Maintaining Eating Habits with Stomach Bug

Diet ginger ale?

I use fresh lemon and fresh ginger in hot water to make a tea. Also helps you feel better with the warm liquid. Add some honey if you like and can fit them in the calories (which I guess you can if you aren't eating!).

I usually find it it more about what you fancy. If you are feeling sick then it is no good being faced with something you just don't want.

Get well first (and so, I hope!) and then get back on it.

Francl27 wrote: »

Don't even worry about it. I'm actually quite sure that the ginger in ginger ale isn't real ginger anyway so it probably doesn't do a thing for nausea, and I'd just skip it. Just drink water and eat popsicles until you can keep things down, then switch to toast, rice, ripe bananas, applesauce...

actually, many popular brands do contain ginger.

OP, you can try ginger gum from a drug store. it would be in the motion/car sickness area.

chicken soup is good because of the additional salt(which is why soda's can be so relieving too sugar/salt)

Rather than ginger ale, I'd get some fresh root ginger and stick it in fresh boiled water.

Seconded popsicles.

When feeling better, try some half toasted, dry bread (mmm...tasty)

I usually don't worry about it. I eat what I can handle and stick to drinking Vernor's ginger ale and Gatorade. I don't worry about the calories in it since I'm not eating much and I figure the calories will do me some good.

My sister swears by the BRAT/BRATT/BRATTY diet for the first couple days of a bug, but I find that it doesn't do a whole lot for me. I don't log when I'm sick, I consider it a victory if I can keep anything down at all. In the first couple days, I eat whatever and whenever sounds good (which is usually cereal and toast plus copious amounts of juice), and when I start feeling decent (usually 2-3 days) I start tracking and actually paying attention to macros again.

since you probably aren't eating a ton anyways, just drink/eat whatever settles your stomach. I've never known anyone to gain weight while throwing everything up.

I'm big on wonton soup when I'm sick. My mother's go-to for sick-tummy was always poached egg on white toast. To this day, I can't eat poached egg on white toast, but at least it will get some protein into you in an easily digestible form.
Hope you feel better soon!

I wouldn't worry about it too much while you're ill. Back in January I was struck with a horrific stomach bug. First I struggled with a severe head cold and lack of energy for a few days, then I ended up with 12 hours of puking. I lost 5 pounds in that time period (very unhealthy) and it took me a week to get back to my previous weight. After all that vomiting, I literally had back, abdominal, and neck pain from constantly retching.

If you've been really ill, I'd say take it very, very slowly. Wait until you feel like you actually can eat. A ginger ale was the first thing I was finally able to keep down, and even though I knew it was a lot of sugar, I thought, "Well you just threw up for 12 hours and lost 5 pounds. You're entitled to a little sugar." When you feel like you are capable of food, start small. Little portions, a little fruit, a little veg, a little toast. Nothing special, nothing heavy. When I was still a little queasy and anxious about becoming ill again, I stuck to some very light soup and toast. I also quit working out. I had tried, the first day I felt ill, to do a bike ride, and it was the most difficult and sweaty ride I've ever had. After that, I told myself that even though I wanted to work out, the best thing for my body was lots of rest. I ended up needing about 10 days to get fully back to speed with my workout routine.

When I finally got over the illness, I was ravenously hungry. I wanted to eat everything I could. I treated myself to a few meals out, and after three or four days, returned to my regular diet. Those splurge days didn't set me back or completely derail my progress. Mind, I didn't go out and eat greasy pizza or a half dozen hamburgers--but I did allow myself a really big salad from a favorite retailer, and then I got my favorite comfort food, a large and messy grilled cheese with a side salad, and even let myself have a small custard at a local ice cream place. Treats I rarely ever have, and certainly not all within the same week, but in this case, I needed calories, and I needed a little comfort. Of course, when I felt better, it was back to home cooking and dark chocolate for dessert.

Take time to baby yourself. When you're severely ill, you really shouldn't feel guilty about indulging with a few high calorie treats. Your body needs it (especially fluids, if you've been vomiting), and it won't undue all your progress. Same with rest--don't feel guilty about avoiding the gym or taking a few rest days. Just remember--it's temporary! Treat yourself and your body for a few days, but when you feel back to normal in terms of energy and health, return to your healthy eating and regular meal plans and workouts.