Sickness after healthy eating and exercise

antzygirl
antzygirl Posts: 6 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi guys,
I'm wondering, does anybody else experience alot of illnesses after they start healthy eating and exercise plans? I'm 3.5 months into mine, and have lot 10kg, but i have contracted several viruses (which i know can't be avoided) and i have so much trouble fighting off infections even with the aid of antibiotics etc! My diet is good, lots of veges, lean meat, eggs some fruit, yogurts, nuts, seeds i try to avoid starchy veges and breads, pasta, rice and i enjoy a protein shake most days which are loaded with vitamins and minerals also.
This seems to happen literally everytime i start a plan! I was biking and walking from 5-14km a day, but i am sick (tonsillitis and sinusitis) atm so i have been resting.
Love to hear any similar experiences, and if you have found the answer to doing this right!

Replies

  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    How many calories are you eating? Is it possible you aren't eating enough?

    Are you sleeping enough?
  • mbanks123
    mbanks123 Posts: 117 Member
    I used to always overdo it by eating healthy and exercising from doing no exercise and eating rubbish. Always got ill 2 weeks within starting so I found the best thing to do was to slowly incorporate exercise and slowly reduce calories or my body can't handle it.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    It may be anecdotal, but two factors seem to have improved my resistance to illnesses. Supplemental vitamin D and an annual flu shot.

    How many social groups do you rub shoulders with? If you have children in day care and school or if you are in a health care profession, you have just exponentially exposed yourself to many more pathogens.

    Just belonging to a social group of some kind and your kindly co-workers exposes you twice over.

    Wash your hands?
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    Touch wood since I lost weight I just don't get ill, I exercise alot and l feel that is likely why I'm healthier. ...(I always ate healthy, I was fat cos I ate too much!)

    As already has been mentioned are you sleeping ok and eating enough?
  • Tama072015
    Tama072015 Posts: 30 Member
    Are you over doing the work outs wih regards to where you are at physically? I find when I sometimes over do, the sickness starts.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,486 Member
    Fuel the body.
    I usually start upping my calories slowly a couple of weeks before starting upping my exercise routines.
    Prior experience tells me I will be flat on my back with some virus or other within 3 weeks otherwise.
    Upping my protein level and throwing in a multi- vitamin helps me too.

    Cheers, h.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    I was sick all the time in 1999 and it turned out the building in which I worked had toxic mold due to improper clean up after a flooded basement.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    generally speaking, eating well and getting regular exercise have proven to have the opposite effect. my guess is that it's purely coincidental.

    the only other thing I can think of is that you're simply not eating enough and providing your body enough calories to actually function properly and/or you are exercising beyond you fitness level in combination with low calorie intake.

    calories (energy) is required for your body to function properly, to include your immune system.
  • PinkPixiexox
    PinkPixiexox Posts: 4,142 Member
    I'd suggest upping your calories slightly to avoid burn-out's and any energy related issued first of all :]
    Also - take a multivitamin! <--- I MUST follow my own advice because I've meaning to invest in a decent multivitamin and I still haven't. Definitely important! :)
  • Patttience
    Patttience Posts: 975 Member
    Do you really think you are getting more than you used to. Just ot be sure you are being objective, maybe you should keep a record or each illness you get and how long it lasts. Keeping an accurate diary record may help you discern fact from perception.

    And it may not be due to your diet and exercise. It might due to other factors as suggested above. A lot of viruses and bacterias are picked up from people. Are you mingling with more people than usual.

