anyone else have trouble overeating when sick with a cold

brenn24179 · February 2015

I am getting over a cold and I have messed up and don't want to keep making the same mistake when I get sick. I have worked on the emotional aspect of my eating and realize food is not the answer and do some problem solving.

I got so greedy with food when I got this sinus infection/cold. I wanted fast food, fries, and chips. That wouldn't have been so bad but I just kept on eating this stuff. Next time I will definitely buy small bags of chips. (said I had bought them for hubby but guess who ate them)

For some reason I think food will heal me. It doesn't, all I do is get fat and feel worse. Ok if I want salty foods have some and say Enough. You see I am still learning. I may mess up again but if I can get me a plan I am sure it will help. I will have to have patience and remind myself that I will feel better if I don't overeat when this sickness is over. I will have to suffer and have pain sometimes in life, that is life.

I think when you have spent your life trying not to feel pain and using the drug Food it is difficult but the first step is realizing what you are doing. Hope I do better next time I am sick and will definitely pull this thread out and look at it. Went over about 800-1000 calories a day, which is definitely a glutton, greedy and it didn't make me get well! Hope to get some self control and patience to say I am strong enough to get thru stuff without food.

ana3067 · February 2015

I've never had this issue. I'm far more liekly to under-eat when sick than to over-eat. I also haven't been significantly sick in the last 7 months since tracking cals though, so I don't have any recent experiences to go off of.

brenn24179 · February 2015

I just want to keep eating and eating to feel better. It is like I think food is medication. I guess I don't want to feel pain. I think realizing it is the first step. We have to have pain in this life and my drug excessive food makes it worse not better. Food is to fuel the body, it is not medication. I know some people don't want food when sick, I am not one of them.

segacs · February 2015

I usually lose my appetite and undereat when I'm sick. Hot liquids like chicken soup or tea are good to soothe a sore throat and other cold symptoms. Antibiotics if it's a bacterial infection. Bed rest.

My mom always said "feed a cold, starve a fever". Medical science these days leans more towards suggesting that people should eat moderate amounts of food during a cold and with a fever, enough to keep your strength up and fuel your immune system.

But your issue sounds like it's beyond that. It sounds like you seek comfort in food when you're feeling low or vulnerable. And of course, when we're sick, we feel low and vulnerable.

Emotional eating is quite common and you've taken a good first step in identifying the problem. Now you have to seek out alternate sources of comfort. A warm blanket. A hug or conversation with someone you care about.

Food isn't the answer.

Liftng4Lis · February 2015

I eat less when I'm sick...too bad I never get sick

Sued0nim · February 2015

I've reset to maintenance to get through this stinky cold cos I do hot carb craving

skyfall91 · February 2015

I always feel like I need to eat more and go for the filling, stodgy foods when ill, I only lose my appetite if its a stomach bug or sickness. Common colds leave me feeling like I need to eat more too x

pinkteapot3 · February 2015

There's a reason the old wives tale goes "feed a cold, starve a fever". Medical evidence doesn't really support it (http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/features/the-truth-behind-moms-cold-and-flu-advice?page=2) but people have known for a long time that a bit more food helps with how you feel.

I always eat a bit more if I've got a cold, and it does seem to help me feel better. On the other hand, I had proper flu three years ago and barely ate anything for a fortnight!

I try to keep it healthy (not just eat all the biscuits and chocolate) but I don't sweat it if I'm a bit over my calories for a week or so. Health comes first.

The idea above of resetting the goal to maintenance is a good one.

Paperchains38 · February 2015

I am no expert but i have a theory that the reason you crave salty food or sugary food when you have a cold is because the taste buds get confused because the nose is not working properly therefore you crave strong flavours. Someone may come along and prove me wrong but it is my theory and i am sticking to it.

Sued0nim · February 2015

Paperchains38 wrote: »

I am no expert but i have a theory that the reason you crave salty food or sugary food when you have a cold is because the taste buds get confused because the nose is not working properly therefore you crave strong flavours. Someone may come along and prove me wrong but it is my theory and i am sticking to it.

I drink hot toddies

But I crave stodgy carbs, steaming platefuls

Luckily setting to maintenance and calorie counting allows for this

On an individual whine basis: ...I am so fed up of coughing, my throat and chest hurt and my nose is red and puffy and I had no sleep <wails>

tomatoey · February 2015

I always eat more when I'm sick, usually carbs, and it does make me feel better, and I don't care if it's a placebo effect (although it probably isn't - sickness = body working hard to fight stuff, needs energy)

dramaqueen45 · February 2015

Yes 100% for me. I don't feel like cooking, measuring, weighing, or anything and I just want comfort foods. I try to take some of that cold eez stuff and it seems to help the cold go away quicker. Last weekend I ate a creamy chicken corn chowder soup (the whole can) which wasn't too bad, but I ate an entire sleeve of crackers with it, and then I ate chips (dumb me let my husband buy them when I know I tend to over eat those anyway). So yes, a cold makes me want to just eat whatever and also stress/emotions- makes me want to forget life and eat. Still working on both of those. Luckily my life isn't too terribly stressful these days.

brenn24179 · February 2015

maybe next time I can remind myself to just eat my calories and not go over much, I really don't think food makes me feel better, I just run to food for comfort. I have to tell myself Enough, you have had enough especially during emotional times like stress or sickness

KrunchyMama · February 2015

Going through this right now. I've had bronchitis for the last 2 weeks, and it's turned into a cold. I was exercising with the bronchitis, but the cold has left me with no energy to do anything. Does anyone have low calorie meal suggestions? I've been making onion and garlic soup for lunch for the last couple days, and drinking lots of tea with raw honey, and eating vitamin C (can't drink o.j, so the chewables will have to do). I'm going to make a curry for lunch. I just want to GET MOVING again, it's been almost a week now!

KrunchyMama · February 2015

(sorry to hijack the thread, I figured it might be better to do that than to start a new one)

@brenn24179‌ , were you able to get back on track after your cold?

Timorous_Beastie · February 2015

Usually with a cold, post-nasal drip gives me such a bad sore throat, I don't want to eat a thing when I'm sick. Or my nose is so stuffed up, I can't taste anything.

runnrchic · February 2015

Yes! I have a cold now and last night I went over my 2000 cal limit when I ate a frozen 410 cal pizza! I never do this but I was still hungry a few hours after dinner. Having a cold makes me hungry. I'm 5'6 122 and the last 2 lbs are coming off slowww so being sick is not helping.

CooCooPuff · February 2015

I haven't had a cold or anything, but I've had some medical issues recently and I was super hungry during the first few weeks. Someone brought me a box of Russel Stevens chocolate and I ate the entire thing as soon as they left. They were so disgusting but I couldn't stop.

brenn24179 · February 2015

KrunchyMama wrote: »

(sorry to hijack the thread, I figured it might be better to do that than to start a new one)

@brenn24179‌ , were you able to get back on track after your cold?

yes I was, temporary setback, all is good but I am sure I will forget this with my next cold, always afraid of putting the weight back on

LoupGarouTFTs · February 2015

I'm always more concerned with keeping my blood sugar on track than with my weight when I'm sick, so I force myself to eat even if I'm not hungry. Like others in this thread, I crave carbs when I'm sick, but I also love creamy soups and tea with milk in it when I'm not feeling well. I tell myself that I'll get right back on track when I'm well and so far I've managed it.

anyone else have trouble overeating when sick with a cold

Replies

Categories