Sick with a cold zero motivation.

maureenseel1984

So I've had a sore throat and congestion (chest and head) since last Friday. I keep setting my alarm to get up so that I can work out before work...but every day I either hit snooze a million times or set my alarm for an hour later before my alarm goes off.
I have maybe a half hour before I have to get ready to work...but I have zero motivation to work out. On Saturday all I did was sleep. I forced myself to eat but...basically slept and laid on the couch all day. Since then I have not wanted to work out at all...and today is the same.

I don't want to get into a slump where I don't exercise enough...but how long do you all give yourselves when you don't feel well to just rest. How do you know if it's illness or sheer laziness. I wish I could go back to bed.

aokoye

I know my body well enough to know if I'm actually sick, if I'm physically too tired, if I'm feeling lazy, or if it's anxiety. The only one of those that I'll typically push through is anxiety (though finding a balance with that one is my current challenge).

If you're feeling too sick to do anything other than force yourself to eat and then sleep most of the day and otherwise rest, you're likely too sick to responsibly exercise. Let your body recover - not doing so will likely only prolong your illness. I'm also of the mind that if I am taking an X hours long nap in the middle of the day, I likely really needed that nap and it was not time wasted.

This is a good time to get practice in having a period where you don't (or can't) exercise and then picking your exercise back up when you're feeling better.

spiriteagle99

My rule of thumb is that if there is a fever or if my chest is congested, I need to rest. Experience has shown me that if I don't, I'll be coughing for weeks. Better to rest and get well. Once you feel better, then start easy. Your body is demanding sleep for a reason. Listen to it.

maureenseel1984

aokoye wrote: »

I know my body well enough to know if I'm actually sick, if I'm physically too tired, if I'm feeling lazy, or if it's anxiety. The only one of those that I'll typically push through is anxiety (though finding a balance with that one is my current challenge).

If you're feeling too sick to do anything other than force yourself to eat and then sleep most of the day and otherwise rest, you're likely too sick to responsibly exercise. Let your body recover - not doing so will likely only prolong your illness. I'm also of the mind that if I am taking an X hours long nap in the middle of the day, I likely really needed that nap and it was not time wasted.

This is a good time to get practice in having a period where you don't (or can't) exercise and then picking your exercise back up when you're feeling better.

Yeah...It's just the strangest cold. I usually work out in the morning before work, but the morning is when I feel my worst. Sore throat, fatigued muscles, achy...and just flat out tired.
Today on my walk to work it felt like my limbs were made of lead. Just...literally dragging.
I think getting to bed on time, not taking the laptop to bed...all this could help.

Kathryn247

I'm in the same boat - sore throat and congestion started on July 4 and my usual home remedies (vitamin C, soup, garlic) didn't help. I'm super annoyed that I lost my activity streak on my Apple Watch, but it got to the point where resting and recovering is more important than completing my activity rings.

It can take 7-10 days for a cold to go away, or even longer. Rest, switch to maintenance calories if you want, and go back to workout mode when you're feeling better. I think that's our best bet for getting well.

maureenseel1984

Kathryn247 wrote: »

I'm in the same boat - sore throat and congestion started on July 4 and my usual home remedies (vitamin C, soup, garlic) didn't help. I'm super annoyed that I lost my activity streak on my Apple Watch, but it got to the point where resting and recovering is more important than completing my activity rings.

It can take 7-10 days for a cold to go away, or even longer. Rest, switch to maintenance calories if you want, and go back to workout mode when you're feeling better. I think that's our best bet for getting well.

Yeah. I'm just frustrated as I was getting into more advanced yoga stuff and now I just have zero energy. On Saturday I slept like...12 hours at night...then took a 2 hour nap, a 1.5 hour nap...then went to bed and slept another 12 hours. Even drying my hair took it out of me this morning.

gottswald

Are you sure its a cold and not allergies or sleep/medical issues?

maureenseel1984

gottswald wrote: »

Are you sure its a cold and not allergies or sleep/medical issues?

Yeah. I mean my allergies have been coming/going this spring/summer. But this all started last Friday/Saturday and it came on kind of suddenly.

gottswald

I did some neck exercises and got hit with allergies and the two had me convinced I was getting a sore throat for awhile. Only time I've missed training since I started 6mo ago.

LyndaBSS

If I'm sick, I listen to my body. If it wants rest, I rest it.

COGypsy

If you’re sick, please stay home. Nobody else wants to take your cold home with them.

aokoye

maureenseel1984 wrote: »

aokoye wrote: »

I know my body well enough to know if I'm actually sick, if I'm physically too tired, if I'm feeling lazy, or if it's anxiety. The only one of those that I'll typically push through is anxiety (though finding a balance with that one is my current challenge).

If you're feeling too sick to do anything other than force yourself to eat and then sleep most of the day and otherwise rest, you're likely too sick to responsibly exercise. Let your body recover - not doing so will likely only prolong your illness. I'm also of the mind that if I am taking an X hours long nap in the middle of the day, I likely really needed that nap and it was not time wasted.

This is a good time to get practice in having a period where you don't (or can't) exercise and then picking your exercise back up when you're feeling better.

Yeah...It's just the strangest cold. I usually work out in the morning before work, but the morning is when I feel my worst. Sore throat, fatigued muscles, achy...and just flat out tired.
Today on my walk to work it felt like my limbs were made of lead. Just...literally dragging.
I think getting to bed on time, not taking the laptop to bed...all this could help.

Honestly you sound sick. Sick enough to not workout. I agree that getting to bed on time and such could help, but I suspect not exercising right now would also help quite a lot.

TrishSeren

I rest when I'm sick. Also, then I don't spread my germs to people at the gym.

My partner is a professional athletics coach and they have signs up in their gym saying "colds cost golds!" Basically, stay home, don't infect any other athletes.