Do You Still Work Out If You're Sick?

[StacieG]

I generally don't work out when I feel too cruddy or weak to do so. I figure my body needs that extra energy to fight whatever has got it in the dumps. Definitely do resume your routine (ease into it) when you feel better, though. That's the tough part with me is getting back into it.

I do tend to adjust my calorie intake to compensate for it. When I'm sick I tend to want to eat less anyway, so I just kind of go with what my body is saying.

If it's an intestinal kind of thing, follow the BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, tea/toast/taters. Those things are easy to digest.

For colds, eat what will make you feel better. For me it tends to be hot broths or soups in a broth base - the steam helps my sinuses some. Tea is a great thing to drink when you are congested; same thing with the steam from tea.

The thing that I have to watch out for when I'm sick is my horrible craving for carbs. I could eat a whole sleeve of crackers without blinking an eye. I have to work to make sure they're more complex than crackers and such so I don't end up with lasting carb cravings.

Stacie

[SW Native]

I had a head cold last all last week with the stuffy one nostril breathing. Well I felt like hell all day but when I worked out, the cold disappeared for awhile. I felt normal and could breathe. However after I cooled down and mellowed out, the boogers and snot came right back. Along with the back on my left eyeball itching. Working out made me feel a lot better. It was only a head cold though. If I was hacking and coughing, then no working out for me. I think it just depends if you feel up for it. But the majority says rest and work out when you're better. Meh...

[Itz]

Just had a comment... I HATE people that go to the gym sick! I have asthma and getting sick is much more destructive to myself then someone who does not have asthma.
If your sick... you can still work out - at home.. please don't bring it to the gym!

[JMadison]

Just a quick thought. A productive workout will cut into your recovery ability, as will an illness. Doing both together is probably going to have the same net effect as overtraining. I.e. net muscle loss.

I say, recover from the illness first, reduce calories if you are on a weight gain diet to avoid excess fat creation, then ramp back up when you are not ill.

Chances are overtraining may have induced the illness to start with. Tried Cybergenics years and years ago, before I knew better. About 2 weeks into it I got the worst cold of my adult life. And this was in the Summer in Florida.

Long story short, if you aren't on things like steriods, job #1 is managing you limited recovery abilities in a way that leads to gains.

[Little Mizz Pittsburgh]

I never work out when I'm sick. Its never that serious to me. Once I get my energy back, I get back on it. I usually don't have a big appetite when I'm sick, anyway, so I really don't worry about calorie intake and all of that. My main focus is to get better.