Why your stomach hurts after a workout

Exercising regularly is undoubtedly one of the best things you can do for your health. It is not just good for weight loss, but also keeps different types of diseases at bay and is quite effective in improving your mental health. But a lot of people experience some weird side-effects after exercising. While most of the side-effects are completely normal, but it pretty obvious to worry about it, if you have just started your fitness journey.
Here are a few common stomach-related side effects you may experience after exercising.
Heartburn and reflux
People suffering from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), always complain of heartburn or stomach pain. This happens due to the flow of acidic content from the stomach into the esophagus. Some exercises can worsen GERD symptoms and provoke heartburn. Sometimes even people who are not suffering from GERD may experience heartburn after the workout due to the flow of acidic content. Exercises like jogging or aerobics, shake the fluids in your stomach leading to heartburn or reflux. Even exercise in which abdominal muscle twists or turn can cause heartburn.

Dehydration

After a rigorous session of exercise, your body dehydrates due to exertion. This slows down the rate at which food passes through your body. The slow movement of food through your gastrointestinal tract means your body will absorb more water from it, leading to slow digestion of food. If you are extremely dehydrated then you may suffer from indigestion.

Exercising immediately after eating

Exercising on a full stomach may also cause stomach related problems. If you exercise immediately after eating your food, then your body gets confused. It focuses on your muscles rather than your digestive system, leaving your stomach feeling heavy and bloated. So, never exercise immediately after having your food nor eat immediately after your workout session. If you are prone to stomach-related issues then keep a gap of two hours between your mealtime and exercise.