So I have a stupid cold and I find that anytime I am sick, I totally quit working out & binge on bad food because I feel bad for myself. I really should work out tonight but my nose is totally stuffed and I'm so tired...does anyone else ever get this way and HOW do you get past it??

I tend not to work out while sick. I like to give my body a chance to rest. So. I just hit maintenance mode for the few days I'm sick. Last month I was sick with a weird stomach bug for 8 days. I didn't work out but I ate right and I was still able to have a loss.

It is not a good idea to workout when you are sick anyways. Rest, get better and then workout!

My rule for when I am sick is that if I am only experiencing symptoms all above the neck like a stuffy nose and maybe a headache then I work out. Listen to your body and take the intensity of your workout down a bit if your regular pace feels too strenuous. If I am suffering from congestion or low energy, exercise often helps me feel better. A brisk walk usually unclogs my sinuses better than an afternoon on the couch.

However if I have any fever, dizziness, stomach upset, body aches, chills and diarrhea then I take it easy until I am feeling better. At this point I think working out would only make it worse rather then better.

Hope you feel better soon!

Yea it's mostly just a head cold and already b/c of sitting at my desk feeling crappy I've had a bagel w/ cream cheese instead of cereal, salad with bacon instead of broth soup, dessert - I just want to make a right decision and work out but head colds make me SO lazy! Stomach bugs and fever I would DEFINTIELY not be at the gym...I just need to fight my own "I have a cold, I'm going to be sulk and over-eat" mentality I've had for too long...it's about a 25 block NYC walk to the gym so I think I'll do the walk and see how I feel when I get there, maybe I'll just do the elliptical instead of the boot camp class...thanks for the walking for fresh air idea - that sounds like a good one.

I used to think the same thing. In truth, research shows that light to moderate exercise actually improves immune system function.

Too much exercise is a bad idea and will impare your immune system. How much is too much depends on how conditioned you are but 30-45 minutes of moderate intensity is generally the max you should do.

Personally I'm a fan of brisk walking for 30 minutes when sick.

Yep - the only day I went totally off plan, ate around 2200 calories, and didn't get a lick of exercise: the first day of the flu.

I always wished I was one of those people who would suddenly lose their appetite with colds.

Anyway, I just remember eating multiple slices of cake throughout the day and then a cheese sandwich before I went to bed - along with a good serving of sprite. Something about being sick and eating sugar and carbs - it just feels right!

I also missed a week of jogging. But, I do believe in giving the body time to heal. Don't be so hard on yourself! Being sick is rare and sort of like a special occasion.

I order in spicy thai soup. And I ask them to make it extra hot. It's spicy and salty, and just a little sweet and acidic. There's a nice protein hit from the chicken broth. By the end of a big bowlful, I can breathe again and swallow again.

Then I go out for a walk or an easy bike ride. My goal is to get air moving all the way down into my lungs and get my blood pumping, not to work too hard.

I am the same way. Sometimes it actually makes me feel a little better. As far as food goes, I tend to eat what I am feeling like I need to eat when I'm sick. I try to stay away from the junk since it isn't going to help my body get better faster.

Ok, but I wouldn't call a brisk walk working out. I think the body has enough work to do when fighting sickness it doesn't need a workout too. A brisk walk, especially for a head cold, it always a good idea because you get outside and get some fresh air.

Eating crap on the other hand has nothing to do with being sick in my opinion. Comfort food will help but doesn't have to be unhealthy or with lots of calories. A chicken noodle soup, plain broth or veggies help and have not many calories.

I wouldn't do the working out until near the end of your cold. Wearing yourself down will make it harder to fight the cold, imho. Liquids, chicken soup. Liquids. Vitamin C. Liquids.

We can debate definitions over what constitutes a workout some other time. The fact is the research has shown a moderate amount of exercise will boost your immune system.

I don't exercise when I'm very sick. In fact I took two days off this week because I was just feeling miserable and I was very tired. I know that I would just make things worse if I pushed myself.

Then again I get "exercise" every day at work because I'm always on my feet. I just don't count it as exercise because it's so easy

Doing a little bit of moving is good for you. Just as John P suggested, you can go for a brisk walk. This will get you moving a little bit and will probably keep your mind off food too

This is a wonderful question. One that I can't answer, because I don't work out when I'm sick (Then again, I love having excuses for slacking ). I believe that if you take your body's reserves and energy away from healing, you won't get any better.

HOWEVER, if you're like my husband, you're only sick for two days because you're in such good shape.
He says: "It's not always easy. Just do it."

Wow, I know... that's great advice.

Perhaps the best advice is to read your body, and wait until you're in excellent shape to work out EVEN WHEN YOU'RE SICK

Thanks for all the responses! I didn't work out Tues - Sat - just let my body rest and did some outdoor 30-45 min. walks two of the days Friday & Sat I felt awful so I hardly left the couch. I do think it was best, but I also think I just had a really bad cold, not the flu or a high fever etc., which is why I didn't want to take too much time off - I started working out again this past Sun.

Now 4 days later my body is finally getting back in gear - I can't believe how sore I was after taking 5 days off!! Wish I hadn't eaten as much "comfort food" as I did while sick but luckily I didn't notice that much of a change for the worse.