calorie intake while sick

MonsterToBe

I'm used to eating at a deficit of 500 to 1000 calories. My activity level is way down right now and I'm sick -- wondering what has worked for other people? I'm thinking I should eat my sedentary TDEE till I'm over whatever this is.

SideSteel

When I'm sick, I don't give a $&@$ about calories or macros.

cmriverside

I agree with sidesteel...and thankfully I'm never sick....knock knock.

bahacca

I'm with sidesteel as well. Eat whatever the heck your body tells you it needs. It is HEALING and FIGHTING. It needs fuel! I had a horrible cold/sinus infection for 2 weeks. I ate what the heck I needed-bread, jello, probably a gallon of 7-up. I didn't gain weight at all either. Just do what your body tells you.

MonsterToBe

I'm less inclined to go with what I feel like eating, because that tends to be more driven by foods I associate with making me feel better (comfort foods) than anything my body's actually telling me. Mashed potatoes, noodles, sugary things -- and I'm diabetic. I know from experience that even though I feel like they'll make me feel good, any such feelings go away shortly after I'm done eating. I'm trying to make healthy choices and actually get better rather than fall back into those old habits just because I'm sick.

CloverCreeper

I would pay attention to what your body is telling you.
Try to eat healthy foods, and maybe small portions of
'comfort foods'.

If you are hungry eat because your body may need the
extra energy. (:

RVfrog

I'm so sick right now.....eating is the last thing I want. Chicken noodle soup and toast. I could care less what I should have.

Natihilator

I'm less inclined to go with what I feel like eating, because that tends to be more driven by foods I associate with making me feel better (comfort foods) than anything my body's actually telling me. Mashed potatoes, noodles, sugary things -- and I'm diabetic. I know from experience that even though I feel like they'll make me feel good, any such feelings go away shortly after I'm done eating. I'm trying to make healthy choices and actually get better rather than fall back into those old habits just because I'm sick.

Stay away from the sugar. I personally go for lots of tea and broth-based soups, wonton is one of my faves when sick. Noodles won't kill your diet, just don't binge on them...

Ejourneys

All I can say is: Listen to your body. By that I mean listen to what you need physically, not necessarily emotionally. There's a difference between comfort foods and healing foods.

I had a bad cold the last week of October. For most of that week all I could stomach was tea with honey and crispbread. Near the end I could add chicken noodle soup. And no way could I exercise at all -- I slept as much as I could.

But that was one week (and 4 pounds down). Once I healed I bounced back -- made sure that I ate enough and ate a good balance of foods. I eased myself back into exercise, scaling my resistance level back and then slowly forward again. When I was sick I worried that I was losing weight too quickly, but my body made up for that and took about two weeks to drop another half pound. It sought out and found its equilibrium.

Focus on getting well, first and foremost. The old rulebook doesn't apply when you're sick.

cleotherio

I have a cold right now. I felt OK this morning and had some eggs for breakfast. I even did a stretching routine. Since then I've felt blah and I haven't really eaten anything today other than bread and butter and cookies. I have no motivation to prepare anything. I'm going to bed early and hopefully wake up feeling better than I do now.