1. Eating Too Much

Conversely, it is not advisable to eat a large meal before training. A large pre-workout meal can impair your performance and cause uncomfortable symptoms such as nausea, acid reflux and cramping. A full stomach can inhibit the immediate utilisation of fat for energy, which is contrary to your training and weight loss goals. In addition to fast, processed and rich foods, avoid high-fat foods that can slow down digestion.

2. Drinking a Lot of Alcohol the Night Before

If you’ve ever tried to exercise with a hangover, you know how challenging it can be. It can also be risky. Alcohol consumption can cause dehydration the next day and impair your motor skills and coordination, increasing the risk of injury. If you know you have a workout coming up, it’s wise to avoid alcohol the night before.

3. Excessive Amounts of Caffeine

While caffeine offers benefits, it is also a natural laxative that causes contractions in the colon, stimulating bile production and potentially increasing bowel movements. Excessive caffeine consumption before exercise is not recommended. It can also cause palpitations, heartburn, hypertension, insomnia, and anxiety, all of which can impair your performance during exercise and interfere with rest and recovery.

4. Not Warming Up

Are you guilty of skipping your pre-workout warm-up? Warming up is extremely important because it reduces the risk of injury. Unwarmed muscles are more susceptible to strain and overuse. Warming up increases your heart rate and improves blood circulation, allowing more oxygen to reach your muscles. It reduces the workload on the heart to pump blood throughout the body, raises body temperature, and increases muscle flexibility. Spend five to ten minutes warming up before you begin your workout.

5. Not Fuelling Your Body

Exercising on an empty stomach can cause low energy, nausea, dizziness, and shakiness. It’s important to keep your body nourished because low energy levels from low blood sugar can decrease your strength and vitality. Consuming carbohydrate-rich whole foods such as oats, quinoa, berries, bananas, chickpeas, and sweet potatoes before your workout ensures that your body has the resources it needs to optimize your workout. Pre-workout carbohydrates replenish your glycogen stores and provide your muscles with extra energy, allowing you to handle challenging workouts and reap their full benefits.

6. Exercising When You’re Sick

Listening to your body is always important. If you’re experiencing muscle aches, fatigue, upset stomach, chest tightness, or a persistent cough, give your body a break. It’s especially important to stop exercising if you have a fever. Prioritize rest and recovery, and when you feel your body is ready, start with low-impact activities like walking or yoga before moving on to higher-intensity exercise.

7. Lack of Quality Sleep

Quality sleep is essential to maximizing your training results. Sleep facilitates muscle recovery, so a lack of sleep can impair your performance and increase the risk of discomfort and injury. Adequate sleep also contributes to exercise endurance and affects concentration, mood, and alertness. Aim for seven to eight hours of uninterrupted, quality sleep each night.

8. Not Drinking Enough Water

Dehydration can decrease your endurance and overall exercise performance. Beginning your workout without adequate hydration can cause or hasten the onset of dehydration. Your body temperature and heart rate may increase, and you may feel more fatigued than usual. Maintaining adequate hydration before and during exercise promotes sustained focus and performance, increases endurance, and prevents elevated heart rate and body temperature.