While all the foods on this list are healthy, we wouldn’t recommend eating them right before a workout–save them for your post-workout snack or meal instead!
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1. Flaxseed
While great for your body (and weight loss), flaxseed is full of fiber , which could impede your workout efforts by causing gas and/or bloating.
You should limit the amount of fiber you take in 2 hours before and after exercising. In addition to flaxseed, stay away from fiber supplements, bran, and high-fiber breads and opt for a mixture of protein and carbohydrates instead right before your workout.
2. Hummus
Don’t get us wrong, we love healthy hummus just as much as you do, but you may want to stay away from it right before a workout.
Bean-based foods (such as hummus) are high in indigestible carbohydrates that may cause uncomfortable gas and bloating.
3. Green bananas
While bananas are a great pre-workout snack, make sure you grab a ripe one! Unripe fruit isn’t a good idea before you work out, as it could cause uncomfortable gas and bloating. Choose a banana that’s completely free of any green at the stem. Brown spots on the skin indicate it’s in the ripe stage. At this stage the sugar content will be absorbed easily, otherwise, the unripe banana is in the starch stage and more difficult to digest.
4. Thai or Mexican food
Spicy foods may help you burn up more calories overall, but they won’t help you burn more during your workout if you eat them right beforehand. Even if they are ‘healthy’ dishes, spicy leftovers (like last night’s Mexican or Thai food ) can cause heartburn if they backwash into the esophagus.
5. Hard-boiled eggs
Hard-boiled eggs are a great source of lean protein, but they don’t provide carbohydrates for energy. Plus, their protein stays in the stomach and takes a long time to digest, which could weigh you down at the gym.