Barfing: I can think of few things so dreadful. There’s nothing like a solid bout of upchucking to remind us how truly wretched life in a human body can be.
And while I used to bounce back from a stomach virus within a day or two, it now takes me the better part of a week to fully recover — one of the joys of getting older, I suppose.
Needless to say, I will not exercise when in the throes of such a vile illness, but it poses a good question: Should we work out during any sickness, be it the flu, an intestinal bug or a sinus cold? Is it beneficial to exert energy while under the weather, or does it do more damage than good? Should we play it safe and lay low, or do we stop making excuses to skip workouts?
Here’s my advice on when to say “no” to exercise:
You are nauseous or on the verge of throwing up. One would have to be out of his gourd to work out when hurling is a distinct possibility. Stay home and close to the throne. Once the threat of vomiting has passed, wait until you are able to eat normally before resuming your regular workout routine (this can take days). If you are itching to get moving despite still feeling under, do some gentle yoga or take a slow-paced walk. Avoid anything high impact and skip a huff-and-puff workout until you are restored to full health.
You have a fever, chills and body aches — classic flu symptoms. The flu is a serious illness and not to be taken lightly. Having not had the flu since my teen years, I incorrectly recalled its severity as being similar to a cold, only with a fever. When I contracted it at age 30, I was flat on my back for a solid week, incapacitated. All I could do was rest (and wail), and that’s all you should do when dealing with the flu. Never work out with a fever, as this drains your already exhausted body and can actually extend the duration of the bug.
You have a head cold and are coughing, plugged up, and blowing your nose into a tissue every 10 minutes. Time and again, people in the throes of a head cold attend my exercise classes, miserable as can be. For the love of God, stay home. You are not doing your body any favors by forcing it to perform push-ups and lunges when what it needs is rest. Your recovery is far more important than burning 400 calories. In addition, you are probably contagious and infecting those around you. Do everyone a favor and avoid the gym until you are well.
Is it ever OK to exercise when not at optimum health? In the following instances, cautiously:
PMS and cramps. Exercise actually helps ease these annoying symptoms. Ladies, if your energy level is very low (typical at this time of month), make it a gentle workout.
Headache. Sometimes exercise helps, sometimes it makes the pain worse. Start your workout at a slow pace, and only increase the intensity if your headache is tolerable and not worsening.
Hangover. You are crabby, dehydrated and in pain, and it’s nobody’s fault but your own — oh, I’ve been there and don’t miss those days. Exercise and sweating can increase dehydration, so the day after an evening of Cosmos or a 12-pack of beer, give yourself several hours to rehydrate and refuel before even considering a workout.
I tell clients who are recovering from illness to wait to resume exercise until they have at least 80 percent of their usual energy. When you reach this point, perform a mellow workout and monitor how you feel every 10 minutes. If you feel worse than when you started, your body is not ready. Stop immediately and give yourself more time to recover.
Once you are back to feeling 100 percent, have at it with those burpees, pull-ups and 100-yard dashes.
This information is not intended to be a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Consult a physician with any questions about illness.
Catherine Bongiorno, info@lifttolose.com, is a Mukilteo personal trainer and nutritional therapist who owns Lift To Lose Fitness &Nutrition, www.lifttolose.com.
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