Staying Active When Sick: The Dos And Dont’s

Staying Active When Sick: The Dos And Dont’s

If you’re not feeling well, the idea of falling out of your fitness routine can plague your mind more than anything else. In the long run, this isn’t important. A few days, even a week off your fitness regime is not going to make a difference. In fact, it could even be better to take some time off so you recover faster. Forcing yourself to work out could make recovery more difficult. However, it’s possible to continue living an active lifestyle when you don’t feel great, depending on a few factors. Read on for some advice:

Staying Active When Sick

• Do: Take It Easy

Make sure you are gentle with yourself and the exercise you attempt. A gentle walk should be fine, but something more intense, like a HIIT class, should be avoided. You may only feel like you have a head cold or a sniffle, but when you run, it could suddenly hit you like a ton of bricks.

• Don’t: Work Out If You’re Contagious

If you’re likely to pass something onto someone, whether a cold or virus, do not work out in public. Don’t go to the gym, or anywhere that could become a hotbed for your germs. You need to think about other people in this situation and stay away.

• Do: Try Some Specific Exercises For Your Illness 

There may be some specific exercises you can do to feel better, such as yoga for a cold or flu. Again, you’ll only be taking it easy, but doing this should make you feel better both physically and mentally.

• Don’t: Stress About Losing ‘Progress’ 

One reason most people want to continue exercising when they get sick is because they stress about losing their progress. When you’re sick, you’re hardly going to be making massive gains in the gym. Even if you could work out, you’d probably feel a lot weaker. This is the last thing you want to worry about. You need to let your body heal naturally. Stressing about losing your progress will add useless worry into your life that could lead to cortisol increases and destructive thinking patterns/actions.

• Do: Listen To Your Body Closely 

If you do decide to do a gentle work out or go for a walk, listen to your body as closely as you can. Don’t continue if you feel faint, or nauseous. Being more intuitive and paying close attention is key to feeling your best.

• Don’t: Forget How Important The Other Aspects Of Your Fitness Regime Are 

This is a great time to focus on other aspects of your fitness and health regime to make sure you have them all in order. Staying active is great, but working out isn’t the be all and end all. If you’re not eating a balanced diet or getting enough sleep, then it’s pretty pointless to put so much of your focus on working out! Things you can focus on at this time instead of working out include:

• Getting plenty of fruit and veg each day
• Getting plenty of sleep and rest
• Drinking lots of water
• Stretching
• Meditation
• Deep breathing
• Mindset

Leave your thoughts below! What are your best tips for staying active when sick?

Contributed Article.