How sick is sick enough to splurge?

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rhichi
rhichi Posts: 133
in Motivation and Support
So, I've been sick for a while (not contagious or dire, just really draining) and my body cries for more calories than I'm allowed. The problem is that I haven't been losing weight the past few days so I don't think I can afford it. I've been exercising as much as I can but I've been getting more and more tired and really want to just curl up in a lump, overfeed myself, and rest (which is already compromised because I'm working so much this month).

Is it alright for me to take these few days off? It's going to screw me for my Lose 5 lbs in February challenge, but I've been sick for much longer than I usually am and it's getting annoying.
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Replies

  • chauser1022
    chauser1022 Posts: 33
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    Hmmm, I would give myself a day of two off of exercise and really rest up but keep up on the nutrition.
  • kathleennf
    kathleennf Posts: 606 Member
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    Ummm- I think you should go to the doctor. If you are sick as described, you are probably burning fewer calories and that may be why you are not losing weight. So- get checked, OK?
  • ALH1981
    ALH1981 Posts: 538 Member
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    i think you need to take care of your health - if that means it is crying out for more nutrients then feed that. But don't go splurging on junk coz you are feeling bad.... you will feel worse after you have recovered and have to undo everything!
  • tinksmommy2006
    tinksmommy2006 Posts: 575
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    well i am at 50 lost and stuck also...i tried lowering calories more...i tried exercising more....BUT i am about to try to do nothing but fruit and veggies all day for a few day until dinner time...supposedly it gets things going again?? i am trying anything right now!!!
  • Smansfield1
    Smansfield1 Posts: 50 Member
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    or it could be you are eating too little and burning too many calories and your body isn't getting enough food to keep it going. If you eat too little (or I should say net too little) calories a day, your body can go into starvation mode and your metabolism will definitely slow down. How many calories are you netting each day? It should NEVER fall below 1200. just sayin
  • kaetra
    kaetra Posts: 442 Member
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    Splurge on foods you can tolerate with high nutrient value. Your body is probably wanting more nutrients to help itself recover from your illness.

    When I get sick all bets are off. I eat what I can stand and try to get some fruit and veg in if I can handle it, even if it's in juice form. But mostly it's soup (which is really high sodium, can't eat low sodium soup), saltine crackers, 7up, toast, OJ and tea. That's about all I can handle.
  • rhichi
    rhichi Posts: 133
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    @kathleen: It's just a seasonal thing I get twice every year (yes, twice, it sucks). It's not at all severe, just a pain in the *kitten* and not even worth getting medication for.

    @others: How do I tell my body to shut up about the junk then? It really seems like all I want is high-fat and sugar stuff. I keep trying to tell my body that it can have plenty of fruits and vegetables instead, but my body goes "NO! I WANT NACHOS AND CANDY!! RAWR!"
  • t_rog
    t_rog Posts: 363 Member
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    when i get sick, i just take it as a loss and eat what i want/drink juice/whatever it takes to make me feel better.
  • hhorncastle
    hhorncastle Posts: 84 Member
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    I've just been home sick for three days. No energy, just laying around.. but luckily for me, I didn't have much of an appetite. Chicken soup and lots of water was fine for me. Do you want to eat because you're hungry, or because it's a comfort mechanism? If you're hungry .. eat. But I'm feeling a little better today, got my appetite back and just splurged on Chinese food and I already regret it. I hope you feel better soon, either way!
  • fiberartist219
    fiberartist219 Posts: 1,865 Member
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    Why do you want to lose weight?

    Personally, I want to do it to be healthy. However, if I'm tired and not getting enough nutrition, I'm sure as hell going to eat, because being healthy is more important than being skinny. The whole reason I want to be skinny is to be healthy, so to do something dangerous for my health in the name of being thin is completely backwards.

    I don't think eating bigger meals for a couple days will completely derail your hard work.

    I was at 165lbs when I started seriously logging my food last summer. By then end of July, I was exhausted, but I had lost 5 lbs. About halfway through August, I fell off the wagon and gained three of them back. However, I was still down a net of two pounds, so the effort was still worth it!

    I stayed at 163 until about October. I got back on the wagon, but with a different approach. I've been losing/maintaining ever since. I will lose steadily for a couple weeks, then I'll maintain for a few weeks, but I'll take as long as I need to get this done without depriving myself.

    I say, if you feel like crap, set your calories to maintenance level for as long as you need to. Don't gain the weight back, but don't push yourself too hard either.

    Food is not the enemy.
  • hhorncastle
    hhorncastle Posts: 84 Member
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    @others: How do I tell my body to shut up about the junk then? It really seems like all I want is high-fat and sugar stuff. I keep trying to tell my body that it can have plenty of fruits and vegetables instead, but my body goes "NO! I WANT NACHOS AND CANDY!! RAWR!"

