up before working out and cool down afterwards so you don’t put too much strain on your body. Finally, another reason why you might feel sick after an ab workout is because of low blood sugar. If you’re not eating enough throughout the day or you wait too long to eat before working out, your blood sugar can drop and leave you feeling nauseous.
Let’s now look more in-depth at why you might be feeling sick after an ab workout and what you can do about it.
Lack of nutrition, hydration or eating too close to a workout
If you’re not properly fueled before a workout, your body won’t have the energy it needs to sustain a tough ab workout.
This can lead to feeling sick afterwards, especially if you’re doing a lot of reps or high-intensity moves. It’s important to eat a balanced meal or snack before working out and to make sure you’re drinking enough water.
This will help ensure your body has the energy it needs to power through and avoid feeling sick, but make sure you leave enough time to digest the food or else this may cause sickness too.
However, some people do get on better doing fasted workouts – that is, working out without having eaten anything beforehand.
So if you find that eating before a workout makes you feel sick, you could try doing a fasted workout instead and see if that helps. Just make sure you’re drinking plenty of water so you don’t get dehydrated.
Similarly, if you do have a snack before you train, make sure it is not too close to your workout as eating too close to working out can also lead to feeling sick, as your body won’t have had enough time to digest the snack properly.
While we’re on the subject of hydration, it’s also important to make sure you’re staying hydrated throughout the day. If you’re not drinking enough water, this can lead to feeling sick after a workout too.
We are all very different regarding how our body digests food etc, so find what works best for you.
Training anxiety
If you’re feeling anxious about a workout, this can lead to feeling sick afterwards. It’s important to try and relax before a workout and not put too much pressure on yourself.
Remember, you’re doing this for your health and well-being and there’s no need to feel anxious or stressed about it.
If you find that you’re getting too worked up before a workout, try and take some deep breaths and focus on positive thoughts. This should help you to relax and avoid feeling sick.
Try and flip your perspective and see working out as something that’s good for you, rather than something you have to force yourself to do.
Not breathing correctly
If you’re not breathing correctly during a workout, this can lead to feeling sick afterwards.
It’s important to take deep breaths and exhale fully so you can get enough oxygen to your muscles.
Having controlled and well-timed breathing will also help you to avoid feeling lightheaded or dizzy.
Making sure you are breathing correctly will improve your fitness output across the board, so it’s important to take the time to learn how to do this properly.
If you find yourself getting out of breath during a workout, take a break and focus on catching your breath. Once you’ve recovered, you can carry on with your workout.
If you’re holding your breath while working out, it can cause you to feel lightheaded or dizzy. This can lead to feeling sick after the workout too.
So make sure you’re focusing on your breath and taking deep breaths throughout your workout.
Related: Why do my ribs hurt after doing sit-ups?
Exerting massive amounts of energy
If you’re expending a lot of energy during a workout, this can lead to feeling sick afterwards.
It’s important to make sure you’re pacing yourself during a workout and not going too hard too soon.
Starting slow and gradually increasing the intensity will help you to avoid feeling sick and will also help you to get more out of your workout.
If you do find yourself feeling sick during or after a workout, it’s important to listen to your body and take a break.
Resting for a few minutes will help you to recover and then you can carry on with your workout.
If you’re feeling really sick, it’s best to stop the workout altogether and just focus on recovering. Pushing yourself too hard can lead to feeling sick and can also cause injuries.
So make sure you’re pacing yourself during a workout and not going too hard. If you do start to feel sick, take a break and recover before carrying on.
Body stress levels
If you’re feeling stressed, this can lead to feeling sick after a workout.
When we’re stressed, our body releases the hormone cortisol. This can lead to an increase in heart rate and blood pressure.
If you’re already feeling stressed before a workout, this can lead to feeling lightheaded or dizzy during the workout.
This can then lead to feeling sick after the workout too.
So it’s important to try and relax before a workout. Taking some deep breaths and focus on positive thoughts can help to reduce stress levels.
If you find that you’re getting too stressed during a workout, take a break and focus on catching your breath. Once you’ve recovered, you can carry on with your workout.
If you’re feeling really stressed, it’s best to stop the workout altogether and just focus on relaxing.
Pushing yourself too hard
If you’re pushing yourself too hard during a workout, you can strain one of many muscles in your body.
This can lead to feeling sick afterwards as your body tries to repair the damaged muscles.
It’s important to make sure you’re not pushing yourself too hard during a workout and to listen to your body.
If you start to feel pain, this is a sign that you’re going too hard and you need to slow down or take a break.
It’s important to make sure you’re pacing yourself during a workout and not going too hard too soon.
Going that bit too far when doing an ab workout can induce the feeling of nausea, so start slow and gradually increase the intensity, plus this will help you to get more out of your workout.
Another reason you may feel sick when doing ab workouts is from doing too much volume (reps and sets).
