I love exercising. Sure, it might be mostly because it's my quiet time to read at the gym, but that doesn't matter. I like it. If I can't get to the gym, I will jump around while watching a favorite TV show. I have made exercise a part of my me time and I have a very difficult time separating the two. Which is probably why I kept working out even after I got my cold last week.
Now, The Mayo Clinic will tell you that it's okay to work out if you have a cold - if all of your symptoms are above your neck. While I generally trust the Mayo Clinic web site and its advice, I'm pretty sure they are not entirely correct about this cold thing. When I worked out last Thursday, Friday and Saturday, all of my symptoms were above my neck. Runny nose, headache, sore throat, you know.
By Saturday night? I had a terrible cough.
My immune system doesn't really work properly, though. I have ulcerative colitis and allegries, so my immune system tends to be attacking me rather than the cold viruses my children bring home. I can't say for sure whether the continued work outs prompted the cough and slight fever.
I can say that I didn't work out Sunday or Monday and now I feel much better. So much so that I did a light work out today. I guess we can see whether I continue to feel better or whether my hacking cough comes back with a vengeance. Not that this is an exactly scientific study, but it'd be nice to know whether I should take a break every time I get a cold, or whether I'm going to develop a horrible cough no matter what I do.
What about you? Do you exercise when you're sick? Do you follow the Mayo Clinic's above the neck rule?
10 comments:
I probably don't qualify to answer this, because I don't work out no matter how healthy or amazing I feel above or below the neck.
But I'm pretty sure I would definitely not work out if I had a cold. It seems like a recipe for a headache. And possibly death, because working out is all about the breathing, and a cold messes with that.
There was a time when I did like to work out - It lasted for about 6 months while I was on mat leave. I think I worked out while sick during that time - but then, it was also my only me time. Of course, your idea of working out and mine might be different - does yours involve carrying a rucksack of gym stuff out of the house and then keeping it beside you while you have coffee and cake in the gym bar?
When you're sick your body needs to heal and working out can stress your body too far. I always find I recover quicker from sickness if I take it easy.
oh good for you.
It usually depends on how sick I am, if I can stand up, I don't but if it is a small cough, I still work up a little but not until I lose my breath :)
get well soon! :)
I don't work out when I'm sick. I'm always told it'll help me feel better but it just makes me feel worse!
I don't typically exercise while I'm sick but then again, I don't get sick often. The one time I did try to workout while having a cold, I ended up stopping 20 minutes in because I was too congested.
Being sick is no fun! I couldn't work out while I was sick, but more power to ya!
It is so hard for me to work out while I am sick. So I usually just do not do it. lol
I wish I could say I work out all the time but I don't. I am always active and out and about (does that count? lol) but when I am sick I don't work out but maybe I will start :-)
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