Your most common workout questions, answered!

Fitness experts set the record straight on the most common exercising conundrums.

Question: I’m sore the next day. Should I still workout?

Microscopic tears in the muscle tissue are most likely the cause. But, on the plus side, these tiny tears result in muscle growth.

The solution:

Ease off the strength training for a day or two.“The best way to go is active recovery, such as stretching,yoga or walking,” Tahnee says.“Keeping muscles active with minimal intensity is a good way to ease muscle soreness.”

Question: Cardio makes me queasy. Am I that unfit?

The good news is it’s not your fitness level. High-intensity exercise causes blood to be diverted from organs such as the stomach to the muscles. “A common culprit
is eating food too soon before your workout (or too much food),” explains Tahnee Donkin, national personal training manager at Fitness First.

The solution:

“I recommend having a light snack about an hour before a workout so you’re adequately fuelled, but not full.”

Question: What should I eat before a morning workout?

Most workouts of an hour or less won’t deplete your body’s carb stores, so there’s no need to carb load like a triathlete, says sports dietitian Rick Miller.

The solution:

“A bit of protein and a small amount of carbohydrate will be sufficient to fuel you without overloading your digestive system.” But exercising on top of a full tummy isn’t a happy combo.“The closer your meal is to exercise, (an hour or less) the more liquid it needs to be, in order to allow adequate time for digestion.”