[RicecakeEater]

Hey, thanks for clicking.

So, I do like getting exercise, but sometimes it doesn't turn out like I want it to.

I took a decent-length bike ride about 2 days ago across town. I stopped once, but we reached our destination no problem, purchased a water and then headed home.

Today was a little bit different. We took a shorter ride, most of the way we were biking against the wind, which made it a bit harder... but anyway, I stopped again today for a breath, and then continued to our destination. We went to a 711 around the corner on the way back and got a water bottle like last time, but this time, as we walked around the store I felt dizzy and... very unpleasant. When we headed outside to take a drink, my stomach was in a lot of pain. After a bit of just... chilling at the store I was alright, and we went home. Once I was inside I satisfied my thirst again, but I felt really gross. I looked in the mirror and felt fatter than I had in a long time. I thought to myself, "What's wrong with this picture? After a work out, even if I'm tired and worn out, I shouldn't feel fatter, should I? I felt like I had just ate a whole pizza to myself or something.

It was bad for a bit, but I cooled off and went back to regular activities, and I feel alright now. I still feel like I gained weight though..

Any thoughts? I know I'm a bit of a drama queen, but I guess complaining helps me deal with it. :P Any ideas to help prevent feeling that way would be awesome! (Can't imagine myself going on a bike ride with friends... I would be embarrassed if I was so unfit that I couldn't keep up)

Thanks again!

[DietVet]

You didn't gain weight during a bike ride. That's not possible.

Can you tell us about your eating prior to each of these two rides? Did you have a nice healthy snack before the first but not before the second? Personally, I need a little something in my stomach before I do any real exercise--otherwise I feel a bit nauseous.

[astrophe]

What about the weather and heat index? Like too hot a day and too cold a drink? Or dehydrated?

A.

[KatieC87]

Your calorie intake before a workout will definitely affect how you feel during that workout. For instance, I went to the gym two weeks ago on an empty stomach. I got to about 14 minutes on the elliptical machine and started having awful stomach cramps. It happened again the next day. That's when I realized that I needed something in my stomach before I went to the gym. Now I either eat something light or, like today, eat a meal about an hour to an hour and a half before hitting the gym. No stomach cramps! Good luck! (And like someone else said, you definitely did NOT gain weight on the bike ride. You were probably just feeling crappy about the exercise, and it affected your perception of yourself in the mirror.)

[fitness4life]

A lot of people feel nauseated just after they push themselves harder than before.

Give yourself credit for biking up hill in the wind (both ways - jk - old joke) that really makes a difference!

When I got my PR after the last 5 K, the only reason I didn't actually puke was because I was the director of the event and I made myself keep it in so I didn't look bad. LOL

There were several top finishers who threw up.

Also, our hs football team had a strength challenge on Sat morning. One of the boys laid around for 5 minutes then got up and puked in the bathroom.

It happens. A lot. It feels gross.

But it means that you pushed yourself that hard! Good for you! You don't always have to push that hard, but the next time you feel you're at a plateau, be sure to push yourself that hard again to make sure to get yourself over the hump.

[Ilene]

There are sooo many factors that can affect your performance from one workout to another. Weather, dehydration, meals before, the «type» of meal, was it healthy or not, etc.... So don't judget just because of that workout...

As for feeling bloated I often feel that way too... Here is one reason why .....

When you begin a new cardio program your body experiences a "shock to the system" as it were. This sudden, intense workload on the muscles and the cardiovascular system fool the body into thinking it is in crisis mode which triggers a natural response of storing fluids and nutrients that might be needed later on. One of the things that gets stored is water. Your body is simply protecting itself in case the perceived crisis means a lack of water down the road.

Frrom this site ...