I am sick today - I think I am getting the beginning of that horrible flu thats going round......... I know what I do when I am sick - I stop the calorie count for that day and just focus on getting better. Now mind you I dont go nuts and hit the chocolate but if I want to eat nothing but crackers and chicken soup I dont beat myself up either. I dont work out which I bet there are alot of torn people like I am about that - but I just can't pull myself to do it sick.

What do you do?

I hope you feel better! Sorry to hear to you are sick. I feel very frustrated and nervous when I get sick or injured and can't work out because I am scared that I will stop being motivated. I think, though, that it is important to let your body heal because in the end we are doing this for our health and won't be healthy if we don't heal. When I'm sick I rest until a couple days and then I usually go for a walk or run because it feels so good to "sweat it out"...GET WELL SOON!

Ahh! I've had this dreaded flu for the past 3 days and yesterday I went to the ER because I hadn't been able to keep water down and I was very dehydrated. Ugh. I've pretty much been taking it easy, drink fluids if you can. Now I'm able to eat small portions of plain foods like noodles and brown rice and I had some salad. Try diet ginger ale or gatorade. Definitely get a lot of sleep! I hope you feel better soon!

yes exactly - let your body recover then jump back in! and thank you

I agree with resting the first few days, especially if you get the flu. I had it last month and it came with a high fever. I would say definitely don't work out if you have a fever. Then when you start feeling better do some light work outs like walking. I know that my energy level was extremely low from the flu for about a week. I just listened to my body and didn't push.
As far as food, I agree with what you said don't worry about calories, most likely you will not get anywhere near your calorie target because you won't feel like eating at all. I just try to eat small amounts so I had some calories to help my body fight the illness.
Feel better soon!

You too and thank you

hope you feel better too

Hope you feel better!

I am like you and focus on getting better. I find that I naturally don't eat that many calories when I don't feel good but I give myself permission to not worry about nutritional % either. Cereral is comfort food for me - so I can eat it for all three meals. I also like some OJ which is a treat since I normally don't drink my calories.

Lori

I continue to count calories when I'm sick. If anything, I'm stricter about it, especially if I've stopped working out. Unless I have the stomach flu, my appetite rarely decreases; in fact, I'll crave all sorts of junk that I normally don't eat. So I keep a close eye on what I eat. It's bad enough that I have to be sick, the last thing I want is for the illness to set me back in terms of my weight loss.

I usually make a big pot of soup as soon as I start to get sick and then eat that for dinner (and sometimes for lunch too). Since the soup is usually low in calories, that leaves room for some extra snacks during the day, which I know I'll need because I'm just laying around bored (which makes me want to eat).

In terms of working out, I do what I feel up to. If I think I can manage a regular workout at the gym, I absolutely do that. I think it really helps me fight off a cold. I had something a while ago that was going around; most people were absolutely just laid low by it but I was able to remain fairly functional and I think it's because I continued to work out (although I did dial back the intensity a bit). There is some evidence that exercise increases your body's immunity levels. But if I have the stomach flu, if I'm running a fever, or if I just don't have the energy to get up off the sofa, then I skip working out. If all I can manage is a walk to the corner drugstore to buy cold medicine, that's all I do.

If this is the flu that is in my area no way are you going to work out or be tempted to eat!! No outside for a walk, no going to work, no getting in the shower unless someone is home and knows where you are. One girl fainted in the shower and people have been out for a whole week with it.

Gingerale, crackers, toast, a warm blanket, pj's and your pillow.

Sounds like heaven to me because I am not sick!

Feel better everyone who is sick. Spring is coming!! (as I watch it snow again. I think WI is stuck in a snow gloabe

When I am sick I still keep track of what I eat. I make sure everything I put in my mouth counts if I am not going to be working out.

I still track what I eat if I'm sick just so I have a record of it, but I'm more lenient with myself -- if I'm at my goal calories and still hungry, I'll eat a little more. Basically I don't want to deprive myself when my immune system needs that energy.

As for working out, I just do what feels okay -- it depends a lot on my symptoms. Often if it's nice out I'll try just going for a walk, or some other gentle cardio. But whatever you do, take care of yourself and don't beat yourself up if your exercise routine gets abandoned for a few days!

Think this is the first time I have posted in this forum. It depends on how sick I am...if I'm up to it I still try to track my calories. The truth is I am RARELY sick enough not to eat! I'm glad I'm healthy of course, but it sure would be nice to be able to miss a day of eating now and then and actually lose weight. I rarely lose weight when I'm sick cause I still eat! I am more likely to eat something I wouldn't normally too. However i don't exercise when I'm sick. Just can't get myself to do it.

Not as nice as you'd think. The fact is, any lbs lost because not being able to eat while you are sick are likely to come back (possibly with friends) as soon as you are able to eat again. When you are fasting or eating very little, your body goes into fat storage mode. It stops burning fat and starts storing it. Everything you do eat gets stored as fat and the body continues to do this once you start eating again. So all the weight you lose comes back very quickly and you could end up gaining more than you lost.

Unless I literally cannot eat because of nausea, I'm very careful to keep my calories at a healthy level while I'm sick. When I did have the stomach flu and couldn't keep food down for 48 hours, I did drop about 6 lbs overnight, but they all came back as soon as I started eating again (I swear, I know this isn't possible but it seemed like within an hour of my first meal I was back up six pounds). It also doesn't help that the diet you have to eat when recovering from the stomach flu (bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast) is high in carbs and sugars, elevating blood sugar and insulin levels, which also sends the body further into fat storage mood.

Oh, Barbara, I know you are right! I've even had several surgeries and each time I lose but gain it back right away.

I track, all of the time.

I was pretty sick recently (a very rare occurrence) and I dropped 8 pounds in one week, then 7 the next. I was really worried that I would gain back some (along with a few of those pesky friends" that usually happen in rebound) but, so far, so good. I just could NOT eat, I was so sick. Once I COULD eat, I had healthy days, followed by a few healthy but very high calories days. I think my body was freaking out and so I ate a lot of nuts and seeds for a couple of days. I feel like I haven't gained, but we'll see on Monday!