Question about exercising while sick...

CoryIda
CoryIda Posts: 7,870 Member
edited September 22 in Fitness and Exercise
I have been on MFP for a little over a month and have exercised for at least 30-45 minutes every day except Sunday and today. Why not those days? Well, I came down with a sore throat, achy body, and fever on Sunday. I pretty much spent the day in bed. Stayed way on my calories (it's hard to eat stuff when it hurts to swallow), but I didn't get a workout in.
I've been sick ever since but muddled through at work and swam laps for 30 minutes on Monday and got through the hour-long water aerobics class last night. Today, my sore throat is either getting more swollen or else I am getting bronchitis (I get it once or twice every couple of years). Basically, it's hard to breathe, my voice is completely gone, I feel like I can't fully push the air out of my lungs, and I generally feel like crud.
Honestly, I don't want to do anything to make it harder to breathe (e.g. exercise).
Is it okay for me to skip my workout until I can breathe comfortably again or should I work through it?
I am easily staying under my calories and am drinking tons of water (20 cups today), but I want to do the right thing.
Advice, anyone?

Replies

  • megsta21
    megsta21 Posts: 506 Member
    As long as your staying under your cals you should be fine.... I would just take it easy and let your body concentrate on getting better.:flowerforyou:

    When your body gets sick its generally because it needs you to slow up a bit... When your run down from stress, work, exercise, etc your immune system can reflect it, then you get sick, you rest and then recover... so if your body is getting achey and sore, just rest and relax so it can recover.

    Sick body = You need a holiday! hahaha:drinker:
  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
    Do not exercise while you are sick. Get your rest!

    When you are exercising, your immune system actually slows down during that time because the blood is being pumped to the muscles to aid with the workout...which could be helping you to not get any better.

    There's nothing wrong with resting while you are feeling bad. It is actually good for your body. Taking a few days off while you heal is not detrimental to your weight loss, it is advatageous to your overall health.

    Take it easy and feel better!
  • TaraMaria
    TaraMaria Posts: 1,975
    Exactly what they said! I came down with the exact same thing two weeks ago on Friday. The sore throat was killer. Now I have a cough and a pretty sexy voice to boot. Ha ha! It alternates between an old man and a boy going through puberty...either way: Not female.

    Your body needs to rest and you shouldn't push it. Relax, give it a break. When I'm sick, just like you mentioned, I tend to eat way less. But I always tend to drink a lot more juice which can be high in calories. But if thats all I'm consuming and its natural, I don't worry too much. 100 calorie soup and jello is really soothing too!

    Get better soon hunny! :flowerforyou:
  • ashbridge
    ashbridge Posts: 67
    I was sick this past week and had the exact same problem. I tried exercising, but found that I couldn't breath and got oh dizzy at times. I decided after day 2 that I couldn't take it anymore. I wouldn't overly push it if I were you. Let your body rest. But make sure you drink plenty of fluids so you don't get dehydrated and cause more problems!
  • Soapbox
    Soapbox Posts: 38
    Watch out working out 7 days a week can burn you out. I've found 5 days a week is a good mix with weekends off. It gives your body rest.


    And while being sick is usually when I loose weight. Since your body stores water whlie put under a new load. And once you releive it of that load you will drop the excess stored water.
  • hmdavis
    hmdavis Posts: 26
    I'm in the same boat you are. I have been fighting a cold the past week or so, I kept working out, a little lighter than usual last week. Over the weekend I had some big workouts, and now this week, I'm toast. I HAD to take the day off today and rest, I was getting dizzy just walking around my house….So, I say, it's probably better to take it easy and rest to let your body recover than to keep pushing, I'm thinking I may have made myself worse….light workouts only (I'm thinking yoga here), and NOT everyday until I feel all better
  • sereney
    sereney Posts: 69 Member
    Give your body some time to heal. When your body is fighting of an illness, it wants to focus on that, and putting more strain on it could make you feel worse. When people are sick, they tend to not eat a bunch, which is tough on your body already, so adding exercise can make it push even harder.

    Remember Taking a day or two off of your exercise is not going to ruin everything you have done. You have been working at this for a while and the weight did not come off over night. Having a day of rest allows your body to recooperate.
  • spritie
    spritie Posts: 167
    You need to let your body rest and heal, your just going to slow down the healing process by putting it under more stress than it already is under. And anything that is going to cause more respiratory problems is not a good thing.

    I've just had the flu myself and while it was a bit hard to make myself not exercise for 2 weeks other than the occasional light walk when I was getting a bit better it was the right thing to do.

    You need to rest, and look after yourself. Sure continue to watch what you eat, make sure its nutritionally dense healthy food that will also provide your body with what it needs to repair itself and fight off this bug. Stuff like vegetable rich and (if you eat it stuff like chicken) soups fresh fruit especially juicy antioxidant filled ones and lots of fluids that are low in calories (like water and tea) but really good for you are great.

    Sleep also helps :)
  • NutritionDivaRD
    NutritionDivaRD Posts: 467 Member
    I'm just going to echo what has been said above.......you need rest.....your energy needs to be focused on healing. So hold off on the exercise for a few days. Hope you feel better soon. HUGGGGGGGS!
  • CoryIda
    CoryIda Posts: 7,870 Member
    Thanks, everyone! I will take a few days off from exercising and will just eat nutritious foods.
  • Margarette
    Margarette Posts: 69 Member
    Corylda,

    If it makes you feel better. I recently was just sick for a few days. I ate about 200 over my allotted calories and did nothing but sleep. But I still lost 2.5 lbs during those 3 days. So listen to your body give it the time to heal. Focus more on what you're eating rather than how much. And eat when you are hungry (try to drink a lot of water...think about eating an apple or soup if it doesn't sound appealing you really aren't hungry). My body needed way more energy than normal to fight this thing off. So if you really feel like crap, skip the workouts. Hope this helps relieve some of the stress!

    Maggie
  • End6ame
    End6ame Posts: 903
    The general principle I follow is; if the symptoms are only from the neck up (runny nose, sore throat, congestion etc...), I go tho the gym; neck down (body aches, chills, stomach problems, diarrhea, etc...) as well as if you have a fever, take some time to rest and recover.

    If you follow this approach you will find that you may actually feel better faster, then if you just rested for a mild condition. Be careful not to give yourself a "reason" to skip out if you don't have to.
  • ganesha303
    ganesha303 Posts: 257 Member
    I agree with Grglandr. I find that if it is sinus symptoms, "sweating it out" can really help. Also, your lymphatic system is pumped by body movement, so you are more likely to get congestion breaking up and flowing out if you do some dynamic movement (light cardio is great... even walking). Still make sure to get lots of extra rest, fluids, vitamins, etc.
  • Margarette
    Margarette Posts: 69 Member
    Actually let me edit...I also agree with grglander. I was pretty beat up...if its just a sinus infection I would say try it out..Listen to your body.. thats the most important thing.
  • CoryIda
    CoryIda Posts: 7,870 Member
    When I exercised on Monday and Tuesday, it hadn't yet settled in my chest and it did temporarily clear up my sinuses, but I can't imagine trying to do any sort of cardio today.
    It started out with a fever, stuffed sinuses, an achy body, and a sore throat. Now the fever has gone, everything else has stayed, and it has settled in my chest and my lungs are rebelling. I'm wheezing and having a hard time breathing easily. I will skip the exercise for now.
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