As the end of January nears and youre feeling half way decent about keeping up with those new year’s resolutions, the last thing you need or expect is to get sick or injured. But it happens. It happens to the best of us, whether it fits conveniently into all our best laid plans or not. But getting temporarily sidelined doesnt have to totally de rail you or your goals. The trick is deciding when to take it easy, rest or completly put on the brakes.
Training when youre sick
Down and out with the flu? A fever? Take a break!! Working out or training when you are contagious and your natural defenses are down, is not the quickest road to recovery. In fact you run the risk of prolonging your illness or making it worse and it is also inconsiderate of your fellow gym members. If you’re constantly blowing your nose, sneezing and coughing , do yourself and everyone else around you a favor, go home and get some rest!! Listen to your doctor, fully recover and hit the training hard when you are at 100 %.
If however you think you are just suffering a case of the sniffles or allergies, and your physician has not advised you to stay home, then a little exercise just might be what the doctor ordered. Light to moderate activity may actually help you feel better, says Dr. Richard Besser, author of “Tell Me the Truth, Doctor: Easy-to-Understand Answers to Your Most Confusing and Critical Health Questions. “First, Besser says, use the “neck rule”: If your symptoms are above the neck — sneezing, sinus pressure, stuffy nose — then breaking a sweat is generally considered safe.
Having a cold may compromise your energy levels, so you may not feel up for intense physical fitness. But even just a 20-minute walk can help you reap the benefits of regular exercise, and it may help improve your cold symptoms, as well.
“If your sinuses are plugged up, walking will stimulate you to take deep breaths and can help open up those passages,” says Besser. (Of course, if you discover that walking — or any type of physical exertion — makes you feel worse, rather than better, stop and focus on getting rest, instead.)
Training when youre injured
You finally get on track and start reaping both the physical and mental benefits of exercise and then suddenly the unexpected injury slows down or even stops your training. How do you not lose all the progress youve made?
First and foremost, listen to your doctor! If you are healing from an injury, don’t risk doing severe damage to your body because you didn’t follow your doctor’s orders.There’s a reason he or she told you to stay out of the gym, or to back off the intensity of your workouts. Follow the recommended rest period, but ask what you can do to recover faster from an injury, even if the activity level is a bit lower than normal. Consult your doctor or physical therapist for “homework” exercises that will speed up recovery and get you back in the gym as quickly as possible.
Even while youre recovering, stay mindful of your diet and nutrition. Keeping on track with your caloric intake while your activity level is diminished will make your healing and recovery progress much easier and faster.
It may be frustrating to take a few days or even a few months off from training when you’re sick or injured, but trust us, it will only help you in the long run. If you don’t recover properly, you risk more time away, and ultimately more progress.
