Working Out When Under the Weather

Here we are at the holiday season facing shopping, parties, food and of course, the flu season.

Here comes flu season

As a fitness professional I am often faced with the decision of whether or not to work while affected by some of the illnesses and ailments that take us on each day.  When I was in the corporate world I faced the same decision.  However, my job was not as physical so I did push through work at times when I perhaps should have stayed home.  There are times when we convince ourselves to work though an illness due to necessity or practicality.  Whether we really need the money or we just feel our impact on a project is too critical to miss the hours, we often choose work over staying home to heal at a high percentage rate.  So, what’s the difference when we consider working out while sick?

I’m sometimes amazed at what I put myself through to make my class schedule each day.  From accidents to illness, I try very hard not to cancel or get subs for classes.  Driven by something beyond my control, it has become important to me to make sure everyone who signed up for a workout by Angel gets what they asked for as often as possible.  Regardless of how I feel.  For example, this past week I have worked through what I thought was a slight cold, I came to find out yesterday that I actually had the flu.  I was surprised to find I had the current flu running through the community.  The biggest surprise for me was that I wasn’t falling down sick like I usually am when I get a flu.  Something you need to know.  Some years ago I went through some medical treatments that affected my immure system, the result of which leaves me getting really sick when I get the flu.  I’m usually bound to the bed and forced to live off the kindness of my husband and daughter.  I can be pretty pathetic!  This time around, I was just slightly inconvenienced.  I explained this to the practitioner and asked their thoughts and the answer was pretty simple.  It was a combination of my increased fitness level and the fact that I kept working out through the process.

A couple of things that I need to say before I go on.  The majority of medical practitioners encourage you not to workout if you have a fever.  It can be dangerous.  Specifically, there are dangers when the fever is combined with the rising of your body temperature as a result of exercise.  It is recommended to stay out of the gym if your fever reaches 100 degrees Fahrenheit.  Also, a fever can indicate the individual is contagious and should avoid contact with people who may not want that particular illness.  If you have an illness that can spread through fluids (like the flu), then you should avoid the gym.  All that sweating can make things a bit complicated for others!  Lewis G. Maharam, M.D. has a simple rule for you to follow when working out sick.

 Do what you can.  And what you can’t do, don’t do.

Other’s feel that, if you’re experiencing bronchial tightness or irritation, then you shouldn’t workout.  As a former Marine, I was always told to take some meds, get up and get it done!  Hmm… so many messages.  Which ones do you follow?  Here is my list of tips for working out sick.

1. Assess your sickness with honesty.  Love yourself enough to be honest with yourself about how you feel.  If it were your loved one and not you, would you tell that loved one to stay home today?  If the answer is yes, then you need to stay home and rest off the illness.
2. Are your symptoms above or below the neck?  Are you experiencing; runny nose, plugged sinuses, sneezing, etc.?  If so, you can move on to your workout.  Make sure you proceed with care and be cautious.  Don’t push too hard and listen to your body.  On the contrary, if you have an upset stomach, strong hacking cough, or chest congestion, then you need to stay at home.  Let the body work through what you’re fighting and refer to the advice of a health practitioner.
3. Give yourself the walk test.  When you’re at the gym, take a brisk walk around the group exercise room or the main room of the gym.  If you can walk around the outside of most group exercise rooms without feeling the stress on your lungs, headache, nausea or dizziness then push on.
4. Let your body rest!  The best tools for your body to flush out an illness are; rest, fluids and good foods.  Exercise or sweating out an illness is purely a myth.  Sweating doesn’t aide the healing process.  It can actually stress the process sometimes.  Especially if you have a fever.  The pressure on the heart rises with the rise of the body’s temperature (a natural effect of the exercise process); this is increased when that rise in temperature is due to a fever.

 Fever + Exercise = Heart Stress

5. You don’t want to make everyone sick!  We can be quite selfish in this area.  When we push to make sure we don’t miss a workout we can forget the affect our need to workout has on those around us.  Your cold or flu can spread across everything you come into contact with at the gym.  EVERYTHING!  Consider the health of others when you decide you need to get to the gym today.
6. Most important.  Follow the advice of a medical practitioner.  Drink fluids, eat well, lie down and rest when advised to.  Ask questions when you feel you’re ready to get back on track.  I have found incredible information at WebMD, for those who may not have access to a practitioner.
7. Don’t fall for the “fall behind story”.  If you miss a few days at the gym, your world is not going to come to an end.  You need to love and respect you enough to allow for time to heal.  I have facilitated classes where people have passed out from pressing too hard.  That only leads to an unexpected hospital visit and the possibility of a longer break from the gym.  Stay in bed today, drink lots of water, and rest!  You won’t fall behind.  Trust me.  The gym will be there tomorrow, we want to make sure you are as well!

I hope this information has been helpful for you.  I want the workout experience to be as enjoyable to you as it is to me, if not more!  Don’t follow what I did with my illness this past week.  Be more supportive of your body’s needs and understand the importance healing to being fit.

Take care and I’ll see you at the gym!!

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