Feeling worried about losing steam

Micahroni84

I'm on week five of my new life and I am sick with a sever cold and laryngitus. I've been sick for four days and I managed to work out for the first 2 of those days but yesterday I took a rest day and it looks like I'm taking another one today.

In the last 5 weeks, other than my regular rest day on Sunday I've only taken 1 day off from the gym and that was to take my son to the zoo. 2 hours of walking burned enough to make me feel ok about missing it though.

I'm depressed about missing 2 days of excercise and I'm terrified that I wont feel well enough to work out tomorrow and that 2 days will turn into 3,4,5+ and that I will fall back into my old ways. I'm still just in the beginning of this new life journey and I'm loving it but I know that it's easy to fall back into old habits.

Usually I get sick in the first week of trying to get healthy and I end up never going back to the gym and eating poorly again. With 5 weeks behind me this time I'm hoping that when I start feeling better that the desire to get to the gym will come back to me.

Has anyone else experienced this and how did you keep yourself motivated?

kellicruz1978

I have had to take a week off here and there for illness, over the last 8 months or so. Currently I am taking a week off because I hurt my back. And although it is scary and your first reaction is to paninc and feel guilty about not working out, let it go. You WILL get back to the exercise, and your body will respond quickly once you do.

gseburn

You really do need to think in the long-term. We all get sick, we all have off days, will all have times of progress or struggle. Get well and get back at it! You can do it and your body will thank you in the long run. Try upping your vitamin C, try Oil of Oregano, etc. Might help you get over it more quickly.

All the best!

TheGoblinRoad

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/TheGoblinRoad/view/in-case-of-life-break-glass-216416

That's a post I wrote that is relevant.

I'm definitely having a week like that right now. I've been sick with a bad cold, and while this hasn't affected my exercise ONLY because I can barely exercise due to leg problems, I'm struggling with food.

We just got to hang in there, keep logging in to MFP, and NEVER give up.

myfitnessnmhoy

I eat back my exercise calories, so on days when I can't (or don't feel like) exercising I'm eating less. Then, when I'm feeling better again, earning enough calories to eat more is usually enough motivation for me to get started again.

smallfishbigcampus

First, congratulations on making it through five weeks! Thats awesome. If you are sick, or feeling sick its really important to listen to your body. Stop, and take care of it. If you're feeling sluggish or sick don't push yourself at the gym because you'll only make your body more tired and increase the amount of time it'll take to heal!! Missing a few days at the gym is okay!! Don't beat yourself up about it! It sounds like you're pushing yourself really really really hard! But you have to listen to your body.

Organic/fresh orange juice is great! Lots of citrus fruit will increase energy. Airborne tablets are awesome for fighting off colds. Eat lots and lots of fruit and low sodium soups and that way you'll keep your calorie intake low but also work on getting healthier and chasing away that awful cold!

Good luck! Take a well deserved rest!

iva001

Just get well soon and go back to the gym when your better. simple as that.

Laurej

It's really tough when you're sick. Have you tried airborne? I love it whenever I feel like I'm starting to get sick, really helps me kick whatever I'm coming down with

HANG in there, and 1st chance you feel ok, go out n get 'em!

dhakiyya

Exercising while you're sick is not a good idea (when you're really sick, exercising with a mild cold won't hurt) because your immune system is involved in helping you to rebuild muscle tissue, so if your immune system cells are in your muscles, there's less available to kill the bacteria/viruses, and your immune system is basically fighting on two fronts. Sometimes getting sick more easily is a sign that you're overtraining or undereating or a combination of the two.

When sick, rest, but keep on eating clean. When you feel better again, get back into the exercises slowly. If you feel your motivation is slipping, then stay motivated by watching motivational videos and that kind of thing - think about what motivated you to start working out in the first place.

I understand how you feel about this, because I'm very habit orientated and if I get out of the habit of doing something it's hard to get back into it again. But you can do it, because you got into good habits to begin with, if you have to have a break because of illness, have a break, then work hard on motivation to get yourself back into that habit. You're not at the mercy of this illness, and even if you're not ill, it's a good idea to take breaks from exercise and to have refeed days (where you eat your TDEE calories rather than your deficit calories) just to give your body a break and it also helps to keep your metabolism fast.

