There’s nothing worse than being in the middle of a killer workout – sweat dripping, heart racing, core engaged – when all of a sudden you’re hit with painful muscle cramps. It can totally interrupt or even ruin your sweat sesh.

Cramps are your body’s way of saying it’s low on electrolytes and the balance of potassium and sodium is off as these nutrients allow your nervous system to communicate to your muscles when to contract and relax.

Luckily, there are steps you can take to prevent cramps from happening in the first place.

Fuel your body right
Whether you’re running in heat or taking a hot yoga class, expect that your body will be sweating more than usual, which means the levels of sodium and potassium will be affected by an excessive loss of water. So make sure to snack on something nutrient-rich like bananas, sweet potatoes, or avocadoes before a workout.

Drink more water
The more you sweat, the more water intake your body needs. Dehydration can cause the amount of water outside of cells to decrease, which pinches nerve endings, making it overexcited and spontaneously discharged. Drinking enough water ensures that you’ll have better performance in your workout and reduces the dramatic water loss that leads to discharge (aka cramps).

Restore electrolytes
Another cause of muscle cramps during a workout is the loss of electrolytes. Avoid this by fueling your body with electrolytes both before and after each workout – try sipping on a drink mixed with electrolytes like V8 +HYDRATE.

Avoid restrictive clothing
Not only are extremely tight clothes uncomfortable, but it’s also bad for your workout. While compression gear and spandex are favorites amongst workout aficionados, restrictive workout gear can lead to a lack of blood flow that causes cramps. So always remember that comfort is key!

Warm up with dynamic stretching
Warming up your muscles before a workout is truly so important. Dynamic stretching, which utilizes movement and extended ranges of motion, helps improve flexibility, speed, endurance, and strength. This helps reduce the chance of injury, muscle spasms, and cramps throughout your sweat sesh.

xx, The FabFitFun Team

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