    that said, i know when you get run down you can be more likely to pick every passing bug. Are you rundown or not? If not then your diet probably has nothing to do with.
  • antzygirl
    antzygirl Posts: 6 Member
    Hi guys. Well, yes i do have a child at school and i work in hospitality. I Think maybe i have been running on too lower cals for the amount of exercise i do. I started on optifast 800-1000 per day, then i moved onto a transition which is where i chose MFP to track cals. I was taking in 1200 cals per day but i have upped my cals to 1350. I am still recovering from my virus and bacterial infections so haven't really noticed whether the increase in cals has made alot of difference just yet. I have started eating a few more starchy vege.. potato very much in moderation, yams, and sweet potato and i do feel 'better' than i was before. I was trying to keep the carbs to a minimum because of the Optifast way.....i was infact a little frightened of eating them again incase i gained. I believe i may be rundown, so will try multi vitamins and stick with the higher cals for a while and see how i go :)
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    antzygirl wrote: »
    Hi guys. Well, yes i do have a child at school and i work in hospitality. I Think maybe i have been running on too lower cals for the amount of exercise i do. I started on optifast 800-1000 per day, then i moved onto a transition which is where i chose MFP to track cals. I was taking in 1200 cals per day but i have upped my cals to 1350. I am still recovering from my virus and bacterial infections so haven't really noticed whether the increase in cals has made alot of difference just yet. I have started eating a few more starchy vege.. potato very much in moderation, yams, and sweet potato and i do feel 'better' than i was before. I was trying to keep the carbs to a minimum because of the Optifast way.....i was infact a little frightened of eating them again incase i gained. I believe i may be rundown, so will try multi vitamins and stick with the higher cals for a while and see how i go :)

    You're not eating enough.
  • Linzon
    Linzon Posts: 294 Member
    I'm finding the opposite. I have two kids who bring home colds and such a lot but I haven't been sick since April, right before I started exercising more and tracking my calories. I'm usually eating 1600-2000 calories a day, depending on my activity level, and losing steadily.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,486 Member
    You haven't been eating enough to fuel everyday living, never mind exercising as well. Not knowing your stats it is hard to know if 1350 is a good amount for you to eat, but maybe until you are 100% healthy up your calories to lose .5lb a week or maintenance.

    Also, MFP is set up in a way that you are supposed to eat back the calories you burn exercising.
    Because they tend to over estimatethe burn, start by eating back all, but monitor your loss, and if after 4 weeks you are not losing at the expected rate, decrease by 25% increments until you are losing at the estimated rate.
    Keep your body fueled.

    Cheers, h.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    You aren't eating enough and there's really no reason to avoid potatoes & rice.
  • jld1975
    jld1975 Posts: 18 Member
    This happened to me multiple times in the past. I think the problem included not eating back exercise calories, so I wasn't eating enough. My doctor concluded that I wasn't sleeping enough. Changing those two things seem to have (knock on wood) solved the problems. It sounds like you may not be eating enough!
  • daniwilford
    daniwilford Posts: 1,030 Member
    edited October 2015
    When ever I have tried a VLCD with shakes as meal replacement I became ill. Eating a well balance diet, at a reasonable deficit since March, I have not been ill once, while losing over 50 lbs.
  • Chasity6
    Chasity6 Posts: 183 Member
    Good question I thought it was just me. :) I have had bronchitis due to sinusitis twice. I was walking as much as possible with sciatica but then got sick and I have ended up on the couch again.
  • eDonatti
    eDonatti Posts: 49 Member
    You easily can get infections if your body does not get enough energy (calories). Your immune system needs energy to fight viruses and bacteria. If you're eating very low calories and on top you're exercising a lot the small amounts of energy you're providing is simply not enough to support immune system. I had sort of simile problem after giving birth - too tired, not sleeping and eating enough- I had infection after infection. Let's say my doctor was not impressed. Make sure you're not too harsh with your deficit and that you eat at least half of calories burned during exercises, also make sure you're eating lots of vitamins. And for the duration of illness try to eat at your maintenance so that your body can spend as much energy as necessary to fight the infection.

    Good luck!
  • Yi5hedr3
    Yi5hedr3 Posts: 2,696 Member
    Boost your immune system with digestive enzymes 3 times/day with each major meal. This will free up your immune system to fight the viruses. Enzymedica's "Digest Gold" is the best! Of course you probably already know to reduce all sugar and processed carbs that viruses feed off of. :)
  • spm2010
    spm2010 Posts: 197 Member
    antzygirl wrote: »
    Hi guys. Well, yes i do have a child at school and i work in hospitality. I Think maybe i have been running on too lower cals for the amount of exercise i do. I started on optifast 800-1000 per day, then i moved onto a transition which is where i chose MFP to track cals. I was taking in 1200 cals per day but i have upped my cals to 1350. I am still recovering from my virus and bacterial infections so haven't really noticed whether the increase in cals has made alot of difference just yet. I have started eating a few more starchy vege.. potato very much in moderation, yams, and sweet potato and i do feel 'better' than i was before. I was trying to keep the carbs to a minimum because of the Optifast way.....i was infact a little frightened of eating them again incase i gained. I believe i may be rundown, so will try multi vitamins and stick with the higher cals for a while and see how i go :)

