We were just chatting with celeb trainer Jason Wimberly [1] about the benefits of a morning workout [2] — in fact, Wimberly believes there's no better time to work out than the early morning (for a number of reasons!). But if you've ever done early morning cardio [3] yourself, chances are you've experienced some mid-workout nausea on occasion. WTH?
If this has happened to you, he has an explanation . . . and advice on how to kick it [5]! The creator of THE WALL [6] and WIMBERLEAN [7] — who happens to train the likes of Jane Lynch [8], Selma Blair [9], and Katya from RuPaul's Drag Race [10] — is no stranger to 6 a.m. sweat sessions, and the potential sick stomach that can come with it.
"If you're doing cardio in the morning on an empty stomach, you'll have a tendency to get really nauseous from that [11]," Wimberly told POPSUGAR. "That's the bile in your stomach — all the acids that are in your tummy after being empty all night — they bounce around. That's what makes you nauseous and feel like you're going to throw up." Yucky. But now what?
This is one (big) reason to get up a little earlier to prepare for your a.m. workout. "Early morning workouts do require some sort of energy," said Wimberly. "You can't just roll out of the house having not eaten [13]. One of the best things I suggest for clients is an apple in the morning; it has the perfect amount of sugar — with fiber, so your blood sugar doesn't go too high — and a little bit of everything to get you going."
It's normal to not feel hungry in the morning, but even a half an apple can make a difference with your mid-workout nausea. "You don't need a full meal [14]! I suggest oatmeal, a yogurt, or even just an apple. You don't want to be full, but you do need something to perform well."
You might be thinking, "But what about fasted cardio [16]?" We were wondering the same. "Fasted workouts can be beneficial for the regulation of your system and is sort of cleansing in a way," said Wimberly. "But if you're doing intense training and your heart rate is going to be at a max, you need calories in your body, otherwise you can't perform at optimal levels."