5 embarrassing gym moments—and how to avoid them

Whether you work out a little or a lot, whether at the gym or yoga studio, we’ve all had them: embarrassing gym moments. Putting your body through a strenuous workout can stress it in various ways, which can yield sometimes less-than-flattering experiences.

The key to surviving is to remember that we're all human and that there's no shame in the occasional bodily emission. Having a sense of humor and realistic expectations certainly helps.

Read on for tips to handle—and, in some cases, prevent—those wish-that-hadn't-really-just-happened moments.

No yogi alive can honestly say they haven't passed gas during a yoga class. Many yoga poses put your body in positions that allow your sphincter muscles to relax—and release gas. (Sphincters are donut-shaped muscle that controls the flow of material out of various parts of your gastroinestinal tract, including your anus.) So, if you stick your butt up in the air or lie on your back in happy baby pose, there’s a chance gas is going to escape.

The solution: In a best-case scenario, it’s silent. (In a room full of people, it will be quite hard to trace any odor back to a specfic person.) Worst-case scenario, it’s loud. Just go about your business as if it didn’t happen. If anyone notices, laugh it off. After all, you’re not the only one who’s had to toot.

Have you ever thrown up mid-workout? It’s not pretty, but it happens. Several things can cause you to get sick, including pushing yourself too hard, drinking too little or too much water, or filling your stomach with too much and the wrong kinds of food before you start.

The solution: “Fat is probably the hardest to digest,” says Keith Roach, MD, associate professor of clinical medicine at Weill Medical College of Cornell University in New York City and an associate attending physician at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. “A large or fatty meal is going to sit in your stomach longer and be more likely to cause you to vomit.” Dr. Roach recommends eating a lighter and more carbohydrate-based meal one to two hours before working out. If you’re eating and drinking healthily but still throw up, “you’re probably overdoing it,” says Roach.

Both men and women can experience urinary incontinence (or loss of bladder control). While there’s more than one type, accidental leakage at the gym is most likely associated with stress urinary continence. This is the result of weak pelvic floor muscles, the muscles that enable you to "hold it in."

The solution: If you're accustomed to working out, here's one more exercise you can try on the side: kegel exercises may help strengthen the pelvic floor muscles. Other ways to stay dry:

• Make sure you pee when you first feel the urge, whether that's before you start to work out or in the middle. (If you are taking a class, quietly excuse yourself from the room and come back to rejoin the class.)
• Avoid workouts with excessive and strenuous jumping or running.
• Eat enough fiber to avoid constipation, which can make urinary incontinence worse
• Avoid foods that irritate your bladder
• Quit smoking (yes, one more reason!)

While leaking a few drops isn’t a big concern, if you are leaking enough to bother you, you should see your healthcare provider for a consultation, says Roach.

Picture this: You’re running on the treadmill, your favorite motivational tunes are cranking, and then suddenly you lose your balance and fly off the back machine. Hopefully, the only thing bruised is your ego, but serious injury can occur as a result of falling off a treadmill.

The solution: To keep your feet on the tread, stay focused. Don’t check your texts, fiddle endlessly with the treadmill controls, or get so engrossed in the shows on the overhead television that you lose your balance. Don’t hold your phone or water bottle while you run—you'll need your hands free so you can grab the handlebars if you need to. Finally, don’t try to go faster than you can. If you start feeling tired or weak in the legs, slow down before you turn off the machine and carefully step off.

Nothing kills the joy of cycling class more then the body odor of the peddler next to you—until you discover the smell is coming from you. Despite commonly held beliefs, sweat doesn’t cause body odor. Bacteria that live in your armpits are mostly to blame.

The solution: First, remember that everyone gives off an odor, some stronger than others. Having a little funk is nothing to be ashamed of.

To reduce body smells, shower regularly and give your armpits an extra good scrub. Dry them thoroughly post-shower. Apply an antiperspirant and/or deodorant daily and reapply as needed. Antiperspirants reduce sweating. Deodorants mask the odor and may prevent bacteria growth. Shaving your armpits may also help keep body odor in check.