When you are sick

penith113
penith113 Posts: 113 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Do you exercise?
Do you drink enough water?

All I want to do is stay home and lay on the couch. :cry:

I did manage a walk at lunch.

But what I am really curious about is the water. I am not thirsty at all when I am sick. And all I can think about is the doctors advice to drink plenty of fluids. Why when my body really needs the water do I totally reject it?

Replies

  • Unknown
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  • mllst18
    mllst18 Posts: 188 Member
    I asked my dietician about what I should do when I'm sick. This is what he said--

    Most definitely DO NOT exercise. Drink as much water as you can handle. Eat as many fruits and veggies as possible (they have antioxidants). And don't worry about limiting calorie intake since you will need the extra calories to fight the cold.

    When I was sick, I ate everything in sight and got on the scale afterward, and still LOST weight. Yes, lost it. Your body needs the calories! Good luck!
  • penith113
    penith113 Posts: 113 Member
    Good advice, Thanks! I guess I'll go fill my cup.
    When i'm healthy I CRAVE cold water. It feels refreshing and sometimes I think I might actually even drink too much.
    But when i'm sick its a struggle to get it down. It's like it tastes bad or something lol.
    I did bring a lemon to squeeze in my water today, maybe that will help me get more down.
  • kmm8784
    kmm8784 Posts: 102 Member
    I ran across the same question asked to Jillian Michaels and this was her response: The rule of thumb for exercising while sick is called the above/below-the-neck rule. If your symptoms appear above the neck (runny nose, sneezing, sore throat), then yes, you can continue with a low-intensity workout. Studies have shown that exercising at a moderate-intensity level does not intensify cold symptoms or compromise the immune system. Avoid high-intensity exercise, such as heavy weight lifting and high-intensity aerobic training, which has been shown to have a negative impact on the immune system during a cold or any respiratory infection.

    If your symptoms are below the neck (diarrhea, intense coughing, vomiting, fever), then the American College of Sports Medicine and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest you let your illness run its course before resuming physical activity.
  • BeckySue1977
    BeckySue1977 Posts: 91 Member
    Still getting over being sick last Friday... I found I had a hard time keeping water down too. I sipped on it all day, but even that didn't want to stay down. As I started feeling better over the weekend, then I couldn't get enough to drink, probably because I was dehydrated from the one truly horrible day!
    I really feel like you need to do what your body is telling you, but be smart about the messages you are getting. In general, you do need water/fluids when you're sick. But, and maybe this is TMI, I kind of keep an eye on how much I am peeing when evaluating the need for pushing fluids. If I'm peeing normally, then I'm probably not dehydrated. If its less frequent or small amounts, then I try to drink more.
    Exercise as you feel up to it. Listen to your body. If moving makes you feel bad, then relax and let your body recover. A slow walk might help ease abdominal pain and fresh air can help clear the head, but last week when I was sick, I was seriously wondering how I was going to find the energy to get out of bed to use the bathroom! A walk was out of the question!
    Hope you feel better soon!
  • stines72
    stines72 Posts: 853 Member
    i take the worst day of it off. basically if i feel miserable just sitting or laying down i take that day off bc i know ill feel even worse exercising.. but i try not to take 2 days off unless its necessary

    oh and what i said is only for colds... if its stomach related i wait until im feeling COMPLETELY better

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