Hello,

I have a pretty bad head cold. This morning I tried to do my usual (1 hour) aerobics and only made it a little past 30 minutes. I was simply exhausted. and also, very irritated with stopping to take care of my runny nose.

I have lupus and lots of joint pain but I usually work out every day. I have to take a "no excuses" approach or I won't stick with it. So, I am not looking for an excuse not to work out.

I MUST get over this cold quickly so I am doing the supplements, fluids, etc thing.

What is the wisdom about working out in this situation? Does "rest" mean not to work out? Does it matter in terms of recovery time? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

I have been told working out while sick is not helpful. Your body is working at fighting a bug, and when you work out, it then has to work at repairing your muscles, also.

A leisurely walk or some yoga would be good to do on a "day off" so you keep in a routine, but also allow your body to rest.

Give yourself a rest, you will certainly heal faster. I second the advice to do some light exercise like a walk or some light yoga if you feel up to it, but at least for the first few days of a bad cold you should give yourself some time to get better.

It's never, EVER a good idea to work out when sick!

After exercising your body becomes even more vulnerable to diseases, which is why it's recommended you eat something at least 30 minutes after training.