    Same thing you tell it when you're NOT sick! ;)
  • MaximalLife
    MaximalLife Posts: 2,447 Member
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    What is this obsession with the scale?
    When you're sick, flood your body with nutrients.
    If you have a juicer, drink like crazy, and if not, get V8.
    Make fruit smoothies, and get some lean protein.

    What good is weight loss if health is not part of the deal?
  • fiberartist219
    fiberartist219 Posts: 1,865 Member
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    I just went back and read through all the replies... if you want nachos and candy, you can have some, but please put a limit on it. Log those calories like you would anything else.

    I try to eat the healthy foods FIRST and then see if I really want dessert later, I have to work out some to earn it.
  • tinksmommy2006
    tinksmommy2006 Posts: 575
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    @kathleen: It's just a seasonal thing I get twice every year (yes, twice, it sucks). It's not at all severe, just a pain in the *kitten* and not even worth getting medication for.

    @others: How do I tell my body to shut up about the junk then? It really seems like all I want is high-fat and sugar stuff. I keep trying to tell my body that it can have plenty of fruits and vegetables instead, but my body goes "NO! I WANT NACHOS AND CANDY!! RAWR!"

    I do not tell my body no. And if I only lose the 50 lbs...I won't tell it no ever. I do not believe in taking anything out of your diet totaly. Like pop...I like pop...in a normal week I don't even drink it...but if I crave it I allow myself 1 can to get over the craving. Same with every other "bad" food...if I crave it I work it into my day...I just don't allow myself to go over bored with it:) BUT I have noticed that when I started eating the fruits and veggies and lean meats more regularly and got into more of a stable eating habit with all of them...the craving have been few and far between when before they where on a regular basis. and even the days when I know I am eating like poop...those are the days I end up craving....Hope this helps hun:)
  • glennstoudt
    glennstoudt Posts: 403 Member
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    Check your B vitamin intake. Might be something to look at given your description of the problem.
  • TamsinEllis
    TamsinEllis Posts: 293
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    I'm sick at the moment (bronchial pneumonia so I'd say I'm pretty sick haha) and I've been sticking with my calories, I haven't exercised like I normally do (in fact I've barely exercised at all) but whilst I am stocking up on comfort food (soup with bread and butter, doughnuts etc) I'm making sure I don't go over on my calories purely because being ill makes me down in the dumps as it is, if you add bad diet and weight gain to that I'm going to get upset (like moaning-crying upset). But that's just what works for me, you might be different and rather exercise to make up the calories you want to eat or just go to maintenance till you feel better, really you're better off asking yourself what you want to/are willing to do rather then ask others when they aren't in your situation. Hope you get better soon :)
  • DenverKos
    DenverKos Posts: 182
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    when i get sick, i just take it as a loss and eat what i want/drink juice/whatever it takes to make me feel better.
    This....if you're sick, forget about the weight loss, lay-off the exercise and rest, and feed your body so you can get well then get on with it. Look at this holistically and not one day, or one week even if you're feeling that bad. Just get better.
  • jenbk2
    jenbk2 Posts: 623 Member
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    I don't mean to be rude- but what is more important- getting healthy or doing some February challenge on a website? I know it comes off as harsh- but your health is so important. Listen to your body.
  • poustotah
    poustotah Posts: 1,121 Member
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    I been sick the last couple of days. I think I ate something bad. At any rate, the only thing I have been able to keep down is carbs. So I have an english muffin with some butter and jam, banans, some chicken soup, anything that I know I won't throw up or if I do, it won't burn coming back up (TMI I know). Right now, my body is telling me to take care of it and to heal. Tomorrow is a new day and we'll start over. I'm not losing weight right now and I won't lose if I don't take care of myself so that's more important to me than some weight loss challenge or anything else.
  • Collinsky
    Collinsky Posts: 593 Member
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    I say, if you feel like crap, set your calories to maintenance level for as long as you need to. Don't gain the weight back, but don't push yourself too hard either.

    Food is not the enemy.

    ^ I totally agree with everything this poster said!! When I'm sick, I might take a few rest-and-refuel days, which for me means eating at (or even a little over) maintenance and either going easy with exercise or taking a total break. Sometimes your body needs to focus it's energies on fighting the illness. Eating at maintenance for a few days or a week won't derail your weight loss. No, you won't lose weight during that week, but sometimes it's okay to hit the "pause" button on that goal, stay at the same weight until you feel better, and put your efforts into getting well.

    Also, if you are keeping your calories within your maintenance limit, if you eat some ice cream or nachos or something, it's not going to pack the pounds on you. You do need adequate nutrition to help your immune system do its job, of course, and you shouldn't just live off nachos... but allowing yourself what you want is fine -- as long as you're getting good nutrition over the course of the day, and not going very much over your maintenance calories several days in a row.*

    *Although, I'd like to add that if you do, the worst thing that might happen is a small gain of a pound, that will be gone once you go back to a deficit for a week or so. Maybe that's not what you would prefer, but if you're very sick, then it might be something that doesn't matter very much in the long run.

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