Doing too many reps can lead to feeling sick, so it’s important to find a balance that works for you.
Resting for a few minutes will help you to recover and then you can carry on with your workout. So make sure you’re pacing yourself during a workout and not going too hard.
Related: Why does shouting make it easier to lift heavy weights?
Moving or stopping too fast
If you’re moving or stopping too fast during a workout, this can lead to feeling sick. If we stop suddenly, this can lead to a lack of blood flow to our muscles and brain.
This is because when we stop suddenly, blood can pool in our legs. This can lead to feeling lightheaded or dizzy.
If you’re moving too fast, this can also lead to feeling sick. This is because our body isn’t able to process oxygen as quickly as we’re using it up.
So it’s important to make sure you’re moving and stopping at a steady pace during a workout.
Your body is amazing in that it knows what’s best for it, so if you start feeling sick during or after a workout, be sure to take a break.
Low blood sugar levels
If you have low blood sugar levels, this can lead to feeling sick during or after a workout.
Before a workout, it’s important to eat a balanced meal or snack. This will help to ensure your blood sugar levels are steady during the workout.
If you find that your blood sugar levels are dropping during a workout, stop and have a small snack. This will help to raise your blood sugar levels and make you feel better.
If you are diabetic, it’s important to monitor your blood sugar levels before, during and after a workout.
If you’re feeling sick after a workout, it could be because your blood sugar levels have dropped too low.
Again, stop and have a small snack or drink to raise your blood sugar levels.
Low blood sugar levels can happen at any time of day, but it’s more likely to happen if you work out in the morning before eating breakfast.
As mentioned above, find out what works best for you regarding food and the timing of meals.
It’s also important to make sure you’re drinking enough water during and after a workout as this can help to prevent low blood sugar levels.
Trapping of organs
When we do ab workouts, some of the moves can put pressure on our internal organs. This can lead to feeling sick afterwards.
The majority of ab exercises involve the compression of the stomach area. This can lead to indigestion, heartburn or even trapping of organs such as the intestines.
When our intestines are pushed down, this can lead to a build-up of gas. This can cause bloating, pain or discomfort.
If you’re feeling sick after an ab workout, it could be because you’ve trapped one of your organs.
To avoid this, make sure you’re using the proper form when doing ab exercises. If you’re unsure about the form, ask a certified personal trainer or fitness instructor.
Making sure you have the correct breathing pattern during your ab workout is also important.
When we hold our breath during a move, this can increase the pressure on our internal organs and lead to a feeling of sickness.
So it’s important to make sure you’re breathing correctly during your workout to reduce the risk of feeling sick.
Is clothing too thick?
Have you ever noticed that your body temperature can increase when wearing thick clothing? This happens because the clothing traps heat and makes it difficult for our bodies to cool down.
This can lead to feeling irritated and even cause nausea.
It’s important to wear light and breathable clothing when working out. This will help to keep your body temperature down and reduce the risk of feeling sick.
If you are wearing thick clothing and start to feel faint or dizzy, stop your workout and remove some of the clothing.
Even if you aren’t wearing thick clothing, the danger of overheating is a serious concern.
Be sure to monitor your body temperature during a workout and take breaks as needed to cool down.
Make sure you’re drinking enough water during and after a workout to stay hydrated. This will help to keep your body temperature down and reduce the risk of feeling sick.
You can also try cooling down with a wet towel or by taking a break in a cooler environment such as an air-conditioned room.
Related: Why Do Sit Ups Hurt My Thighs?
Any digestive issues?
If you have any sort of digestive issue, this can lead to feeling sick when doing ab workouts.
For example, if you have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), the movement of your abs can trigger symptoms such as heartburn and nausea.
If you have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), the movement of your abs can trigger symptoms such as pain, bloating and diarrhoea.
If you have any sort of digestive issue, it’s important to talk to your doctor before starting an ab workout routine.
Your doctor can help you manage your condition and may be able to recommend specific exercises or modifications that can help reduce your symptoms.
If you have any sort of digestive issue, make sure you’re drinking plenty of water and staying hydrated. This can help to reduce your symptoms and prevent feeling sick during or after a workout.
Final thoughts…
If you’re feeling sick after an ab workout, there are a few possible reasons why.
It could be because you haven’t eaten enough, you’re dehydrated, you’re wearing too much clothing, you have a digestive issue or you’re not used to the exercise.
Making sure you’re properly fueled, hydrated and cooled down can help to reduce the risk of feeling sick.
If you have a digestive issue, talk to your doctor before starting an ab workout routine. And if you’re new to exercise, start slowly and gradually increase the intensity of your workouts.
Listen to your body and stop if you start to feel sick.
Remember, it’s important to consult with a doctor or certified fitness instructor before starting any workout routine. They can help you design a safe and effective workout plan that’s tailored to your individual needs.
Have you experienced this problem and how did you get back on track? Let us know in the comments below.
