Junk food is not the best choice for somebody trying to keep up a healthy, active lifestyle. If you eat it once in a while, as a “treat,” you probably won’t suffer any consequences. If junk food is your regular choice, however, or if you eat it before your workout, you might end up paying the price.
Lack of Energy
Junk food often contains high amounts of sugar, which can directly affect your energy levels. When you eat something full of simple sugars – like a donut or a piece of candy — it immediately raises your blood sugar. This gives you a quick burst of energy, but an equally quick crash not long afterward. How long the burst of energy lasts depends on your current weight, what you eat and how much. However, if your workout is an hour or two hours long, junk food is not likely to provide you with enough energy.
Gastrointestinal Upset
Junk food is heavy on your stomach and could cause indigestion, heartburn and other gastrointestinal issues. If you eat junk food before you exercise, you might end up feeling sick, especially if you go for a workout that requires a lot of jumping, twisting or moving around. For example, you might not feel too bad on the stationary bike, but try running on the treadmill or doing yoga while you’re nauseous and you might end up feeling very sick.
Lack of Definition
Junk food also tends to be high in fats as well as sugars, both of which can lead to weight gain. If you’re trying to gain muscle definition, adding fat to your body can make it impossible. Fat accumulates under the skin, on top of the muscle, so even if you exercise daily, you won’t see muscle tone until you get rid of the fat. Also, muscle growth requires protein, not fats or sugars.
Health Conditions
Junk food can lead to a number of health conditions that can affect your ability to exercise. High blood pressure, for example, is a common consequence of eating lots of junk food, according to MayoClinic.com. This is because a lot of junk food is also very high in sodium. A high-intake of junk food could also lead to other health problems, including diabetes and obesity. Any medical condition you have will affect the type and amount of exercise you can perform.
References
- Bodybuilding.com; The Myth of Turning Fat Into Muscle; Matt Danielsson; September 2002
- Fit Day: Fast Food Nutrition: Junk Food's Effect On Your Body
- Health.com; Caffeine and Sugar: Why These Energy Boosters Are Poor Substitutes for Sleep; Gail Belsky; October 2008
- MayoClinic.com: 10 Ways to Control High Blood Pressure Without Medication
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