Exercise while sick... thoughts??

kissofsun
kissofsun Posts: 29 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Dealing with a viral upper respiratory thing now.. I feel weak as water, but dont want to get off schedule with getting back into my workout routine. Consider short walks vs running.. or should i just rest and feel better? I dont want to loose what i have gained strengh and cardio wise, but also dont want to extend recovery time either...and on top of it all i work nights and flip back to dayshift on my days off.. so sleep is not really on schedule either... thoughts? advice?

Replies

  • ThickMcRunFast
    ThickMcRunFast Posts: 22,511 Member
    Rest. None of us are going to miss the olympics if we skip a few workouts. You won't lose strength in a week.
  • Arleigh7
    Arleigh7 Posts: 150 Member
    I speak from experience as I used to have Chronic Sinus infections (until a doctor found I had nasal poloyps and I had those removed) and when I kept trying to workout instead of resting I just got sicker and sicker and it prolonged my illness and really hurt my progress.

    Best thing is to rest and get your body healthy again as right now it's trying to put all it's energy into fighting the illness.

    Best of luck to a restful and quick recovery!
  • parisallez
    parisallez Posts: 30
    Hey hope u get better real soon. Regarding "losing" your cardio or weightlifting shape, I wouldn't worry about that unless you're out for weeks. Generally muscular atrophy begins to occur about two weeks or so after not strength training a body part because homeostasis determines unneeded muscle tissue should be broken down. Also I do windsprints and Insanity a lot and don't find that endurance suffers unless I've been out about 10 days or more.
    As for working out sick, I'm an RN, and the best advice I ever read about this topic is: if you're illness feels localized like a slight headcold, go ahead. But if your illness has more systemic effects like chills, fever, painful skin, aches, then DO NOT work out because your immune systems is working overtime to overcome the germs and you need rest and all the calories you eat to go toward recovering. hope this helps.
  • SofaKingRad_II
    SofaKingRad_II Posts: 591
    You'll be fine if you rest like you should.
  • jim9097
    jim9097 Posts: 341 Member
    I had a similar issue, well still having; I have not worked out in 8 days and it is really starting to piss me off. But I am having problems still with getting light headed, coughing, etc. Best to just sit it out until I am ready, and suggest you do the same.
  • AllonsYtotheTardis
    AllonsYtotheTardis Posts: 16,947 Member
    ^^ what the nurse said.

    Basically, if it's just a head cold, but I feel fine otherwise - I'll still workout. If I feel like crap, I know my body needs the rest, and I wait until i feel better.
  • Ang108
    Ang108 Posts: 1,711 Member
    Dealing with a viral upper respiratory thing now.. I feel weak as water, but dont want to get off schedule with getting back into my workout routine. Consider short walks vs running.. or should i just rest and feel better? I dont want to loose what i have gained strengh and cardio wise, but also dont want to extend recovery time either...and on top of it all i work nights and flip back to dayshift on my days off.. so sleep is not really on schedule either... thoughts? advice?

    There is nothing to be gained from exercising while your body is dealing with what I assume is an infection. You body is already doing quite a job fighting the virus and you need all reserves available to you. If you can't sleep, then rest. Eat light but nourishing food and stay well hydrated so you will recover as soon and as easily as you can. Take care of yourself and after you have recovered, make a commitment to get back on schedule. Take care of yourself !
  • phoebefry
    phoebefry Posts: 2
    REST!
  • jessikabrook
    jessikabrook Posts: 45 Member
    I have a below the neck rule. If its anything respiratory, gastro etc I won't work out - its not helping anyone. If I'm feeling a cold/flu coming on then I still work out, but thats because I find that sometimes if I catch it working out can make it leave before it starts, but definetly NOT if I am wheezing/coughing/vomiting/etc
  • Mr_Excitement
    Mr_Excitement Posts: 833 Member
    You have to. If you miss even a single day of working out, it means you are a bad person who does not deserve happiness.
    :tongue:
  • astronomicals
    astronomicals Posts: 1,537 Member
    When I see people sick at the gym I make sure to give them a piece of my mind because I don't give a flying duck what they think of me... Youll stay sick a lot longer and you'll get other sick if you're at a gym. Its a lose lose. If you're really lucky you'll have an unfiltered opinionated person like me who has no problem trying to make you cry.

    People go to gyms to get healthy and some people at gyms have serious health problems. Some have immunodeficiencies. You really wanna kill some lady with breast cancer because you had to get a run in next to her? You think I'm exaggerating? Chemo destroys the immune system. A common cold can kill someone in treatment. Rant over.


    but seriously... Im serious.
  • kissofsun
    kissofsun Posts: 29 Member
    THANKS.. AND FEELING MUCH BETTER... AS FAR AS ANY CONCERNS ABOUT BEING SICK AT THE GYM, I WOULD NOT WILLINGLY EXPOSE ANYONE, IF I WERE TO WALK IT WOULD BE ALONE.. OUTSIDE... ANYWHOO.. HOPE TO GET BACK ON PAR TOMORROW.. 15DAYS LATER... WHEW
  • cingle87
    cingle87 Posts: 717 Member
    Ive been trying to get rid of this man-flu for the past week its clearing but still some fuzzyness, however when i first felt like i was coming down with something I tried to go and carry on with my usual lifting routine, after a few sets of deadlift my head was pounding from the effort i was having to do to lift the heavy thing, this along with the fact I kept coughing wasn't fair on other gym goers if I gave them my flu just because I didnt want to miss a work out.

    Stay are home, put your feet up and get better.

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