Keep Your Momentum – Even When You’re Sick

You’ve been consistent with your new fitness routine and seeing results. One day you wake up with a runny nose, a sore throat and low energy. You want to keep your momentum, but you don’t want to slow your recovery or get anyone else sick. What are the dos and don’ts of exercising when you’re sick?

The good news is that regular exercise makes you less likely to get sick. Additionally, moderate-intensity workouts can boost your immune response and help you get better faster.

Don’t be contagious. Wash or sanitize your hands every time you blow your nose, cover a sneeze or cough. You’re already sick, and there’s no need to spread your misery to anyone else.

Do check your symptoms. If you have a fever, vomiting or diarrhea, or ache all over, then stay home and rest. But if you only have a runny nose, a headache, a sore throat or a dry cough, you’ll be okay as long as you follow the rest of this advice.

Don’t rush your comeback. With enough rest you will feel better, but it takes time to fully recover. If you felt awful for four days, then it will probably take four additional days – after you feel a lot better – until you are really back to normal.

Do listen to your body. This isn’t the time to push yourself. Workouts that are too hard or too long can suppress your immune system, making your illness worse. However, movement at an easy or a medium level, such as walking, mobility work or a very easy workout, can enhance your immune response. Keep these to just 30 to 45 minutes. Sticking to your schedule as best you can allows you to keep your momentum.

Don’t drink OJ. Orange juice is marketed as a cold-fighting beverage, but the opposite is probably closer to the truth. Ounce for ounce, orange juice has the same amount of sugar as Pepsi, and sugar is like a sleeping pill for your immune system; a large dose will slow it down for hours. The same goes for all sugary beverages.

*A best-selling author and fitness expert with 16 years of experience, Josef Brandenburg owns The Body You Want club in Georgetown. Information about his 14-Day Personal Training Experience may be found at TheBodyYouWant.com*