Taking (A) Sick Day(s)

OliviaYogi
OliviaYogi Posts: 7
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
Hello all, I am wondering what the rest of you maintainers do when you get sick? How do you reassess your diets and exercise programs to allow for some extra rest time when you are feeling under the weather?

Personally, I become a big baby, give in to cravings and skip workouts. Fortunately, I am not sick often, but really would like to learn some tips to stay strong in the future.

Replies

  • FrankiesSaysRelax
    FrankiesSaysRelax Posts: 403 Member
    Honestly, I don't worry about it. I eat as much or as little as I feel like and skip the workouts with no guilt. A couple of days of eating poorly while I recover isn't going to make me regain all the weight.
  • brenn24179
    brenn24179 Posts: 2,144 Member
    I always want to eat when I am sick. But last couple of times I have done better. I try to remind myself food is not the answer. I need to get my rest and take some pills or medicine to get better and I will get thru this without lots of food. I remind myself to take care of myself in which overeating is self destructive so stop doing it. I remind myself a hot bath or talk with a friend is what I need, not food. I know I am just like an alcoholic when things get bad I want to go to food which makes it worse. I wont fall apart if I don't overeat, I have other choices.
  • chocl8grl
    chocl8grl Posts: 30 Member
    When you are sick, your body most likely needs extra nutrients to help it battle the illness. I wouldn't really worry about at at all, just try to make the extra food as healthy as possible, and remember that a day or two will not destroy all your hard work. <3
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Honestly, I don't worry about it. I eat as much or as little as I feel like and skip the workouts with no guilt. A couple of days of eating poorly while I recover isn't going to make me regain all the weight.

    This
  • F00LofaT00K
    F00LofaT00K Posts: 688 Member
    A couple of days here and there will not make you gain any permanent weight. I just do what feels comfortable when I'm sick.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    Simple food is good when you're sick. Broth. Jello. Chicken. Bananas. Tea. Toast.

    None of those things have a lot of calories. I eat what I want.
  • ColdPlum
    ColdPlum Posts: 57 Member
    Definitely (of course) skip the workouts! The first thing I do when I feel something coming on is to cancel my workouts. If I keep working out I'll just prolong my illness. Regarding the food, I ease up on myself, but generally stay within my calorie allotment. A day or two way under or way over won't do much.
  • _funrungirl
    _funrungirl Posts: 145 Member
    It depends on the type of sick.

    If I'm sick from the neck up (head cold), I still work out.

    If I'm sick from the next down, I rest.
  • jenbob555
    jenbob555 Posts: 36 Member
    It depends on the type of sick.

    If I'm sick from the neck up (head cold), I still work out.

    If I'm sick from the next down, I rest.

    I second this. If it's just a cold, lower your intensity of exercise and drink tons more water, but still work out if you can (obviously if you have a fever or are really not feeling it, then don't exercise.) If you have a GI bug, bronchitis, pneumonia, or anything else like that, then REST.
  • spiralated
    spiralated Posts: 150 Member
    It depends on the type of sick.

    If I'm sick from the neck up (head cold), I still work out.

    If I'm sick from the next down, I rest.

    I second this. If it's just a cold, lower your intensity of exercise and drink tons more water, but still work out if you can (obviously if you have a fever or are really not feeling it, then don't exercise.) If you have a GI bug, bronchitis, pneumonia, or anything else like that, then REST.

    I third this!
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    Simple food is good when you're sick. Broth. Jello. Chicken. Bananas. Tea. Toast.

    None of those things have a lot of calories. I eat what I want.
  • aledba
    aledba Posts: 564 Member
    I always want to eat when I am sick. But last couple of times I have done better. I try to remind myself food is not the answer. I need to get my rest and take some pills or medicine to get better and I will get thru this without lots of food. I remind myself to take care of myself in which overeating is self destructive so stop doing it. I remind myself a hot bath or talk with a friend is what I need, not food. I know I am just like an alcoholic when things get bad I want to go to food which makes it worse. I wont fall apart if I don't overeat, I have other choices.
    I always want to eat when I have a cold. I crave things like tinned tomatoes, carrots, mashed potatoes and gravy and roast chicken. These all make for the most therapeutic meal. :sick:
  • StephanieOugh2014
    StephanieOugh2014 Posts: 35 Member
    I used to be really bad. Craving, and giving in to, Ichiban noodles, canned chicken soup, even cup a soup. The last few colds I have been better. Tea, water, cold medicine. Breathe Rights depending on stuffiness level. I have a bit of a cold right now and my workouts have lessened. I still walked an hour yesterday and plan to workout tomorrow. I also gave in and got my husband to buy me diet gingerale. It always makes me feel better :)

    I wouldn't really worry about calories but try not to eat total crap.
  • Chris_Pierce
    Chris_Pierce Posts: 267 Member
    I still eat healthy when I'm sick, but I also don't limit my calories. If I'm really not feeling up to it I skip the cardio and maybe weight lifting too. I also double up on vitamins, probiotics like kombucha seem to help too. If I get really sick (stomach flu) then all bets are off, I'll probably sleep 20 hours a day and eat as much as I can just to try and keep something in me.
  • RaspberryKeytoneBoondoggle
    RaspberryKeytoneBoondoggle Posts: 1,349 Member
    I'm just like you, but I don't want to change. I don't get sick very often, and if I want to spoil myself when I am, then I will:)
  • brevislux
    brevislux Posts: 1,093 Member
    Luckily for me I hardly ever get sick, when I do it's just some coughing or sneezing and that's it... but.. I rather not work out when I'm sick because I believe it can make it worse. I won't just eat whatever though... I eat normally as always.
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
    I feel like resting is important to battling illness and can shorten the sick time and get you back in the gym productively and faster.

    For that reason when I am at maintenance I skip on sick days and make up for it later in the week once better. Or add to the following week.

    Now if it's a sick that keeps happening then it's time to find workouts to accomodate it and also to see a Dr. That's how I do it.
  • JazmineYoli
    JazmineYoli Posts: 547 Member
    It depends on the type of sick.

    If I'm sick from the neck up (head cold), I still work out.

    If I'm sick from the next down, I rest.

    Same here. If I can't work out due to sickness I tend to eat below my calorie goal by about 300 (about the same as my net if I worked out)
  • Nikkisfitblog
    Nikkisfitblog Posts: 149 Member
    What if is a injury, and you can still do cardio, but obviously your expenditure isnt going to be the same. How do you go about adjusting your macros then?

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