Sick workouts

How sick is too sick to work out?  We want to make sure our bodies heal, but we also don’t want to lose our momentum.  The basic rule is:  listen to the body.  If it feels too hard, don’t do it.

The more complicated rules are, shockingly, more complicated.

When we have a cold and feel congested, we probably need to take the cardio down a notch.  We need to breathe to do it, after all.  However, some light cardio can lift the mood a little and provide a needed change of scenery (walk to the store for more decongestants, anyone?).

Again, if our bodies are already aching, heavy lifting is probably not a good idea.  We need our energy for healing, so this is not the time to spend it on building muscle.  Stretching, on the other hand, can be a very good idea.  All that lying around can make us very stiff.

If we normally work out in a gym or with others, we also need to consider whether we are contagious.  It is not nice to infect other people.  This is a good time to reinforce all our hygiene rules about washing our hands and wiping down equipment.

Rest is both an integral part of fitness and of healing.  Rest may be the most important workout component when we are sick.