JConstine

The gym isn't going anywhere. Take the time you need to rest and get back to it when your body is healthy and strong enough for the workout to actually make a difference. I know there can be some anxiety from thinking you might go back to your old habits but you already took the first step to a healthy lifestyle and part of keeping that up is taking rest when you really need to.

roslynds9

Hi there,

First of all, I hope you feel better soon! Secondly, I've totally felt like this in the past. When I first joined MFP I was working out all the time, doing fitness DVDs pretty much every day in the house. As time went on the exercise slipped and slipped and then for a while my calories started slipping too. Thankfully I have a lot of great people on MFP who help to motivate me and more importantly I have a great support network of family and friends who are helping to keep me going. I would say that if you feel like you are losing motivation or you need a little boost don't be afraid to ask for it. There are loads of great people on this site who will help to motivate you and spur you on and give you a verbal kick in the pants if you need it. If you have friends and family who can support you out-with MFP why not have a chat with them and ask them to call you when you're feeling better and invite you out for a run or to the gym so you have someone to get you started again when you're well.

At the end of the day if you slip back into old habits the only person you let down is yourself. If this life change is something that you really really want and you're determined to do it then you will, but there is no harm in asking for a little help along the way

Feel free to add me as a friend if you'd like an extra person you can count on

Feel better soon hun,
Roz

Polly758

Usually I get sick in the first week of trying to get healthy

This has happened to me a number of times, when I realize I havne't been jogging for months and I need to get back on it. I don't know if it's the sudden change that hits my immune system, or the gym cooties =/

Listen to your body. Sit down when you need to, sleep when you need to. THAT IS A BIG PART OF HEALTH, rest and hearing your body and listening.

Perhaps you can take the opportunity to focus on another area of your health, read some nutrition books/blogs, get some oranges and make fresh juice, learn how to cook cabbage 5 ways, I don't know, whatever you have the energy for! This way, you'll be maintaining healthy thoughts while you give your body time to recover, and you'll be able to hit the ground running (no pun intended) when you feel better.

Captain_Tightpants

It's got to be a lifestyle change if you want to keep off what you lose. So you've got to be gentle and forgive yourself for slip ups, especially when you're sick. Sicknesses will come and go, make a vow to yourself that you'll take it easy whenever you're sick but get right back on track as soon as you're able. Try to remember that your graph line of healthy behavior will never be a straight one, it will always be peaks and troughs. The key is to ride out the waves without turning them into give-ups.

mjf0461

Feel better and congrats to the 5 weeks of determination and effort given to yourself.
I just wrote on my wall about being dead in the water so to speak. I've been working at this since 1-1-11 and I have hit a wall of just I've had enough. I am tired of counting every calorie, every calorie burned and eaten. I am tired of telling my family NO, guys I can't have that on my program. I am just tired of the weight loss madness.
I was told last night by my boyfriend that I have become addicted to the numbers on the scale. He told me I am not trying to sabotage you or discredit your work honey. But you are no longer looking at, how you feel, how you look in your clothes, and the fact that you look good. You have a great hour glass shape, sexy as hell and you are vibrant. Doesn't that matter to you more than the number on the scale. At first it hit me hard and I of course was mad.. But the more I thought about his words the more I realized he was right. He is right. I've lost sight of the reason I was wanting to lose to start with. My health, how I feel about myself, and how I feel in my clothes. I've come a long way, and really would like to drop another 20-25 lbs, but I am giving myself a break from the dieting and counting of calories. I am going to eat in moderation, Eat to live, NOT, Live to eat... I've come along losing 88lbs- 561/4"- 12 pant size down. So I've done good.

Losing steam, yeah I know how ya feel. I recommend setting short realistic goals, and then have that long term goal out there to look at every once and while. I've kept a pair of goal pants hanging on the outside of my closet door as a inscentive. I got in them and had to buy another pair just smaller. lol... Remember your not valued for the size clothes you wear but for the size heart you carry... YOU CAN DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!

Micahroni84

Thank you so much everyone!

I will continue to eat healthy and find support and inspiration on MFP through all of you wonderful people.

After this mornings break down I'm laughing in happiness. I can see now just how much I've changed and how much I want to continue on. Instead of binge eating my feelings or saying, "screw it.I give up!" like I nnormally do, I am crying and reaching out for support. What a change! What a victory!

Again, THANK YOU!