Sick of Being Sick!!!

Last Friday I was blessed with a head and throat cold. It has totally taken me out. I have no energy and if I am not coughing or throwing up, I just want to sleep. I have not achieved very much in the last 4 days in the form of exercise. I am hoping to feel better in the next day or two.

My weigh in this week will be on Saturday morning. I am going with my son's Grade 2 class to the Children's Festival on Thursday and then with my daughter to the spa on Friday. So as you can see, I really do not have time to be ill.

While I was talking myself out of exercising the past few days, it got me to thinking if exercise would really make me worse or if it would help me get over this bug. So I researched a bit on the internet and found the following rule of thumb:

The age old question. I have the sniffles, not feeling so great, can I work out? Should I skip?

Maybe you’ve heard the old wives tale “sweat out a cold”? Not necessarily true. A brisk walk can help clear a stuffy nose for a short-term fix but working out when sick can make you even sicker. The rule of thumb is the “neck test”.

Sick above the neck? If you have a headache, stuffy nose or scratchy throat, go ahead and exercise. Keep your intensity a little lower than normal and monitor how you feel. If you feel dizzy, stop.

Sick below the neck? If you have the aches and pains of a fever, coughing, chest congestion, or upset stomach skip that workout. Your body has a certain amount of energy and it needs all that energy to fight your illness. Working out will take that energy away and you are likely to remain sick or get sicker. Let the illness run its course then get back to your normal routine.

Another consideration, if you have a cold and are heading to the gym, keep the other gym goers in mind. I’m sure they would not appreciate your sneezing and coughing on the elliptical machine. Would you want to work out next to someone who is sick?

As we get into our routines and are finally developing good strides in our workouts a cold doesn’t have to ruin us. A few days off is not the end of the world. You can return to your routine rested, refreshed and roaring to go.