Eating when you're sick

rosebette

Like many people at this time of year, I've come down with a cold/sinus infection. I've had a couple of days where I didn't work out (other than my campus trudging -- I couldn't cancel classes due to illness because of all the snow day cancellations), and I have been drinking orange juice, which has a lot of calories, and just wanting to eat soup. I'm also eating more fruit. Today, for instance, I had blueberries, fresh pineapple at the meeting breakfast spread, an orange, and orange juice. If I do end up drinking a lot of juice and eatingmore fruit, should I be reducing my intake of other foods so that I'm still at a deficit? I'm not usually a juice drinker because of the high calorie count, but now I just seem to crave it. Plus, it's easier to wash down all the decongestants, etc. with something sweet. If I'm eating less of other foods due to juice consumption, do I need to worry about protein macros,etc.? The only protein I want presently is what's in a bowl of soup, although I did manage a small slice of veggie pizza at a faculty meeting because that's what was served. When I recover, should I be adding extra time to my workouts to make up for time lost and to restore muscle tone? I was up to light strength training today, but hadn't done any since a modest leg workout Monday, and it seems as if already I'm seeing my body get slacker.

AllOutof_Bubblegum

Dude. You're sick. Go easy on yourself and just focus on getting better. Worry about your deficit when you recover. Unless you're sick for weeks on end, there's no lasting damage you'll do to yourself by overindulging on juice. And you can't lose measurable muscle in the space of just a few missed workouts.

fredgiblet

If you're sick my advice would be to give yourself another couple hundred calories to make sure your body has the fuel to do what it needs to fight off the illness. Making yourself sick for longer will probably do more harm than good.

Loss of strength is likely an illusion, you don't lose muscle that fast. You're likely just weak because you're sick.

Take some zinc supplements as well, they are actually more helpful than Vitamin C.

rosebette

I actually take both zinc and vitamin C. I like the Nature's Way Vitamelt zinc.

missiontofitness

I don't worry about calorie deficits when I'm sick. Especially when it is a lower intestine cold. Just eat what and when you can, and worry about your deficit when you're better.

rosebette

No intestinal virus, thank goodness. I dread that more than a cold. At least I can still go to work if I have a cold.

error404restartnow

I am sick as well. My husband convinced me to drink juice and eat his homemade chicken noodle soup, which always helps (and he was right...It's helping). I agree with the above posts...focus on getting better and when you start to feel better go back to how you were eating before.

rosebette

I'm all better now and 1 lb. lighter than when I made the first post (and no, I didn't have the stomach flu)! Thanks for all your good advice and support.