What to do when you're under the weather?

[hhcowgirl]

I have a question--how long do y'all wait after the first signs of illness before you start exercising again? I made myself even sicker recently by forcing myself to slog away on the treadmill; however, I feel like I will go crazy w/o exercise. Help!

[Gina O]

I have really mixed feelings about running when I am not feeling well.... Years ago, in many futile attempts to lose weight, I would begin exercise programs. As I was extremely overweight and living unhealthily, it never failed that withing a couple weeks of beginning an exercise program, I would come down with some ailment and stop the program, never to resume.

That said, my approach this time has been a "nothing will stop me" attitude. At least twice since I began running (including yesterday), I have felt very sick all morning before I ran. Once I got out and struggled through it, I felt much better when I was done. Actually your post on the other thread was my inspiration for going out and doing it yesterday. Of course, I would not try to run through an injury. And, fortunately, I guess I have not caught any of the nasty stuff that has been going around. But, since I used to always catch that stuff, I attribute the exercise program for helping me to not catch it.

So far, I have been lucky. Now if I did really get sick with a sinus infection or something of the like, I guess I would just take it as it comes. I know I would keep trying to run, until it proved impossible. I guess with having the marathon goal, and feeling I still have a long way to go to get there, I worry a great deal about any little setback. I really feel as if I have to keep going hard to get there.

I am guessing that little that I said helps at all, but did want to share my perspective. Gina

[Laura]

Well I probably shouldn't be answering this because my exercise routine has been rather sporadic of late. That being said, I usually will just take it down a step. I will run/walk or just walk. I might do the bike but at a lower level. Lift weights but do much lighter weights. If I am truly exhausted and not feeling well, I will sleep.

[emilycat]

I must admit that it takes a lot to keep me from running. Granted, if I have a fever and chills, running is likely to just deplete my body's defenses even more and I'll delay recovery, but if I just feel a little under the weather, I'll just maybe do a steady run instead of a speed workout if I had one planned, or I may shorten it a bit.

[Jessica]

I won't work out if I have any kind of fever, but if it is just the sniffles I will walk or do something low-key.
This is the first time I have been injured, and I have not been able to do anything. It is pretty frustrating.