Exercise, crash, immunity kaput - what's the solution

vasumodi
vasumodi Posts: 23 Member
edited November 22 in Health and Weight Loss
Are some people just not meant to exercise strenuously? Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda definitely have this theory - that some constitutional typs are better off doing things like Tai Chi and Yoga rather than running.

Compared to most people, my form of exercise was MILD. 6-7 kmph, 2-3 intervals on incline, often slowing down, for about 30-40 mins daily, with a day's break once a week. Well, I don't know if it was trying to hit my max heart rate on the treadmill for 2 weeks that did it, but 5 days ago, it's like my immune system packed up.

Bad bad UTI, viral infection in the lungs and to make things worse, a dreadful allergic reaction to the antibiotic for the UTI. I started feeling kinda run down 10 days ago, switched from aerobic exercise to Tai Chi but I fell ill anyway. I have been housebound for a week now, feeling so godawfully run down. It didn't help that the antibiotic had me up all night raving and having scary tachyardia for 2 nights in a row.

I'm really bummed out. But I have lost weight during this week - which I guess one would when ill and puking all day. I'm sure my metabolism has slowed to a crawl so I'll put it all back on and more when I'm well again.

But - what's the way around this - I've noticed before that if I do as little as a brisk walk/run daily, in about 10 days something will happen to me, some ridiculous cold or attack of fatigue and then I fall off the exercise wagon. This is why I 'don't exercise' - I never settle into a routine.

Is the trick to actually just do the slow stuff, the Tai Chi, the yoga - for some people? (Meanwhile there's a really expensive treadmill that my partner gifted me, that's just sitting there...who knows when I can get back on).

Replies

  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    there's not really such a thing as 'too much exercise' if you are fuelling it properly.

    opening your diary would help.
  • vasumodi
    vasumodi Posts: 23 Member
    I've opened it - thanks for taking a look!
  • vasumodi
    vasumodi Posts: 23 Member
    PS: I've been really ill since Saturday so haven't filled the diary - before that I was pretty regular though. Not that I've consumed much while ill - too nauseous.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    what are your stats to be on 1200 cals?
  • drxl34
    drxl34 Posts: 48 Member
    I had something similar when I first got started about two months ago. I went from hardly any exercise to working out intensely everyday. After the first week I got really sick... like my immune system just died. Took me a little over a week to recover but I weened myself back into it. Now I'm working out every day more intensely and my health feels great! Sometimes it's just a lot of stress on your body when you go from 0-60 so fast. Focus on getting better, taking some walks or getting out of the house... When you recover things will start to look up
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    Do Tai Chi, & Yoga for a few months. Add some walking when you are up to it.
  • Ironmaiden4life
    Ironmaiden4life Posts: 422 Member
    It sounds like you've just gotten ill, it happens, but I doubt it has anything to do with your exercise.

    I hope you start feeling better soon as it sounds like you've had quite a time of it.

    Give yourself chance to get over this then start back slowly when you feel better making sure you're well hydrated all the time.
  • vasumodi
    vasumodi Posts: 23 Member
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    what are your stats to be on 1200 cals?
    I weighed 62.6 when I joined MFP and am 5'6" tall - and that's what it gave me. Tbh I've been over it half the time (was wondering how to be below, in fact).

  • vasumodi
    vasumodi Posts: 23 Member
    drxl34 wrote: »
    I had something similar when I first got started about two months ago. I went from hardly any exercise to working out intensely everyday. After the first week I got really sick... like my immune system just died. Took me a little over a week to recover but I weened myself back into it. Now I'm working out every day more intensely and my health feels great! Sometimes it's just a lot of stress on your body when you go from 0-60 so fast. Focus on getting better, taking some walks or getting out of the house... When you recover things will start to look up
    Ah that gives me hope!
  • vasumodi
    vasumodi Posts: 23 Member
    RodaRose wrote: »
    Do Tai Chi, & Yoga for a few months. Add some walking when you are up to it.
    That sounds like a good plan. I've always felt so *guilty* for not doing more intense exercise though. Slow and steady, I guess.
  • vasumodi
    vasumodi Posts: 23 Member
    Ironmaiden4life wrote: »
    It sounds like you've just gotten ill, it happens, but I doubt it has anything to do with your exercise.

    I hope you start feeling better soon as it sounds like you've had quite a time of it.

    Give yourself chance to get over this then start back slowly when you feel better making sure you're well hydrated all the time.

    Thank you, definitely guzzling the water
  • shroodle88
    shroodle88 Posts: 123 Member
    Hey, I used to have similar issues: just got into cycling, or running for 3 weeks, and - bam - I would get a nasty cold, tonsillitis etc. It was so frustrating. It took me a while to realise that i need to curb my enthusiasm and build it up slowly. I now cycle to work and back (ca. 24km) 2-3 times a week and go to the gym 2-4 times a week. - But it took me ca. 2 months to build up to that. I am now surprisingly healthy, but am also taking a multi-vitamin supplement.
    So, recommendation: if you think there is a link between exercise and illness, then slow down.
    Hope you'll feel better soon! :smile:
  • vasumodi
    vasumodi Posts: 23 Member
    shroodle88 wrote: »
    Hey, I used to have similar issues: just got into cycling, or running for 3 weeks, and - bam - I would get a nasty cold, tonsillitis etc. It was so frustrating. It took me a while to realise that i need to curb my enthusiasm and build it up slowly. I now cycle to work and back (ca. 24km) 2-3 times a week and go to the gym 2-4 times a week. - But it took me ca. 2 months to build up to that. I am now surprisingly healthy, but am also taking a multi-vitamin supplement.
    So, recommendation: if you think there is a link between exercise and illness, then slow down.
    Hope you'll feel better soon! :smile:

    2 months is not long at all, it's good to know it won't take me a year, for instance. (I doubt I can ever cycle 24 km though!!!). I took a saunter in the park today, way below my usual speed, short, just to get things moving. Let's hope I can build it up more slowly this time. Thanks for sharing your experience!
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