What do you do when you are sick?

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I have a chest cold and fever.... no energy to work out for 3 days! Getting worried about it - how do you folks handle staying on track when you are under the weather?

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  • cholt03
    cholt03 Posts: 20 Member
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    I've not been feeling well the last few days myself. I got some light workouts in though, but couldn't eat my full calories, just made sure I did 1200, so as not to go into starvation.
  • Ashley121205
    Ashley121205 Posts: 131 Member
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    I have a chest cold and fever.... no energy to work out for 3 days! Getting worried about it - how do you folks handle staying on track when you are under the weather?

    I would say if you're not better soon to go to the dr's. But I just am getting over a horribly sore throat/cough that forced me into 3 rest days. When I started feeling better I got back with it. Just try to eat as well as you can. Focus on your health first and then working out when you feel better. I learned the hard way.
  • KaeChelle
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    You take care of yourself and get to feeling better, then start again. When you are sick, you need to rest. Just be mindful of your food choices, but don't push yourself to exercise.
  • Amy_B
    Amy_B Posts: 2,323 Member
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    I've been under the weather for months and have only exercise a few times this entire calendar year. UGH! I just try to watch my food as best as I can. Let your body get better, but try not to overdo it on calories.
  • kryptonitekelly
    kryptonitekelly Posts: 335 Member
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    Depends on what type of sick..

    Vomiting :Eat nothing but drink water, electrolytes etc...and sleep!
    Cold/cough: Eat normally. If not hungry, small amounts through the day. And go on a walk.
    Flu: Fluids and Sleep..
  • murf19
    murf19 Posts: 453 Member
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    I'll rest for a day but at leat try to take a walk or something. You need your rest so don't go crazy but still try to do some activity.
  • kryptonitekelly
    kryptonitekelly Posts: 335 Member
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    Oh! And plenty of chicken noodle soup. Or...congee (rice porridge) which my gran used to make when I was ill as a child as it had all the nutrients needed to get well...:) Some sort of chinese recipe thing.
  • boelyn
    boelyn Posts: 90 Member
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    Hey, your body needs to focussing on getting itself better so the most I would suggest is a gentle walk with lots of fluids. You can get right back on it when you are better, but your health must come first.

    Hope you get better soon

    B
  • tnrunningnurse
    tnrunningnurse Posts: 549 Member
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    Depends on how sick I am. Stomach virus....fluids and rest. Commen cold I generally still go for my runs unless I am so stuffy I can't breathe. Chest cold generally I push fluids and rest. If not seeing signs of getting better after 3 days I go see my MD. Listen to your body. Illness is part of life, don't let it get you down. Just know that soon you will feel better and you can get back on track.
  • RAFValentina
    RAFValentina Posts: 1,231 Member
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    I've not been feeling well the last few days myself. I got some light workouts in though, but couldn't eat my full calories, just made sure I did 1200, so as not to go into starvation.
    You won't go in to starvation mode after 3 days of low calorie eating and the 1200 is an arbitrary number if you ate less you would just use up your reserves on your body i.e. fat and for a few days its not going to make you starve. People do Very Low Calorie diets </= 1000kCal as a medical thing and its not going to cause the mythical starvation mode. The starvation mode is a hella complicated things which is about much more than eating below a certain amount of calories.

    1200 may cause some people to eventually fall in to starvation but ultimately, it depends upon height, weight, gender, activity level, body composition, VO2max etc etc....

    But to answer the OPs question. I focus on getting better rather than staying on track per se and try to eat highly nutritious stuff and where possible just go on a brisk walk, even if I'm all wrapped up. Sometimes makes me feel better. You might want to look at factors as to why you're ill. I didn't get ill all winter and I strongly believe that's because of my diet and exercise regime.OK I lie, I had a sniffle, but never a full blown cold or chest infection.

    Make sure you get plenty of zinc and plain fluids in to your diet as well as things like protein and low GI carbs. Vitamin C won't help with the current infection but will help build up your immune system against further infections.

    Hot drinks help and take sufficient analgesics(paracetamol) to bring down a temperature and anti-inflammatories (ibuprofen) to reduce any pain from swelling due to infection like sore throats/earache etc. If its a chesty cough you have... check with the doctor because you may need antibiotics.

    Honey, especially unpasteurised and manuka have great healing properties so have a spoonful on toast or something. or even stir into hot water with some lemon juice!
  • wurgin
    wurgin Posts: 241 Member
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    yeah - it doesn't help that for the first time since I started on this journey I went "off the plan" for 2 days intending to work out extra hard yesterday and today. Jeepers. now those extra calories are just sitting here making fat.

    I reall yhave to try to get on the excercycle. Sooooo tired. Maybe a nap first.
  • wurgin
    wurgin Posts: 241 Member
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    Good advise here - I am on the honey in hot water with lemon - it helps the cough. I know why I am sick:one child in daycare and the other in grade 3 - they are fabulous vectors for infection ;) Plus I couldn't rest yesterday because w ehad a birthday party with 9 9 year olds! Nap time, thanks all :)