Friday 4 March 2011

Should I exercise when I'm feeling sick?

Do you wake up sometimes and wonder. "Should I workout today?"  The other day I had a client come in for a workout who didn't want to be there, but had already paid and didn't want to be out of pocket.  She dragged herself into the gym.  I ended up changing what I had planned for her that day and shifting to a Pilates style workout,  minimal cardio and a lot of stretching.  She left thanking me, saying how happy she was to have come and that she felt better.

In reality, we should move our bodies every day in order to maintain a healthy life.   Try rephrasing the question to "What type of workout should I have today?".  If you are truly ill, then by all means take a day off, but the general rule of thumb is if it's below the neck, take a break, if it's a regular old cold above the neck, lace up your shoes and get to work.  These days, workout facilities are offering more variety then ever.  Even smaller niche facilities like Point Grey Fitness are offering pilots, small group workouts yoga and more. www.pointgreyfitness.com  


The latest study to find benefit from daily exercise was published a few months ago in  the British Journal of Sports Medicine. Researchers recruited about 1,000 volunteers between age 18 and 85 to complete a daily log of symptoms throughout cold and flu season
"Everything from runny nose, sore throat, coughing, fever, headaches," says researcher David Nieman of Appalachian State University.
At the end of the three-month study, the researchers found that the more the participants exercised, the less they reported getting sick. Those who exercised five days a week for 20 minutes or more experienced about 40 percent fewer days of illness compared with those putting in less than one day a week of activity.

So the next time you feel just a little unsure of your workout, keep in mind that you can always change the type of workout to suit how you are feeling that day. Down some oregano and hit the gym.  What do you think? Do you workout when you feel mildly sick? 


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2 comments:

  1. sable4 March 2011 at 10:28

    I have worked out in the past when I am sick, but it depends on how sick I am....if it is the tail end of something, then yes, but I sure don't like it when other people around me are sneezing and coughing and full of mucus and flem. I don't want to catch anything and sure don't want to spread my sickness to others, so I say stay in bed if you're that sick. What better place to spread your sickness that at the gym.

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  2. point grey fitness4 March 2011 at 12:35

    Good point. But exercise doest have to take place in the gym. You can go for a walk or run outside, do push ups and sit ups at home etc. The point is not to skip it entirely. You will need to adjust your workout according to how you feel and what your symptoms are. We certainly don't want you spreading an infection! So be extra diligent with had washing before and after you workout and wipe EVERYTHING down that you touch if you decided to go to the gym. (good practice for home too)

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