    Not enough especially if you are biking/walking 5-14km a day

  • sprylady
    sprylady Posts: 9 Member
    I got sick with an upper respiratory infection because of to few calories and I worked to long on a weekend. I got my immune system down and I've been sick for 3 weeks. I did go to the doctor, finally, and was put on steroids and heavy antibiotics and some other stuff. I'm much better but I haven't been watching my diet because I haven't felt good enough to do any healthy cooking. I've gained a pound back. I have been getting some exercise but today I'm starting back to my fitness pal. No more excuses. I'm diabetic and I have to do this so I will not have to add anymore meds and not make it worse. I just can't remember when I grew old. I had a back injury then my mother passed away and it just went down hill after that. Got to get back on the horse!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    I've been less sick since. I do get really tired and worn out for a few days every few months though, just no symptoms except intense fatigue and dizziness, which sucks, but doesn't last a long time...

    Take multi vitamins
    Have a REASONABLE goal

    What helps me is that as soon as I get symptoms, I start having Cold-Eeze... 3-4 in a day. I haven't been seriously sick since I started doing that. I highly recommend that stuff.
  • choppie70
    choppie70 Posts: 544 Member
    My body does not adjust well to change, never has. A couple of years ago I lost close to 30 lbs. I wound up with a 22mm kidney stone stuck in my ureter. It took 5 separate day surgeries to finally get it out. It was a uric acid stone from eating too much spinach salad! This time when I hit 15 lbs lost, my liver and kidney enzymes went all wonky. I was on Dr's watch for a month or so until my levels went back to normal.

    As far colds and stomach bugs, I only tend to get one a year. I work in an elementary school and have been for over 20 years so I think my immunities are pretty tough.
  • antzygirl
    antzygirl Posts: 6 Member
    Thanks guys going on others,experiences I definitely took things abit far before! I am still on antibiotics just a couple of days to go (thank goodness my gut is screaming!) and I've started eating moderately, starchy veges and I have the odd scone or something that makes me feel more,satisfied! I've walked the past two days, only 4km and I was abit slower than usual, but I'm trying to keep in mind that it doesn't need to be a race as long as I'm making the effort. I have actually lost a few hundred grams too.....so maybe my body is thanking me for being kinder!! Thanks to you all for your comments and advise it helps so much (:
  • 20yearsyounger
    20yearsyounger Posts: 1,630 Member
    antzygirl wrote: »
    Hi guys,
    I'm wondering, does anybody else experience alot of illnesses after they start healthy eating and exercise plans? I'm 3.5 months into mine, and have lot 10kg, but i have contracted several viruses (which i know can't be avoided) and i have so much trouble fighting off infections even with the aid of antibiotics etc! My diet is good, lots of veges, lean meat, eggs some fruit, yogurts, nuts, seeds i try to avoid starchy veges and breads, pasta, rice and i enjoy a protein shake most days which are loaded with vitamins and minerals also.
    This seems to happen literally everytime i start a plan! I was biking and walking from 5-14km a day, but i am sick (tonsillitis and sinusitis) atm so i have been resting.
    Love to hear any similar experiences, and if you have found the answer to doing this right!

    I dont know your health story but when I first started I was extremely active working out at least 90 minutes a day high intensity. I found that supplementing with 1000mg of vitamin C helped me to stave off getting sick.

  • entwife
    entwife Posts: 134 Member
    I would second what others have said that you haven't been eating enough, and add that you need rest and good nutrition when sick. Your body has extra demands fighting off those bugs. Take care of yourself ok? *hugs*
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
    Yi5hedr3 wrote: »
    Boost your immune system with digestive enzymes 3 times/day with each major meal. This will free up your immune system to fight the viruses. Enzymedica's "Digest Gold" is the best! Of course you probably already know to reduce all sugar and processed carbs that viruses feed off of. :)

    This is just nonsense.

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