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How sick is too sick?

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Posts: 35
edited January 7 in Fitness and Exercise
How do you know when you are too unwell to work out?

Take a cold for example, will exercising through it make it last longer? Or could working out actually make you feel better?

Not sick at the moment, just curious :)

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  • Posts: 202 Member
    My mom's a nurse - she always told me it it was above the neck - ie sniffles, congestion - it was ok, anything below the neck - body aches, serious cough, etc - take a day off.

    If it's just a head cold I'll still work out, maybe at a lower intensity. It generally makes me feel better and will help clear me out a bit.
  • Posts: 581 Member
    ^ I think that pretty well sums it up.

    I've always worked out through sickness, although when I was highly symptomatic of my Ulcerative Colitis flare-up, I was unable to really muster the energy. Since starting to really keep on top of fitness, however, I haven't ever had a bad sickness aside from that.
  • Posts: 5,769 Member
    If I want to exercise, I exercise. If I don't feel like exercise (other than the usual laziness) then I don't. I find quite often that if my head is stuffed up that running will help clear it out!
  • Posts: 709 Member
    My mom's a nurse - she always told me it it was above the neck - ie sniffles, congestion - it was ok, anything below the neck - body aches, serious cough, etc - take a day off.

    If it's just a head cold I'll still work out, maybe at a lower intensity. It generally makes me feel better and will help clear me out a bit.

    My kickboxing trainer said this too.
  • Posts: 3,924 Member
    When I throw up between sets.
  • Posts: 632 Member
    I had a knee problem last night and a really bad headache -- I didn't work out but I felt much better today so I worked out this morning. I go by how my body feels, leaning toward working out if possible and I am NOT contagious. I promise myself if I don't feel better after 10 minutes, I'll stop.
  • Posts: 183 Member
    Perfect timing on the question...I currently have a head cold with dizziness and I wonder if staying in bed just makes it worse.
  • Posts: 11,068 Member
    One additional note I'd consider:

    Even if it's "just a cold" I would suggest not working out in a public gym where you then go around giving other people your cold.
  • Posts: 460 Member
    I always take a week off when I have a cold, as even just going for a short 15 min walk leaves me breathless. I seem to get a cough with all colds so it seems sensible. I have heard the above and below the neck thing as well.

    Good point about not infecting other people at the gym too. Especially as colds could be transmitted through touching gym equipment that hasn't been cleaned by previous user.
  • Posts: 280 Member
    One additional note I'd consider:

    Even if it's "just a cold" I would suggest not working out in a public gym where you then go around giving other people your cold.

    ^ EXACTLY!
  • Posts: 3,845 Member
    Stay out of the gym.
  • Posts: 1,018 Member
    When you kiss the goat in the mouth....
  • Posts: 2,889 Member
    I would prefer if people with head colds worked out at home and didn't bring those germs to gym. There are effective home workouts that can be done.
  • Posts: 891 Member
    My guide on this is pretty simple, if I can get myself motivated to workout, I'm gonna work out. If I feel so awful that I can't get myself to get out of bed and exercise then I don't.
  • Posts: 147 Member
    im sick now...i still exercise...just nothing crazy..i have an elliptical at home..i may get on that..i walk my dogs twice a day every day regardless of how i feel..(they have to go)...i tend to feel better after i exercise...finish my day hot steamy shower and into bed...
  • Posts: 81 Member
    "Above the neck, what the heck; In the chest, take a rest!"
  • Posts: 1,450 Member
    If you're using a gym and you're contagious, please don't go. You might want to push yourself, but it's unfair and impolite to expose others to whatever germies you might have.

    If it's just a sniffle and you aren't spewing bacteria and viruses all over the place, listen to your body. If you think you can push through it, do it. If you're achy or exhausted, take it easy.
  • Posts: 819 Member
    If you've got a temp. Take a break.
  • Posts: 341 Member
    My mom's a nurse - she always told me it it was above the neck - ie sniffles, congestion - it was ok, anything below the neck - body aches, serious cough, etc - take a day off.

    If it's just a head cold I'll still work out, maybe at a lower intensity. It generally makes me feel better and will help clear me out a bit.

    This is my rule also, except that I also take the day off when I have a fever. It generally means that your body needs rest.

    Now, when I have just the sniffles, I swear it helps me get well more quickly when I work out. It makes me have more energy when I'm done with my workout, and my colds seem to have a shorter run.
  • Posts: 426 Member
    My mom's a nurse - she always told me it it was above the neck - ie sniffles, congestion - it was ok, anything below the neck - body aches, serious cough, etc - take a day off.

    If it's just a head cold I'll still work out, maybe at a lower intensity. It generally makes me feel better and will help clear me out a bit.

    This is the rule of thumb that almost every fitness type instructor/book/magazine/guru seems to use and it usually works for me. As others have said, avoid the public gym if you're contagious regardless of whether you "feel OK". Under no circumstances work out with any significant fever. Exercise aggravates fever (both naturally elevate your body temp), and I know of people who've had to go to the hospital after a hard workout with a fever, You can make it worse or accidentally dehydrate yourself really easily.
  • Posts: 143
    if you can't get up and go... then you are too sick.
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