how do you avoid putting on weight when with the flu?
Juvenica
Posts: 460 Member
I always gain at least 5 pound when I've got the flu. I think partially because I'm off work for a couple of days, partially cause I don't workout when I'm sick. I don't think I'm overeating, hardly eating anything,mostly tea, unsweetened. Any ideas?
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I wouldn't worry about losing weight when ill. I would worry about getting rid of the flu.0
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Just getting over the flu. Everything that went in... came back out. Lost 6 lbs in 3 days. Also gained backed those lbs of lost fluids over the last few days. How do you gain when you're sick?0
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I really don't know , honestly , but I always do. Always have . then it takes me over a week when I get better to get back to previous shape. Maybe its just liquids getting out slow, I don't know0
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I really don't know , honestly , but I always do. Always have . then it takes me over a week when I get better to get back to previous shape. Maybe its just liquids getting out slow, I don't know
Putting on 5 pounds over a 3 day flu - losing that 5 pounds a week after.....sounds like water weight and not a terribly bad thing.0 -
When you're ill, especially with a fever, you retain water (inflammation). Don't worry about it; just focus on getting better.0
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Bfdeal , love ur idea man
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Last time I had the flu, I lost about 10 lbs through throwing up, dehydration, and not being able to eat. I have no idea how anyone could possibly gain weight if you have the flu.0
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This is an issue I have never had...I'm usually good for losing 10 pounds with a flu!!I always gain at least 5 pound when I've got the flu. I think partially because I'm off work for a couple of days, partially cause I don't workout when I'm sick. I don't think I'm overeating, hardly eating anything,mostly tea, unsweetened. Any ideas?
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Southern_Gentleman wrote: »Last time I had the flu, I lost about 10 lbs through throwing up, dehydration, and not being able to eat. I have no idea how anyone could possibly gain weight if you have the flu.
Unfortunately, this has always been my experience as well. I suppose someone who gains is just retaining water probably from drinking more fluids and not being as active.0 -
Southern_Gentleman wrote: »Last time I had the flu, I lost about 10 lbs through throwing up, dehydration, and not being able to eat. I have no idea how anyone could possibly gain weight if you have the flu.
Unfortunately, this has always been my experience as well. I suppose someone who gains is just retaining water probably from drinking more fluids and not being as active.
I wish I could retain some fluids when I have the flu. I retain them in a bucket beside my bed.0 -
hahahaha , well , unfortunately I'm not any lighter , but at least my mood has improved a lot, thanks guys0
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You "don't think" you are overeating? Well, are you, or aren't you? Are you still logging your food accurately? Even not feeling well, you can still log. Or if you are seriously at death's door, you can either write down/photograph everything you eat, or even pre-prepare meals before you get sick, if you feel it coming on.0
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I came to mfp about a week ago , so I'm still new to the whole calorie counting, I'm trying to do my best , since I am not american, don't even live in USA, and most of my food is homemade, of the slow-food kind. But will follow your advice and keep a sharper eye.0
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i just got over bronchitis. I gained 2lbs of water. now that i am better that water weight wooshed away and I am back down to what i was, plus i lost an additional pound. I wouldn't worry about it. It probably will come right off when you start to feel better. The body holds onto water when you are sick.0
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The vomiting, diarrhea and inability to eat prevent me from gaining weight with the flu.
If I get a cold and am extra hungry, I will eat a little more.
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I never get flu but when I'm sick I barely eat anything. I just don't have the appetite for it. MFP always yells at me for only eating 100-300 calories when I'm supposed to be eating 1470.
Also that would be water weight you gained. I usually don't weigh when sick because it's usually messed up with me.0 -
If you're vomitting and have diaherra you don't have the flu.
True flu is respiratory.0 -
5 Lb is well within the realm of natural body weight fluctuations. To actually gain 5 Lbs of fat you would have to consume 3500 x 5 = 17,500 calories OVER your maintenance calories...srsly doubt you're doing that over the course of a week with the flew.
