Deficit when you're sick?

lothquendi
lothquendi Posts: 22 Member
edited November 9 in Food and Nutrition
I've been slowly developing cold symptoms (mostly a cough, runny nose, and general weakness), for a few weeks now. The symptoms are getting a little worse every day, and I've stopped working out due to muscle weakness. I still maintain around a 500 calorie deficit per day. My weight loss has paused the last couple of weeks.

Should I be eating at maintenance? Would that help fight off the cold? Should I just continue like I have been, eating ~1500 and resting? Thanks in advance, these questions have been weighing on me.

Replies

  • Mistraal1981
    Mistraal1981 Posts: 453 Member
    If you are sick your body is already working hard to fight what ails you. Don't make it try to do this without at least maintenance level nutrition.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Well you won't be exercising while sick, so your maintenance will be less anyway.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    Francl27 wrote: »
    Well you won't be exercising while sick, so your maintenance will be less anyway.
    not true.

    Unless I'm really *kitten* out of it- I continue to work out- raising your body temperature can do good things for you- helping you sweat it out. Total an N = 1 although I have read studies supporting that it's been a while.

    Which throws me into the camp of what mistraal said- you're body is already fighting- don't make it fight harder.

    I rarely eat at a deficit when I'm sick- I'm carb hungry- and I eat at maintenance or more. don't care. if my body needs it- have at it.
  • esjones12
    esjones12 Posts: 1,363 Member
    Ask your doctor.

    I don't change my workout/eating habits unless I'm stranded in bed type of sick.

    Honestly I am sidelined with injury more than I am with illness....I rarely get sick.
  • GothyFaery
    GothyFaery Posts: 762 Member
    I don't log when I'm sick. I did once and it took forever to get rid of it and I felt worse because I was always so hungry. I eat what I want (within reason) and when I'm feeling better go back to logging as usual.
  • lothquendi
    lothquendi Posts: 22 Member
    Thanks for your responses. I think I'm going to go a little lax on the deficit for a while and see what happens.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    Just remember deficit- is so you lose- even if you eat at maintenance- i'ts not really "stalling" and you won't gain weight- you will just stay where you are- like hitting the pause button.

    People eat at a deficit for so long they forget- if they go over it doesn't = immediate real weight gain.
  • kayokarma
    kayokarma Posts: 30 Member
    JoRocka wrote: »
    Francl27 wrote: »
    Well you won't be exercising while sick, so your maintenance will be less anyway.
    not true.

    Unless I'm really *kitten* out of it- I continue to work out- raising your body temperature can do good things for you- helping you sweat it out. Total an N = 1 although I have read studies supporting that it's been a while.

    Which throws me into the camp of what mistraal said- you're body is already fighting- don't make it fight harder.

    I rarely eat at a deficit when I'm sick- I'm carb hungry- and I eat at maintenance or more. don't care. if my body needs it- have at it.

    Could you quote the cited reference ? Asking because your answers are contradictory .
  • MKEgal
    MKEgal Posts: 3,250 Member
    Eat what you want, try to keep it healthy, don't stress too much about calories.
    Even if you're only eating at maintenance, you won't be gaining weight (or losing).
    lothquendi wrote:
    I've been slowly developing cold symptoms (mostly a cough, runny nose, and general weakness), for a few weeks now. The symptoms are getting a little worse every day, and I've stopped working out due to muscle weakness.
    If it's a cold, it should have been gone by now. See your doctor.

    I've been sick for several days (stuffy nose, sore throat, cough, aches, weakness, fever, fainting, puking) and it's actually keeping my appetite down. I'm eating what I want, and trying to make most of it healthy (though I did have some cookies tonight) but I still end up well under my calorie goal.

    I don't plan to be sick, I didn't do it on purpose, but I'm appreciating that it's causing me to lose weight.
    And I haven't been to the gym since last Thursday, when I'm used to going nearly every day.
    The MFP estimate at the end of every day still has me losing weight.

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  • Swiftlet66
    Swiftlet66 Posts: 729 Member
    When I'm sick, I listen to my body. If I don't feel like eating or exercising, I won't. This happens around the time I get my period too. Being sick is temporary; you don't need to push yourself. Eat good nutrient dense foods, drink lots of liquid and get lots of sleep. You can always continue your regimen after you get better and are well rested.
  • Aemely
    Aemely Posts: 694 Member
    Swiftlet66 wrote: »
    When I'm sick, I listen to my body. If I don't feel like eating or exercising, I won't. This happens around the time I get my period too. Being sick is temporary; you don't need to push yourself. Eat good nutrient dense foods, drink lots of liquid and get lots of sleep. You can always continue your regimen after you get better and are well rested.

    Yes, this. Here's my anti-cold-bug routine. So far, so good this season. Knock on laptop plastic!
    • Drink lots of tea.
    • Drink lots of soup/broth.
    • Eat spicy food.
    • SLEEP, SLEEP, SLEEP.
    • Take way too much Vitamin C.
    • Take Sudafed or Mucinex or other snot-clearing medication.
    • If a cold of some kind, take Zicam!
    • Repeat.
  • kdeaux1959
    kdeaux1959 Posts: 2,675 Member
    As some have alluded, follow your body here. I don't think there is necessarily one set answer to meet all situations. Don't force it (generally). At the same time, don't focus on weight loss so much if you are sick. It is possible that your calorie deficit may well have contributed to not feeling well by not taking in the nutrients that you need at the moment. If you have been not taking in a balanced diet that includes the vitamins and minerals your body needs then it can very easily contribute to a deficit in your immune system as well.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    kayokarma wrote: »
    JoRocka wrote: »
    Francl27 wrote: »
    Well you won't be exercising while sick, so your maintenance will be less anyway.
    not true.

    Unless I'm really *kitten* out of it- I continue to work out- raising your body temperature can do good things for you- helping you sweat it out. Total an N = 1 although I have read studies supporting that it's been a while.

    Which throws me into the camp of what mistraal said- you're body is already fighting- don't make it fight harder.

    I rarely eat at a deficit when I'm sick- I'm carb hungry- and I eat at maintenance or more. don't care. if my body needs it- have at it.

    Could you quote the cited reference ? Asking because your answers are contradictory .

    no they aren't.

    I keep working out.... but I don't make it work harder by being in a deficit. I eat more food.

    not that it's a hugely reliable source- but it comes up right away on webMD
    http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/cold-guide/exercise-when-you-have-cold

    http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/fitness/expert-answers/exercise/faq-20058494

    http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2012/03/16/how-to-fight-a-cold-with-exercise.aspx

    it's pretty well reported with symptoms above the neck you're fine and it's even helpful to go workout- anything below the neck- you should probably stay at home.
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