Sweatiquette: Answers to Common Exercise Etiquette Questions

Stomach Troubles

Q. "My stomach sometimes gets upset when I work out. How do I avoid stinking up the gym?"

A. "Don't eat a big meal within two to three hours of working out," says Anish Sheth, MD, a gastroenterologist at Yale and coauthor of What's Your Poo Telling You? Exercise, especially a cardio workout, stimulates your GI tract. So eat a low-fat, lower-fiber snack (try an energy bar) about an hour before to fuel up without inducing digestion problems, and hit the bathroom pre-gym. If you still find yourself running to the locker room for relief, stash our fave new find in your gym bag: Poo-Pourri ($9.95 for a two-ounce bottle, poopourri.com). Spray the bowl before you go, and a barrier of essential oils prevents any funky smells from leaving the scene.