Do the math...0 -
higgins8283801 wrote: »If you're vomitting and have diaherra you don't have the flu.
True flu is respiratory.
Sounds like maybe you are overeating with a bad cold or a stomach virus. No way you are going to gain with the flu. A real case of the flu leaves you balled up in a fetal position unable to move for a week. Eating is the last thing to cross your mind!0 -
perhaps it is less serious than I feared , I'm still with the flu and haven't weighted myself because I'm trying to get well before I care about that again. do log daily as best as i can.
vomiting and diarrhea is not really my style, I got stuffed nose and really bad cough, I don't end up in bed all day. I am sticking to your advice and am keeping count of everything I eat and drink. For just figured that soups, leaf tea with lemon had calories I wasn't accounting for, and so on. thanks for the ideas guys.0 -
I currently have a flu, and although I'm not exercising and eating at will with not much regard to calories, I'm still logging for record keeping. Oddly, I usually find myself gravitating towards fruits, lots of them, when I have a flu. My flu is usually well-tolerated. It does not affect my appetite, I don't throw up, and I don't have serious issues, aside from some fever, chills, headache, and very low energy. I almost always gain weight when I have a flu.0
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I haven't had the flu in a decade (ever since I started getting my flu shot after a particularly ugly bout one year) but when I do get sick, the last thing that happens to me is weight gain. Generally the opposite happens. My advice is to not worry too much about your weight. Just focus on resting and getting well. You'll get back on track when you're feeling better!
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higgins8283801 wrote: »If you're vomitting and have diaherra you don't have the flu.
True flu is respiratory.
According to my readings, vomiting is fairly common amongst children with the flu. It is not as common in adults. Not sure WHY kids are more prone to vomiting than adults. "Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than adults." - per CDC - http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/disease/symptoms.htm
Both vomiting AND diarrhea DO seem more suggestive of food poisoning or maybe Norovirus - the hell virus. You SHOULD NOT gain any weight with either of those! Just stay hydrated. It should pass in 1-3 days.
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higgins8283801 wrote: »If you're vomitting and have diaherra you don't have the flu.
True flu is respiratory.
According to my readings, vomiting is fairly common amongst children with the flu. It is not as common in adults. Not sure WHY kids are more prone to vomiting than adults. "Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than adults." - per CDC - http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/disease/symptoms.htm
Both vomiting AND diarrhea DO seem more suggestive of food poisoning or maybe Norovirus - the hell virus. You SHOULD NOT gain any weight with either of those! Just stay hydrated. It should pass in 1-3 days.
Regarding why kids are more prone to vomiting w/ the flu, my doc told me it's due to increase in generally very thick secretions in the lungs and sinuses, kids tend to gag on them as they cough them out which triggers the whole vomit cycle. My kids both had sensitive gag reflexes anyway, any respiratory anything that came with a cough or a lot of snot was a vomitfest when they were little (they're 11 and 14 now and past that THANK GOD)0 -
higgins8283801 wrote: »If you're vomitting and have diaherra you don't have the flu.
True flu is respiratory.
According to my readings, vomiting is fairly common amongst children with the flu. It is not as common in adults. Not sure WHY kids are more prone to vomiting than adults. "Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than adults." - per CDC - http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/disease/symptoms.htm
Both vomiting AND diarrhea DO seem more suggestive of food poisoning or maybe Norovirus - the hell virus. You SHOULD NOT gain any weight with either of those! Just stay hydrated. It should pass in 1-3 days.
Regarding why kids are more prone to vomiting w/ the flu, my doc told me it's due to increase in generally very thick secretions in the lungs and sinuses, kids tend to gag on them as they cough them out which triggers the whole vomit cycle. My kids both had sensitive gag reflexes anyway, any respiratory anything that came with a cough or a lot of snot was a vomitfest when they were little (they're 11 and 14 now and past that THANK GOD)
Gross! I feel for you! I was a puker, too!
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