Although some people will take advantage of any excuse not to exercise, there are also a lot of people who will push through and exercise no matter what.
Which sounds like a good thing…right?
Obviously this will depend on just how poorly you are.
The common cold
Colds can come in different forms and most people can carry out their everyday activities with a cold. If your cold is stopping you from getting out of bed or off the sofa- then a workout isn’t the best idea. However, if you can carry out the rest of your day just fine then you should be okay to exercise
– however – you may want to take the intensity of your workout down.
Mild to moderate exercise should be fine with a common cold. High intensity exercise may just be putting your body under more stress than it needs and could slow down your recovery. When your body is fighting off a cold it is using up some of your energy, this means you will probably be left with less muscular strength and endurance and your performance wont be as good as normal, so you could feel tired far sooner than you would normally. If you are doing a cardio session- make it a light cardio session (a walk/jog rather than a run, low intensity cycling rather than a high intensity spin session etc.). If you are using weights, go for lighter weights and higher reps until you are feeling better. Sometimes taking a day off might be the answer.
If you develop a fever (high temperature) this can affect your body’s ability to regulate your temperature, which can lead to you overheating faster than you normally would during your session. Exercising with a fever will out your body under more stress, potentially slowing down your recovery and making you feel a whole lot worse.
The Flu
Flu is caused by a different virus than the common cold and will usually have more severe symptoms. The onset of the flu is normally abrupt and normally comes with fever, aches, chills, weakness, fatigue, congestion, chest discomfort and headaches. The fever itself can run for approximately 2-5 days when you have the flu while your body fights off the infection.
When you have the flu, rest is your best chance at recovery. This means take a few days off the exercise until you are feeling better and are able to consume more food and drink. If you try to start exercising before your appetite returns and you are able to consume more calories you will be overworking your body with little energy resources- like trying to drive a car with no fuel.
When you feel like you have mostly recovered from the flu, you still want to make a gradual return to exercise as it may take more energy than it did before. Make your first 2-3 sessions after recovering from the flu fairly mild- moderate intensity to give your body a chance. You will find that your normal strength and fitness levels will return faster than if you go straight back to the workouts you were doing pre-flu.
It’s not just about you
The other big consideration about exercising when you are feeling unwell s that you could be contagious- and if you are at a gym or a club, other members aren’t going to want to catch what you’ve got. If you are going to workout with a cold, be sure to use hand sanitiser and wipe down any equipment you have used out of respect for your fellow exercisers. And if you are in the first 5 days of the flu, you club be spreading the flu virus to anyone else at a gym or club.
*Gyms are perfect breeding grounds for viruses so during times where flus/ colds/ illnesses are going around it is a good idea to be wiping your equipment down before and after use anyway.
(* Note from a Personal Trainer who got annoyed with constantly catching colds from members who didn’t wipe down their equipment)
