exercise or not to exercise ,while fighting a cold..

tlcampos
tlcampos Posts: 31 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I was wondering what the majority does when your fighting a cold ,Do you continue doing your workouts or let your body recover ? I am currently still exercising because it seems when i always get dedicated to working out i get sick.so i dont want it to be a excuse or road block in my goals...i am not sick enough to stay home from work , and i do feel better after a workout ,but i can feel the cold lingering on..sooo what do you guys do????

Replies

  • pastryari
    pastryari Posts: 8,646 Member
    I would let my body rest and recuperate. You don't want to make it worse!
  • santanagirl95
    santanagirl95 Posts: 11
    If you are feeling REALLY sick, you need to take a day off and rest... If you don't get enough rest you wont lose weight anyway and you will feel miserable to boot... If you are well enough to go to work, then just do a light workout. Don't push yourself as hard, but still participate in your exercise... Just take it easy. This way you don't break the habit of exercising. I know the feeling of being afraid to miss a day... I was the same way. I was so afraid to miss one day of Curves, because, like you, I had been doing good on an exercise regime before, and then something came up and I had to miss... the next thing I knew a month had gone by and I was still telling myself I would start exercising again tomorrow...But as long as you are determined to lose weight, you will be ok... I DID miss one day of curves a couple months ago.. I was SICK.... but I simply made myself go the next day when I was feeling a little better and basically went through the motions... I stepped in place on my boards instead of my usual strenuous workout and made it through the next few days until I was better...and here I am today...52 pounds lighter and down from a 16 to a 6. You can do it. If I can, ANYONE can. seriously... Anyone. Good Luck! :)
  • vim_n_vigor
    vim_n_vigor Posts: 4,089 Member
    It really depends on symptoms. If I find myself asking this question though, it is usually a good sign that I shouldn't.
  • kimothy38
    kimothy38 Posts: 840 Member
    Your body needs to recuperate and conserve it's energy so I vote not to exercise - even just for a few days till the worst of it is over.
  • tennisbabe94
    tennisbabe94 Posts: 444 Member
    For me, it usually depends on how sick I feel. If I can manage, I try to get in a short workout, anywhere from 10-15 minutes is fine. If I'm feeling awful, I take a rest day and let myself get better. Working out is important, but so is feeling healthy!
  • pudadough
    pudadough Posts: 1,271 Member
    I read somewhere that it's ok to workout as long as you don't have a fever. So most colds should be ok. But if you feel like poop, don't beat yourself up if you need to take it easy and rest!
  • poncito
    poncito Posts: 19
    no exercise :(
  • HypersonicFitNess
    HypersonicFitNess Posts: 1,219 Member
    It really depends on how sick you are. If you just have a little cold, the exercise isn't going to make you worse.

    However, if your body is wore down and your achy and feverish; you should take off. Listen to your body...it will let you know whether you can or can't do exercise.

    YOu can always do something low key; walk on the treadmill at a slower pace than normal or ride a stationary bike at a lower speed. You'll still be burning calories without stressing your body out. Again, though....listen to your body. Are you wore down or do you just want an excuse not to exercise?
  • seehe
    seehe Posts: 946 Member
    Personally, I would load up on Zicam, vitamin C and every other good nutrient and rest to build back your strength. I also wonder why you are getting sick every time you get into an exercise routine? Are you monitoring your heart rate? Could you be pushing too hard? Are you getting enough sleep and good nutrition?
  • Flixie00
    Flixie00 Posts: 1,195 Member
    I had this problem a couple of months ago. I decided that as I was well enough to go to work, I was well enough to work out. I was always brought up to believe that sweating out a cold helps, and it did in that instance.
  • RunMyOregonBunsOff
    RunMyOregonBunsOff Posts: 862 Member
    For a cold I tend to still workout but maybe not as much. I often feel better after I break a good sweat for a little. If I'm running a fever, throwing up or other big symptoms then just rest. Feel better. If you decide not to workout then after you are feeling better, just get back to it.
  • seehe
    seehe Posts: 946 Member
    I was wondering what the majority does when your fighting a cold ,Do you continue doing your workouts or let your body recover ? I am currently still exercising because it seems when i always get dedicated to working out i get sick.so i dont want it to be a excuse or road block in my goals...i am not sick enough to stay home from work , and i do feel better after a workout ,but i can feel the cold lingering on..sooo what do you guys do????
    [/quote




    OK, so after my first response, I got curious and Googled it on the Mayo Clinic website, and this is their advice:

    Exercise and illness: Work out with a cold?
    By Mayo Clinic staff
    Original Article: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/exercise/AN01097
    Question
    Exercise and illness: Work out with a cold?
    Is it OK to exercise if I have a cold?
    Answer
    from Edward R. Laskowski, M.D.

    Mild to moderate physical activity is usually OK if you have a garden-variety cold and no fever. Exercise may even help you feel better by opening your nasal passages and temporarily relieving nasal congestion.

    As a general guide for exercise and illness, consider this:

    Exercise is usually OK if your signs and symptoms are all "above the neck" — symptoms you may have with a common cold, such as runny nose, nasal congestion, sneezing or minor sore throat. Consider reducing the intensity and length of your workout, though, or you may feel worse. Instead of going for a run, take a walk, for example.
    Don't exercise if your signs and symptoms are "below the neck" — such as chest congestion, hacking cough or upset stomach.
    Don't exercise if you have a fever, fatigue or widespread muscle aches.

    Let your body be your guide. If you have a cold and feel miserable, take a break. Scaling back or taking a few days off from exercise when you're sick shouldn't affect your performance. Resume your normal workout routine gradually as you begin to feel better. And check with your doctor if you aren't sure if it's OK to exercise.

    Remember if you do choose to exercise when you're sick, reduce the intensity and length of your workout. If you attempt to exercise at your normal intensity when you have more than a simple cold, you could risk more serious injury or illness.
  • tlcampos
    tlcampos Posts: 31 Member
    thank you all for your comments and @seehe for the look up on the info ...i do feel much better ...thanks again...

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