Should I Workout While I'm Sick?

Cough Cough Cough Sneeze. Ahhh winter season, the time of year for people to get sick with a common cold or the flu. A popular question I get asked is "Should I workout while I am sick?" I am not a doctor, but from my experience it depends on the level of how sick you may feel and what type of sickness you may have. Everybody's bodies are all different. What I usually tell clients is that it depends on how you feel. Is your strength there to train? Does your body ache? Can you function properly? Those are some questions I ask myself if I'm recovering from being sick from something like a cold.

Another question I take into consideration "Is my sickness contagious?" Well if you have the flu or strep throat then it's in the best interest of you and other people to not go to the gym and get other people sick. That's just common courtesy!

Some things to consider while being sick are what type of training should you do while being sick or should I train at all? This depends on how sick you are, some days you may have to take a rest from training and some days you may feel up for some light training. Well, in my opinion stretching is a great way to get the body moving. Maybe practice some simple yoga stretches if you aren't feeling up to 100% recovery in your health. I would also consider light cardio such as 20-30 minutes of walking or seated bicycle, however it all depends on how you feel. Remember when you perform exercise, like strength training it tears your muscles and then the body does its magic (lol) and repairs those muscles to heal. When your body (you know I like to compare the human body to cars) is sick your immune system has to in essence rev up its engine (white blood cells, etc.) to help heal and repair your body from whatever sickness you have. That is why it is good to sometimes give your body rest from training while being sick.

Most importantly when your body is sick and you are recovering my best piece of advice is to know when you need complete rest. Nourish your body with high quality healthy foods, take adequate amounts of vitamins for your body, and drink water! As previously mentioned in last week's blog "Why Do We Need Sleep? Energy Efficiency" make sure you get enough sleep because that is a major key to recovery and healing the body.

Overall, always consult with a physician before starting a workout program. I also recommend becoming more in tune with how your body works because you know what's best for yourself!

Thank you for reading this week's short blog! Have a great rest of your week everyone! Send me your questions and topics for my next blog on any of my social media platforms.

#advice #educate #stretching #fitness #lifestyle #workout #wellness #sleep #healthy #recovery