Exercise while ill

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  • do you still exercise if you have a cold/flu....
    i have one and just worked out and now im so tired/exhausted i dont think i can move....
    i need to do workout two en all....
  • I am currently sick and I dont even have the energy to workout. I think if I would I would feel worse then I did to start with.
  • I don't exercise when I have a cold, even if it isn't a terrible cold and I'm not totally zapped of energy. I just don't like the feeling of getting "worked up" when I don't feel well... for me, being sweaty, out of breath AND sick is one of the worst feelings I can think of bc it takes forever to 'cool down' and I usually wind up feeling dizzy and worse.

    Also, I once read that when you are all, particularly with a flu, your body temperature is already a bit elevated and exercise might overheat you and rob you of the calories you need to get better.
  • My personal opinion is not to exercise whilst you are ill. Give your body time to recover but as soon as you are well start exercising maybe a little gentler than normal and spend a few days building up to your previous level of exercise.

    Get back into to exercises can be difficult to motivate oneself after a short period off but I try to remember that time off for illness is not the normal routine it is just allowing my body to heal. Besides I know what got me to being 130+ overweight and I don't want to be there again.
  • I can't even move when I have the flu so exercise would be impossible. With a cold, no, I probably wouldn't.
  • well ive just done the second workout....
    fuelled up a bit more than i normally would by eating two homemade fruit cakes with tea....
    it definately took it out of me....
    im only going to supermarket now this evening....
    n then i will be in bed!....
  • If it's just a head cold and I have the energy I will. If I'm nauseous, not eating much/well or have a deep cough (ie: a lung infection) I don't exercise. I usually just go with how my body feels.

    I started feeling sick on Sunday and just didn't have the energy to do anything until today. Even now, I'll probably just go for a long run.
  • I'm actually wondering the same thing right now. I'm doing the 30 Day Shred, and don't want to skip a day, but I was sick enough today that I called into work for the first time this year. I'm going to wait and see how I feel in a few hours.

    I have heard, though, if the sickness is in your chest, like a bad cough or bronchitis, you can do more harm than good by working out. Especially trying to do cardio.
  • how many calories does a beecham cold and flu have?....
  • i exercise when i have a cold, but lighter exercise, not what i usually do.
    Unless i don't have enough calories for the day, then i usually don't skip exercises.
  • I take a walk or do something else that's fairly lax - I've found that it actually helps me feel better.
  • Wow you read my mind!! I came home sick from work - and I napped for a couple of hours.. and woke up thinking I should exercise. I woke up with a migraine, and a sore throat, so my sickness is a littler different. I actually couldn't shake the headache no matter what I took, such a horrible feeling!

    I think I will exercise, I think a sore throat isn't enough to keep me from exercising. Thank goodness my headache passed!!

    -Aimee
  • All I want to do when I'm sick is curl up in bed. Besides, I think when you're sick your body is trying to recover and heal. Not sure exercising is such a great idea on top of that. I usually just rest.
  • im feeling better this morning....
    i did have a cold n flu last nite....
    and i did eat some chocolate....
    feel bit bad for choccie bit but cold seems to be improving....
  • i've heard that if your cold is above your neck then you should be fine, but if its on your chest then you can strain your heart or something if you over do your exercise. I dont know if thats true, but i think that recovery is important so i would probably skip the exercise and let my body work its way through it (with lots of nice cold and flu drugs ). Plus if you're going to work out in a gym you're probably going to spread it around which people wont appreciate but i think you work out at home mostly right?