Do you work out when you're sick?

Brain of J.Lo

I have always heard that you should skip working out while you're sick, because it could prolong your illness or, at the very least, make you feel like shit. Well, I'm on day 8 of a bad cold and without working out, I feel like a slug!

Should I wait until I get better to start again, or should I go ahead and exercise now? What do you do?

Steve Dunne

Brain of J.Lo wrote:

I have always heard that you should skip working out while you're sick, because it could prolong your illness or, at the very least, make you feel like shit. Well, I'm on day 8 of a bad cold and without working out, I feel like a slug!

Should I wait until I get better to start again, or should I go ahead and exercise now? What do you do?

8 days is long enough...take the little tyke out for a long brisk walk.

lalalalaaaaaaaa

Don't work out. Rest. Missing one workout will not kill your progress. Missing 3 or 4 in a row will, but not 1.

Brain of J.Lo

Steve Dunne wrote:

8 days is long enough...take the little tyke out for a long brisk walk.

Well, here's the thing...she's got it, too! :(

I feel like I should keep her inside until her nose stops running...but this is making it much harder to be active myself!

Brain of J.Lo

Saturnal wrote:

Don't work out. Rest. Missing one workout will not kill your progress. Missing 3 or 4 in a row will, but not 1.

Oh I've already missed 3 or 4 in a row! lol

acoustic guy

Sick and cold are different IMO. If its just a cold, then I would bundle up and work out. It makes me feel better, and take a long hot shower right after.
Load up on vitamin C

GreenTeaDisease

yeah I agree just a nice walk or something easy. I usually don't work out when I'm sick. whenever I try to it doesn't work.

The Champ

If it's a mild cold and the symptoms are above the neck, light training is okay and may even make you feel better. But if you have a fever and/or pain below the neck, you'll probably just prolong the illness..

lalalalaaaaaaaa

Brain of J.Lo wrote:

Oh I've already missed 3 or 4 in a row! lol

Then 1 more isn't gonna make much of a difference hah. I think the rest will do you a lot more good overall than trying to work out sick.

Ms. Haiku

I don't even work out when I'm healthy! Sure, miss another day.

There does come a time, when exercise may loosen up the bad goopy stuff in your body, and heat your body up. If you are almost sortof healthy then try the work out, but not too hard. Just remember to do what you need to so you don't get a chill.

Brain of J.Lo

Thanks guys.

I think I'll jump on the bike for a while later.

Brain of J.Lo

Saturnal wrote:

Then 1 more isn't gonna make much of a difference hah. I think the rest will do you a lot more good overall than trying to work out sick.

lol, yeah I'm already fucked.

At least I've been eating well, so I'm not in TOO much of a backslide phase. I haven't gained any weight.

GreenTeaDisease

The Champ wrote:

If it's a mild cold and the symptoms are above the neck, light training is okay and may even make you feel better. But if you have a fever and/or pain below the neck, you'll probably just prolong the illness..

yeah anything respiratory is never good to work out with.

RolandTD20Kdrummer

The immune system takes a hit every time you break down muscle. It has to do extra work to help repair it.

nfanel

when i feel mildly sick....where it's just an annoyance like a stuffy head (and i'm not achy all over or feel exhausted from it), i usually work out. oddly it makes me feel better sometimes.

markymark550

Ms. Haiku wrote:

I don't even work out when I'm healthy! Sure, miss another day.

My thoughts exactly!

LONGRD

I do when I have a job. I've never actually called out of work, ever.

JaneNY

I have to because I'm an aerobics instructor and own/run a small fitness center. I've taught with the flu, with a cold, allergies, eye problems, tendonitis, you name it. I rarely get sick though. I think I have good resistance due to working out a lot. (I teach 12x per week). But I didn't notice any big effect of keeping the illness longer due to working out. Not telling anyone else what to do - each person has to decide for themselves.

GreenTeaDisease

JaneNY wrote:

I have to because I'm an aerobics instructor and own/run a small fitness center. I've taught with the flu, with a cold, allergies, eye problems, tendonitis, you name it. I rarely get sick though. I think I have good resistance due to working out a lot. (I teach 12x per week). But I didn't notice any big effect of keeping the illness longer due to working out. Not telling anyone else what to do - each person has to decide for themselves.

yeah I don't think I've ever been sick LONGER by working out. although it probably depends what you have. I tried to go back too soon after I had pneumonia and it may have led to recurrence (and it was worthless anyway). I wouldn't ever work out with a fever though. that could be dangerous. I just look at being sick as an excuse to take a day off . Sometimes the sweat can make you feel a little better, but sometimes you just feel so gross it's not really worth it.

riffrandall

My trainer always tells me to listen to my body & that I need to remember I'm not in training for the Olympics. It's really easy (esp w/ kids) to have a cold go from bad to worse to really worse, like flu or pneumonia. And if you do get the flu it can take a REALLY long time until your body is strong enough to work out again.

I'd take the days off & just rest & let your body heal. You won't be sick forever.

Brain of J.Lo

Well, I spent 30 minutes or so on the bike today and my body felt great afterwards, so I'm glad I did. I don't feel good tonight, but I don't feel worse either...so I don't think I did any damage.

Thanks to everyone for your opinions.

chopitdown

The Champ wrote:

If it's a mild cold and the symptoms are above the neck, light training is okay and may even make you feel better. But if you have a fever and/or pain below the neck, you'll probably just prolong the illness..

yep.

pjfan31

I work when i'm sick, but I have sick days when I am well. It equals each other out I guess.

genie

i'd be insane if i ever work out during days i'm sick, but then i don't usually work out at all so that worry does not apply to me

try not to wash often during sickness

but DO

watch comedies and have lots of sex

Dylan Stone

This was what happened to me in December....

I was sick...then my son...then both of us....then the holidays. (And the lack of outdoor exercize in the COLD!---I like to walk EVERYWHERE!)

Also....I can't bring him to the gym for babysitting when he's sick (even though other rude people do!)

Anyway....about 8 lbs later...and well...it sucks.

It's so hard in the winter.

Me? I say go for it. If you can get to the gym...And you want to work out...and *all* you have is a cold. GO!!! Go to the gym! You'll be glad you did. If you feel weak...take it lighter than harder.

The chance of enjoying the positive ramifications far outweigh the chance of hating negative ones from a simple workout.

comebackwoman

If you really don't feel well, you should rest. If it's a cold you can probably do some light exercise. Listen to your body. Usually the first sign that I'm getting sick is that I have trouble getting through my work out. Last year I had the flu and started to feel a little bit better so I went for a run. BIG mistake. I immediately felt worse and was sick for 3 more days. :(

Indian Summer

nfanel wrote:

when i feel mildly sick....where it's just an annoyance like a stuffy head (and i'm not achy all over or feel exhausted from it), i usually work out. oddly it makes me feel better sometimes.

I agree. A good sweat can get some of that early crap out of your system.

GreenTeaDisease

comebackgirl wrote:

Usually the first sign that I'm getting sick is that I have trouble getting through my work out.

me too exactly!