This is the 3rd day I've been sick but I'm finding a hard time grabbing the motivation to exercise. I have a head-cold...so headache, running nose, just in general feel icky. But I need to because I do enjoy exercise.

So I guess I'm asking, at what point do you guys allow yourselves to take a day off? Is exercising with a cold ok as long as its not in the chest?

****EDIT**** Title fail...*Exercising

I fixed it for you.

bahaha thank you xDD...

When I'm sick I take it as a license to do nothing except for entirely unavoidable tasks.

F.

I'm at the tail end of being sick. No more sinus pressure but have a cough.

I haven't done jack for exercise since about Thursday lol. I wouldn't feel obligated to push yourself to exercise if I were you. My thought is that our bodies are trying to fix whats wrong. Adding additional stress on top of that will just prolong the sick.

I don't force myself if I am truly ill. If I think I can do it, and I want to try it, I do. I did learn the hard way that yoga is pretty much impossible with a head cold, and painful with sinus congestion.

Hope you feel better soon!

my rule is if i can't breathe comfortably, or can't make myself eat enough to fuel the workout, then i don't do it. i also tend to stay away public equipment if i'm coughing/sneezing because those germs get into the air. there's only so much an alcohol wipe can do.

It all depends on how you feel. I think Mandy has a point with the breathing though! I just worked out today for the first time in about 3 days. I have been battling a UTI which makes movement suck period. I sucked it up and did a low impact lifting workout today It went well, and I took Ibuprophin hehe.

I've seen 'industry experts' (i.e. fitness professionals) say that exercising with a head cold is fine, and can sometimes help you feel better, but if it's in your chest you're just going to make it worse, so you should rest until you're better.

In the end it's up to you and what you think you can handle, but if you've got a head cold and want to try, you should be fine.

My rules are: all cold symptoms = stay out of the gym!!! Above the neck (head cold) do a walk or weights at home. Below the neck (in my lungs) rest.

If my sickness is even thinking about dabbling in my lungs, I won't exercise. Like right now, I have a sinus infection but I'm coughing up gross stuff so I'm not exercising. I'm super prone to bronchitis, recently had it 3 times in 3 months. I've run while having it and the running doesn't do a thing to help me. I feel like I want to die while not even being able to run my usual length or time. I'd rather take a week and a half off and work my way back up.

The research I have looked at shows that light to moderate exercise will help increase the immune systems ability to fight a cold or flu. Too much exercise will compromise the immune system.

So if you're going to exercise when sick, take it easy.

This....

And when most of us exercise (I'm assuming), we are going all out - pushing ourselves. That just seems so counter-intuitive when our bodies are already fighting an illness.

THose are days I take a walk or do something light, like a light weights workout. Colds totally zap me of energy, so even THINKING of doing more just doesn't enter my mind, but a brisk walk and some fresh air usually makes me feel better - being OUTSIDE (unless it's freezing cold) helps.

I don't exercise when sick. I may just be a big baby about it. I used to get sick constantly and be sick way longer than most people. A simple cold would hang on for weeks. I have found in the last few years though, if I take a day or two and do as little as possible, sleep as much as possible, etc., I am back 100% within a few days.

I don't exercise when sick.