Avoiding mistakes is one key way that lead to success. Whether you’re a gym junkie or a new fitness enthusiast, hitting the gym is a key part of your fitness routine. And you already know all the tips and tricks to making every workout session count – having a killer playlist, performing the right warmups, hitting the weights hard. That’s great because cultivating the right pre-exercise habits can go a long way towards ensuring you’re getting the biggest bang for your workout buck. That said, there are some things you should never – and we mean never, ever – do before a workout. Like these four workout-wrecking mistakes.

Mistakes #1: Drinking alcohol

After you sip an alcoholic drink, you’re not just bringing on a buzz; you’re kicking off a series of physiological changes.

Once you swallow the alcohol, it goes to your stomach and gets absorbed in the small intestine. It then travels throughout your bloodstream, affecting the major parts of your brain, protein synthesis, hormones, and more. Many people are aware of the common effects of alcohol, such as flushing of the skin, impairment of judgment and coordination, and gastrointestinal problems. What people are less aware of is the strain it puts on the cardiovascular system. It can cause high blood pressure, and chronic heavy alcohol use can lead to heart failure. The rate at which all the short-term physiological events happen, however, depends on a lot of factors, including your sex, weight, how much you’ve had to eat, and more.

While it may be tempting for you to hit the bars for happy hour and a quick pick-me-up before heading to the gym, consuming any amount of alcohol before your workout is a huge no-no. Besides impairing your coordination, motor skills and judgement, alcohol also lowers your blood sugar levels, which can lead to anything from shakiness and weakness to flat-out injury. So if you’re having a bad day and really need a drink, you’re better off skipping your gym session and putting back a little extra the next day.

Mistakes #2 Eating a huge meal

As a fitness fanatic, you undoubtedly already know how important it is to consider what you eat before exercising. Your overall fitness goals may be harmed if you consume a large meal just before working out. In this article, we’ll look at why you shouldn’t eat a big meal just before working out and how it could impair your performance.

First of all, consuming a large meal prior to doing exercise might be uncomfortable and possibly upset your stomach. You may feel lethargic and slow during your workout since digestion uses up energy and the body needs to divert blood flow to the digestive system. Cramps, nauseousness, and indigestion may result from this, which can further impair your performance and perhaps compel you to end your workout early.

Moreover, consuming a large meal prior to exercise may result in a reduction in blood flow to the muscles. This is due to the fact that digestion diverts blood away from the muscles, which results in a reduction in the amount of oxygen and nutrients that reach the muscles at the critical moment. This may lead to muscle aches, weakness, and low levels of endurance as you exercise.

A substantial lunch prior to exercise may also increase insulin levels, which may result in a drop in blood sugar levels throughout your activity. Dizziness, lightheadedness, and even fainting may result from this. To guarantee that you have enough energy to complete your workout, it’s crucial to maintain stable blood sugar levels while exercising.

Also, consuming a large meal prior to working out can impair your body’s capacity to burn fat. When you consume a substantial meal, your body uses the food’s carbs as its main source of energy rather than your body’s fat reserves. Because of this, your body will burn less fat while you exercise, which could impede your efforts to lose weight.

It’s advised to have a light dinner or snack at least 30 to 60 minutes before exercising to avoid the detrimental effects of a large meal. You should eat a lot of protein and carbohydrates at this meal to give yourself the energy you need to get through your workout. Examples of such snacks include a banana, an apple with peanut butter, or a Greek yogurt with fruit.

Finally, consuming a large meal prior to working out can have a negative effect on your performance and overall fitness objectives. It’s ideal to eat a light breakfast or snack before working out to enable time for digestion and to ensure peak performance and progress. Fitness is all about balance and making good decisions, including what you eat before working out.

Mistakes #3 Chugging too much water

While it’s important to stay hydrated while exercising, going overboard with water consumption can backfire. Water intoxication is a rare, serious disease that can be life-threatening at its worst if you consume too much water right before a workout. Not to mention, cramping and nausea might result from drinking a lot of water when performing vigorous sports like sprints and leaps.

You must consume water to keep your body hydrated and healthy. But, drinking too much water while exercising can negatively impact your performance. Here are a few explanations:

Water can upset your stomach: Taking in too much water before working out can leave you feeling bloated and uneasy. This may have an impact on how well you perform during the workout and possibly cause you to feel queasy or sick.
Electrolytes are important minerals that help control muscle contractions and neuronal function. Water can dilute electrolytes. Before an exercise, drinking too much water might dilute your body’s electrolytes, which can cause cramps, weakness, and exhaustion.
If you drink too much water before working out, you might need to take numerous toilet breaks, which will disrupt your workout and make it harder to concentrate.
Consuming too much water before a workout will drop body temperature, which makes it more difficult for your muscles to function properly. Performance may suffer as a result, and injury risk can rise.

So how much water should you consume before to exercising?

Two to three hours prior to a workout, it is advised to consume 17 to 20 ounces of water. Your body will have enough time to absorb the water and you won’t feel any pain while exercising. Moreover, you can hydrate yourself by consuming 7 to 10 ounces of water 10 to 20 minutes prior to a workout.

Mistakes #4 Sleeping too little

Everyone is aware of the importance of exercise for maintaining fitness and good health. But did you know that the quantity and quality of sleep you get can have a big impact on how well you exercise? These are a few reasons why you shouldn’t exercise before getting too little sleep.

Loss of energy: Your body’s energy levels are impacted when you don’t get enough sleep. As a result, it could be challenging to exert yourself during an exercise. You can feel lethargic and unable to finish your exercise regimen if you don’t have enough energy.
Reduced endurance: Whether you’re running, lifting weights, or participating in sports, endurance is a need. Your endurance may decline from lack of sleep, making it more difficult for you to perform at your best.
Injury risk is increased because fatigue impairs coordination and slows down reaction times. This raises the possibility of damage during exercise. Keeping good form and technique may also be more difficult for you, which can result in strains or sprains.
Poor recuperation: After exercise, sleep is essential for recovery. Your body rebuilds and restores muscle tissue throughout this time. Lack of sleep slows down your recovery process and may prevent your muscles from fully recovering, resulting in aches and pains.
Hormone imbalances: Lack of sleep can also throw off the proper functioning of your body’s hormones, such as growth hormone and cortisol. These hormones play a key role in both muscle growth and post-exercise tissue regeneration. You might not get the desired benefits from your workouts if your hormone levels are out of balance.

In conclusion, obtaining enough sleep the night before a workout is crucial for achieving the best results and general well-being. For your body to obtain the rest it requires, aim for 7-8 hours of sleep each night and attempt to develop a regular sleep schedule. Remember that getting enough sleep and exercising together are essential for your body to function at its peak.