Sickness and Weight

Luke_rabbit

Is it just me or does everyone burn lots of extra calories when sick? I'm on my 3rd bout* of COVID (3/2020, 8/2021, 7/2022) and every time I've lost a bunch of weight even though I'm eating at or above maintenance.

Ugh, I see my doctor for my yearly checkup in August and she was adamant last year that I needed to maintain and not lose any more. I've done pretty good for the past year (down like only 1-2 lbs), and now I'm down several more in just 2 weeks sick.

*I'm gold medaling in catching COVID!🥇

comptonelizabeth

I didn't lose weight with covid but I get a lot of quite severe chest infections and often lose a bit of weight then. Could it be fluid loss?

ashleycarole86

I noticed when I got COVID that I had to up my calories quite a bit to compensate as well. I figured my body just needed more calories to fight the infection.

SummerSkier

If you look at your resting heart rate quite often with illness or injury it will bump up 10 to 20 points avg. This means that altho you are not "exercising" your body is working a lot harder to fight or heal. I had the normal flu (felt pretty awful tho) in early 2018 and it took 6 weeks for my resting heart rate to return to normal and my energy to return. I now use that as a gage for my "wellness" and if I need to add calories to help recovery. A lot of folks make the mistake and think they need to cut calories because they arent getting x # of steps or doing normal workouts or sleeping a lot. But your heart tells the true story.

nxd10

It takes a lot of calories to heal and you tend to not absorb food well and often don’t eat as much. Your tastes change.

Illness is a classic cause of weight loss, although most people experience an immediate rebound after recovery.

sijomial

Lost about 3lbs during my recent bout of COVID.

Managed to stay very active doing chores around the house and garden as I didn't generally feel too terrible.
On the other hand my usual high volume exercise routine was suspended.

High fever for several days must have been an elevated calorie burn.

Probably most significant was that my sense of taste was badly affected with everything tasting like a combination of iron filings and poo so food and drink simply wasn't very appealing and I just ate for health rather than enjoyment.

claireychn074

I lost 3 kg through covid, have managed to get 1kg rebound but sadly I think I’ve lost a good chunk of muscle. I’m also in the ‘can’t taste’ stage so like @sijomial I’m just trying to eat for health. It’s an annoying frustrating cycle of not eating enough as I can’t taste and being tired so I’m not moving as much, and not generating appetite 🤷‍♂️

ahoy_m8

Sadly I, too, have joined the covid club (though not gold medaling like OP). Had a 11.5hr flight, no one wore masks (including me) and 2 days later had symptoms. It was a hassle in 2021 with international entrance requirements for a current negative test, but I think it really did keep sick people off planes! I digress.

Yeah, I've lost weight but I attributed it to DH bringing me food and not as much as I probably need. @SummerSkier I have definitely noticed a higher HR! On the pulse oximeter, not noticeable otherwise. Thanks for mentioning that. I was wondering.

Another digression, perhaps, but a related legitimate maintenance consideration: If you chose to maintain at the lower end of normal, you have more risk if there's unintentional weight loss.

I have maintained my weight 30+ years, and I have chosen to maintain at the lowed end of normal range. That's what's comfortable to me. When I carry more, I really feel it when running. I use MFP because I "intuitively" eat more than I need to maintain. If I am not making some kind of effort to eat the right amount, I am gaining. Never losing.

Except this summer I have now dipped underweight twice -- once when my mom died (and the sleepless chaotic week following) and now with covid. Only a couple pounds, but both times in the absence of strength training. It can't be good for body composition, and we all know how hard LBM is to gain.