Being sick = higher calorie target?

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cocobeenie
cocobeenie Posts: 98
in Health and Weight Loss
I've had strep throat for the past few days and even though I'm taking medication and eating well and taking vitamins, I seem to be healing much slower than I used to before I started restricing calories. My boyfriend is pretty well read on calorie restriction and says that even though your immune system is stronger when calorie restriction is performed optimally, when you do get sick it takes up to twice as long to recover. He said I should up calorie goal for the next couple days by 400 which sounds kinda crazy to me... Is he right?

I have barely lost any weight, if any the past month and I am bummed this came up right when I was getting back on the wagon. I wanted to be at my goal by now but instead its probably going to take another month. On top of that, I'm supposed to have a photo shoot soon and I'm getting pressure to lose even more weight than I had planned. Sigh... I could really use some advice and support about now..

Replies

  • ColoradoRobin
    ColoradoRobin Posts: 510 Member
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    I can't say for sure, but what he says makes sense. It takes extra energy to heal after an infection. Your body is making antibodies and using calories to fight bugs. Try eating a bit more and hopefully you will recover soon.
  • TheKitsune6
    TheKitsune6 Posts: 5,798 Member
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    Your health and well being should come first. When you are sick your body isn't functioning properly and needs more energy to fight off the sickness.

    Yes, you should absolutely try to up your calorie goal and try to get stuff like gatorade (low cal) in your body, make sure to eat really well like fruit and veggie smoothies. You want more calories, but you'll need the best kind of nutrients you can feed your body. Make sure to get proteins in as well - meat may be a bit hard so try for some peanut butter (natural no sugar) or beans.

    I usually am of the idea that people can eat whatever they want as long as it's in moderation but when you are sick is when you need to treat your body to only the best so that it can focus on healing itself.
  • jasonweinberg
    jasonweinberg Posts: 270
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    there could be all kinds of reasons why it is taking you longer than you'd wish to recover from strep. your calorie intake could easily have nothing to do with it whatsoever. i find it sad though that you are being pressured to lose weight for modeling.
  • jasonweinberg
    jasonweinberg Posts: 270
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    there could be all kinds of reasons why it is taking you longer than you'd wish to recover from strep. your calorie intake could easily have nothing to do with it whatsoever. i find it sad though that you are being pressured to lose weight for modeling.
  • Kirsty_UK
    Kirsty_UK Posts: 964 Member
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    I dont have much advice, but I just wanted to comment and say firstly that your health is more important than a photo shoot, so please look after yourself :)

    get well soon!

    (ps I can tell why you're a model from that photo! wow!)

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