What % of time do you reckon you take off exercise due to ill health?

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alwaysbloated
alwaysbloated Posts: 458 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I haven't been exercising for about a week because I've got a cold, and have decided to avoid the gym for a few days because I have conjunctivitis. Just been going on light walks with my dogs, and only because I'm the only one that can walk them right now :-(

Has the time decreased since you have lost weight?

I feel like I'm sick like 30% of the time. And, more than that recently, because I've started having periods again after not having birth control after ten years on it. Will probably just get on with it next month, it's not like I'm dying.

What exercise is ok when your sick?
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Replies

  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,627 Member
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    if im contagious, i stay home. take walk if you feel like it, but avoid people and equipment.

    otherwise, it depends on how bad i truly feel. i have to feel pretty damn bad to not go to the gym, even if its a light, wimpy workout. a bad workout is better than no workout. period cramps do not make me stay home. take some ibuprofen or midol and suck it up.

    im rarely sick.
  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,675 Member
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    I walk every day, regardless, since I have a dog who demands it. I am rarely sick. I may get one or two colds a year. If the cold is in my nose and/or throat, I run anyway. If it is in my chest, I'll usually rest a few days because running seems to make coughs last longer. I may do yoga or ride the stationary bike if I have the energy.
  • genpopadopolous
    genpopadopolous Posts: 411 Member
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    My rule is "neck up, suck it up"

    So if it was a cold or pink eye I would work out- I workout at home so I don't have to worry about infecting others. In your case maybe avoid the gym?

    If I have fever, chills, body aches upset stomach I rest.

    And my period has no effect on my exercise at all.

    However, even with two tiny germ farms (kids) in my house- we arent sick near 30%of the time
  • MikePfirrman
    MikePfirrman Posts: 3,307 Member
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    I find that, now that I'm over 50, if I'm working out too hard, it will run down my immunity and I'll tend to get more sick. With that said, I've gradually added to my workload over the years to the point where I work out pretty hard around 6 hours/7 hours a week. In the last 12 months, I tweaked my lower back and that took me out two/three days. I also got the flu that took me out two weeks, so roughly 5% in the last 12 months.

    Everyone should take a couple of breaks a year if they train hard - a mini break for a couple of days and one more extended break, around a week or so. And, of course, one day off every week. Helps the body recover.
  • puffbrat
    puffbrat Posts: 2,806 Member
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    alwaysbloated wrote: »
    When I did personal training I would workout most of the time, no matter how bad I felt. Then I moved to a town with a lot of dust and I got sick and never really recovered. I had this nasty cough that lasted a year or two and I never felt well or healthy, even though I was training 2-3 times a week plus walking most days.

    While it certainly could be a chronic illness or viruses from preschool, that sounds like it could also be allergies. Have you seen a doctor?

  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,170 Member
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    alwaysbloated wrote: »
    I haven't been exercising for about a week because I've got a cold, and have decided to avoid the gym for a few days because I have conjunctivitis. Just been going on light walks with my dogs, and only because I'm the only one that can walk them right now :-(

    Has the time decreased since you have lost weight?

    I feel like I'm sick like 30% of the time. And, more than that recently, because I've started having periods again after not having birth control after ten years on it. Will probably just get on with it next month, it's not like I'm dying.

    What exercise is ok when your sick?

    I never really was sick all that often, but I'd say it's even less now that I've lost weight.

    If I might be contagious, I stay away from other people (i.e., gym). If I feel tired from the illness, I rest more and exercise less. As far as what exercise to do if I feel up to it when mildly ill, I let common sense about how I feel to be my guide: No intense cardio while coughing my lungs out, no bouncing or jouncing if nauseated, etc.

    How is your nutrition? Enough protein and fats? Plenty of veggies and fruits (5+ daily servings for sure, 10+ even better)? Nutrition is helpful for best possible health outcomes.
  • pondee629
    pondee629 Posts: 2,469 Member
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    "I feel like I'm sick like 30% of the time." You realize that that is 2.1 days a week that you'd be sick. If I feel that I'm too sick to work out, I don't work out. Then again, sometimes I just don't feel like working out, so I don't. Maybe one day a month or two either may happen.
  • ritzvin
    ritzvin Posts: 2,860 Member
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    alwaysbloated wrote: »
    When I did personal training I would workout most of the time, no matter how bad I felt. Then I moved to a town with a lot of dust and I got sick and never really recovered. I had this nasty cough that lasted a year or two and I never felt well or healthy, even though I was training 2-3 times a week plus walking most days.

    Sounds like it could possibly be allergies. If so, Rx allergy meds and sinus rinse bottle might help, maybe a humidifier to cut down on indoor dust at least.
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
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    Pretty much 0%. It's been years since I skipped a workout due to being sick. Honestly I feel that workouts while sick are helpful more than anything.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    I'm not sick all that often...about once per year, and it's usually a doosey so I typically just rest up when it happens. I miss more training time due to injury or aches and pains than anything else.

    What you're describing sounds more like allergies to me.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    Not very often at all.

    I use Claritin-D and Flonase every single day. That plus Vitamin D have taken me from sinus infections 6+ times per year to barely anything.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    alwaysbloated wrote: »
    Thanks everyone. I have a nasal spray I use sometimes (not when I have a cold though, not sure if I should or not?), and some allergy meds. Maybe that's what made the difference? Still walking the dogs, but the walks are like 20 minutes instead of 90 minutes. When I go to the gym, I usually just do 30 minutes on the bike, so I guess I could still do something similar.

    I'm pretty sure I've talked to my doctor about it. I wasn't convinced by what he said, but most of the sickness has gone away since I've stopped personal training (possibly the same time I started the nasal spray/allergy pills?).

    I guess I should keep working out. Thanks for the help everyone, I feel empowered :)

    The thing with allergy meds is that you have to take them all the time, not here and there. That's been my experience anyway.
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    edited August 2018
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    The only time I ever took a break in the last 35+ years is when I went through cancer and even then I timed it so I could play baseball the day before treatments for nearly a year. I'm nearly 50 and have a pretty bad autoimmu disease and my body truly benefits from movement.
  • aokoye
    aokoye Posts: 3,495 Member
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    It seems as though if you're not exaggerating and actually feeling sick 30% of the time you need to talk to your doctor again because that isn't normal. The only time I was remotely that ill had nothing to do with my weight and everything to do with having a major blow to my immune system. I got various illnesses fairly frequently for to two to three and a half years after having swine flu in 2009, but at this point I get sick a few times a year probably.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    alwaysbloated wrote: »
    I haven't been exercising for about a week because I've got a cold, and have decided to avoid the gym for a few days because I have conjunctivitis. Just been going on light walks with my dogs, and only because I'm the only one that can walk them right now :-(

    Has the time decreased since you have lost weight?

    I feel like I'm sick like 30% of the time. And, more than that recently, because I've started having periods again after not having birth control after ten years on it. Will probably just get on with it next month, it's not like I'm dying.

    What exercise is ok when your sick?

    i keep a spreadsheet of my mileage (running/walking/cycling), and this year i have had one week of reduced mileage due to a cold and one week reduced mileage due to a toe injury.

    whether exercise is 'ok' depends on what sort of sick you are.

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