It is day four of my cold. I am starting to feel better, but it will probably take a few more days before I fully recover. Most people in my situation would be perfectly happy to skip a few workout sessions. But I am starting to feel fidgety.
Why I feel the urge to work out while I am sick?
All of us need a mantra or a motivational phase to get us to stick to a regular workout schedule. Mine is that “if I do not workout after 3 days, my back will start to ache.” That is what keeps me exercising. I am afraid that when I stop exercising, I might end up bedridden from back pain. I have no idea if that is a true statement, but I have trained myself to believe it. And because I believe that is a true statement, I can feel my body needing more movement than just going to the bathroom.
Have you gotten to that stage in your healthy lifestyle to feel the urge for movement after a few days of rest? Do you truly believe that you NEED exercise in your life like I do? I think a lot of people know that they need exercise in their life, but have yet to BELIEVE they need exercise in their life. You cannot COMMIT to a healthier lifestyle without first BELIEVING in it.
Should I workout while I am sick?
A few years ago, I would jump at any opportunity to skip a workout. It would take me a week to get over a cold, but at least a month before I resume working out. After all, I want to make sure that I am fully recovered before stressing my body again with exercise.
According to CNN, “if you have the sniffles and milder symptoms of a cold, moderate exercise is probably OK.”
Prevention magazine have something called the neck check that I thought was really helpful. If your symptoms are all above the neck, like a runny nose or a sore throat, then you”re okay to exercise.
Since my symptoms pass the neck check, I guess I have at least the yellow light for exercise. Don’t worry, I do not workout at a gym, so there is little chance for me to spreading my cold to others.
What type of workout should I do while I am sick?
I did my 15 minute morning walk with a co-worker around the office building this morning. Light cardio is often a good choice when recovering from any injury, so I figured it would be okay for a cold as well.
I am still feeling a little light headed from my walk three hours ago. I think I will skip my afternoon walk today and try yoga tomorrow.
Listen to your body is an important concept to learn when recovering from an illness or injury. When you make that commitment to a healthier lifestyle, you are making that commitment to listen to your body. Listen without making any kind of assumptions. When you assume, you are an ass — my mantra for dealing with people and my mantra for dealing with my body.
What about the momentum I build up if I stop exercising when I am sick?
If I continue to exercise when my immune system is compromised, more likely than not, it will take me longer to recover. I rather clamp down on my excitement to exercise than spend another weekend on the sofa watching mind numbing re-runs. I cannot tell if I am being sarcastic as I write that last sentence. I truly doubt that 4-5 days of rest is going to weaken my muscles to the point where I have trouble picking up my 8 lb dumbbells.
Until next time and thanks for stopping by Small Steps to Health.
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{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
I generally try to stick with my exercise routine unless my illness is so bad it prevents me from doing so. Sometimes I do start to feel lightheaded and have to cut my workout short if I am a bit under the weather but I always attempt to workout in some form.
Tom Parker – Free Fitness Tipss last blog post……Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin) Explained
depends on how sick you are. I usually feel better after a bit of a work out…it gets rid of a hang over or helps the cold along.
If you’re really sick then stay home and rest.
Paunchinesss last blog post……Where Do Thanksgiving Turkeys Come From?
I love this post, because I have always had this question at the back of my mind. I think moderation is a good principle to follow. I usually try to do a lighter workout, like you were saying, and listen to my body. Sometimes, less is more, but you can’t use that as an excuse to stop exercising
@Tom Parker – Free Fitness Tips, @Paunchiness, and @Steve@Success Factors – I am glad that I am not the only one that still try to squeeze something in even when I am sick. But I wonder if we are part of the selected few.
I hate debating what to do when I’m sick. I had a cough for 3 weeks and I did workout lightly but I couldn’t do a lot of cardio or I’d go into fits of coughing. It makes it much harder to get back into the routine even after of few days off!