Feeling sick

I love watching people hit the gym for a great workout, especially when it’s on a regular basis. Treadmills bang, weight stacks clatter, dumbbells hit the floor, sweat wets clothes, little grunts from people pushing each other, good conversations, waves in the pool, classes for the masses, for the next exercise and the shower water hits the drain.

People go to the gym every day to eliminate the food they eat, have a healthier body, lose weight, look good, or build huge muscles. One thing that happens in the gym that I would love to see less of is that people exercise too much and pay the consequences in front of everyone for doing it.

So this is what happens, Jacked Joe comes to the gym and starts his strength training, you know, Star Wars, “May the force be with you.” He thinks that the strength is with him and he continues to push himself beyond the limit in each exercise, remember, because he has the strength. He soon begins to get dizzy, but determines that since the force is with him, he can pierce through. You soon find yourself waking up from passing out or vomiting into a garbage can or on the floor.

This can happen with beginning children, adolescents, and adults. It can also be very common in people who are a little sick.

So how can you prevent this? Pay attention to your body, learn that when you feel good you can work harder than on the days when you have had a long day at work or are sick from bad weather. If you are sick, sometimes it is better to stay home and do something very small for your exercise. If it’s been a long day and you’re tired, hit the gym, start out easy, and then if your body responds and things seem easy, increase the intensity, but don’t overdo it.

If it’s too long and you start to feel dizzy, or if you feel like you’re going to vomit, immediately have someone bring you a cold washcloth and something to elevate your feet. Meanwhile, lie on your back, ask them to help you put your feet up and put the cloth on your forehead. As they do this, ask them to bring you a trash can in case it’s too late and you have to throw up. In most cases, you should be able to catch it before you pass out or vomit. Begin by lying on the floor for 5 to 15 minutes. If you feel fine at this point, sit on the floor for another 2 to 5 minutes, proceed to sitting in a chair for 2 to 5 minutes if you still feel fine, and then work your way up to your feet. If at any point you begin to feel bad again, lie down, feet up on a chair, ball, or bench, and have someone else re-wet your washcloth with cold water and place it back on your forehead.

Good luck in the gym and pay attention to how you feel. Don’t take it easy and don’t work out hard enough to pay for the piper in front of your gym buddies.