Feed a cold, starve a fever? I'm struggling big style :(

phanmale
phanmale Posts: 25
in Motivation and Support
Hi,
I've had this stinking cold for almost a week now and felt pretty rotten throughout :(

Lost my sense of smell and taste about 3 days ago - no food is appealing, everything I eat tastes like cardboard.

I'm craving a plate of chip shop chips and really trying hard not to give into indulgence, but feel like I want to eat everything in sight even though it's tasteless. Is there any truth to the "feed a cold, starve a fever" phrase and if so, how do I get round it? I'm positive if I could give my body what it wants, I would recover faster, atm I just have no energy for exercise and really not looking forward to my weekly weigh in.

Your thoughts, tips and motivation would be greatly appreciated!

Replies

  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,149 Member
    I deal with getting better than staying with in calorie limits. Have the chips. Get your body back to not being sick.
  • carol1930
    carol1930 Posts: 5 Member
    Don't eat the high-cal foods. Wait until you can actually "taste" them; sugar and fat are the last thing your body needs right now. After all, it's trying to fight the bad bugs. Eat soup and hot liquids. Pump yourself up with Vitamin C and extra Vitamin B. Run a humidifier. Hold off on the exercise. Give yourself the excuse to take a nap during your normal exercise time. Do what you have to to avoid the sugar. It's absolutely the worst thing for you right now.
  • phanmale
    phanmale Posts: 25
    Thanks for your replies, although they were contradictory!
    I had a cup of soup for lunch and half a portion of chips for my dinner, and also went for a walk to help counteract the calories and to get some fresh air.

    Thanks again, Ill just fill up on slim a soups instead of snacking until my taste resolves, hopefully it won't be too much longer!
  • ChristieisReady
    ChristieisReady Posts: 708 Member
    Actually, on "feed a cold, starve a fever"? The current wisdom is to "drown 'em both". LOTS of liquids. I wouldn't worry about the fat right now, but definitely avoid sugar. Your body is using more calories than normal right now, especially if you're running a temperature. It would not be a bad plan to go to "maintenance calories" until you feel better. But don't just eat everything in sight. Soups, lots of garlic, salt (I know, but when you're sick, salt is good), and all kinds of fluids are great plans right now. Feel better soon! :drinker:
  • chroniclesofthinoholic
    chroniclesofthinoholic Posts: 143 Member
    I totally understand what you're going through.... been having this horrible cold and i get so hungry and tired i must just must feed it...and i do and i honestly think it's ok to.... but have hot soup and tea first before you reach for the bag of chips.... and then allow yourself to a treat....you'll eat less and feel better....
    Also weirdly my cold stops completely during a workout... it's worked .fr few of my friends as well.... if you don't have fever then high intensity workouts somehow really reduces cold... works for me may not for you.... if you can give it a try :)


    Hope you feel better soon!
  • phanmale
    phanmale Posts: 25
    Actually, on "feed a cold, starve a fever"? The current wisdom is to "drown 'em both". LOTS of liquids. I wouldn't worry about the fat right now, but definitely avoid sugar. Your body is using more calories than normal right now, especially if you're running a temperature. It would not be a bad plan to go to "maintenance calories" until you feel better. But don't just eat everything in sight. Soups, lots of garlic, salt (I know, but when you're sick, salt is good), and all kinds of fluids are great plans right now. Feel better soon! :drinker:
    Its strange that you mention the salt, because my son picked up the chips on his way home from work (hence I could only eat half a portion, as the other half was spoken for ;) ) and I asked him to salt them before he left the shop, but also added salt when he got home. I did'nt really taste the chips as they should have done, although they were very welcomed, and apart from the extremely dry mouth I was left with making me reach for glasses of water, I actually felt better for eating them. Still have my cold, but don't have the cravings I was having before, Weird :-/
  • phanmale
    phanmale Posts: 25
    I totally understand what you're going through.... been having this horrible cold and i get so hungry and tired i must just must feed it...and i do and i honestly think it's ok to.... but have hot soup and tea first before you reach for the bag of chips.... and then allow yourself to a treat....you'll eat less and feel better....
    Also weirdly my cold stops completely during a workout... it's worked .fr few of my friends as well.... if you don't have fever then high intensity workouts somehow really reduces cold... works for me may not for you.... if you can give it a try :)


    Hope you feel better soon!

    Been alternating between hot lemon and cups of tea, although the lemon seems more refreshing, and had a couple of walks today - hopefully it will help shrug it off - Im fed up blowing my sore nose every two minutes!!
  • rachelbethany
    rachelbethany Posts: 211 Member
    Soups are your best bet. The hotter and spicier, the better. It's easy to keep soups low calorie while still including some of your favorite veggies/meats/flavors. Plus, they're easy to make even when you're sick. Just dump stuff in a stockpot and keep tasting it until you like the way it tastes. I also totally subscribe to the lots of vitamin-C + chicken broth school of thought for colds, so chicken soup with lots of vitamin-C loaded veggies like tomatoes and carrots would be good, too.
  • fitambitious
    fitambitious Posts: 57 Member
    Eat well! Your body needs those extra calories to fight off those viruses.
  • MED2012COLORADO
    MED2012COLORADO Posts: 238
    Make a garlic, ginger, and hot pepper soup .....sip a cup twice a day until cold is gone.

    Low sodium chicken.or vegetable broth, fresh crushed garlic, fresh minced ginger, crushed hot pepper flakes and some herbs of your choice ( i chop up rosemary) . zimmer slowly. Works for me. however i drink this when i start to feel sick and it kicks it everytime. Hope you feel better soon.:flowerforyou:
  • anemoneprose
    anemoneprose Posts: 1,805 Member
    When I'm sick I mostly eat what my body wants/allows me to eat. Idk about chips, but carbs certainly aren't to be avoided - you burn a few extra calories fighting bugs, & need energy.
  • phanmale
    phanmale Posts: 25
    Just a quick update, although I still have a "stuffy" nose, I'm feeling much better and have put my back into some gardening and a few walks.
    I lost 2.4lb at weighin - not eating very well probably accounted for most of that, but it has given me the incentive to "be extra good" this week :)

    Thanks for everybody's responses, it helped towards the end to realise what were the "better" foods for me to eat and will remember it for future reference :)
  • liittlesparrow
    liittlesparrow Posts: 209 Member
    Eat something healthy. Don't eat chips.... Eat something that will do your body some good. If you're not hungry, don't eat. Maybe have some soup or fruit if you are hungry. But defiantly not chips.

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