Trying to Lose Weight While Sick

Yesterday I told you how I failed to complete just one of the many goals I had set for the week, but I didn’t’ tell you it was because I have been sick. You should probably know though, that when you are ill or experiencing pain, it is entirely reasonable to take a break from your weight loss efforts and go easy on yourself. This is especially true if your efforts include vigorous exercise, a special diet, or weight loss supplements.

If your pain or illness is chronic, you may have a very chaotic schedule of eating properly and exercising. After all, it’s hard to plan in advance because you never know if your day is going to be good or bad. If you’re dealing with acute pain, it’s usually easier to know that you should take a few days off and rest until you feel better. Sometimes though, it’s hard to know when to keep with it and when to take a break.

Here are some general guidelines I follow when I’m not feeling quite myself:

Illness and Exercise

Most experts agree upon an “above-the-neck” rule. If you have a headache, head cold, or sinus pain, you’re usually safe to continue with your exercise. Now, obviously if you have a migraine you aren’t going to feel like exercising, and that’s understandable. But if you are up to it, you should be okay. On the other hand, if you are having trouble with back pain, gastrointestinal issues, or joint pain in your extremities, you’ll want to take it easy. Ask your doctor’s advice if this is a chronic issue with you, otherwise it would be wise to just skip the workout for now. In my case, I find that walking actually eases my back pain, but it exacerbates my gastric symptoms.

Illness and Eating Healthy

Our bodies are pretty wonderful machines. When you’re ill, your body will usually tell you whether you should eat or not, and which foods would be good for your situation. If you have a cold or the flu, you’ll find that you may need to skip a meal or two — or substitute one with a cup of hot chicken broth. When my inflammatory bowel disease flares up, I have to avoid fresh vegetables, dairy of any kind, and caffeine. In these cases, non-dairy meal replacement drinks are helpful, because otherwise my energy would dip quite quickly.

Illness and Weight Loss Supplements

Depending on what body system is acting up (cardio, gastro, etc.) you will want to pay attention to the supplements you take. The only supplement I use is caffeine, in the form of sugar-free energy drinks, tea, and the occasional latte. When ill, I recommend skipping all but the tea — the excess vitamins in energy drinks, and the coffee and milk in lattes will only further any gastric distress. If you’re having cardiac issues, you will also want to cut out the extra caffeine and most stimulant-type supplements, for the safety of your heart.

Pay Attention to Your Personal Needs

Above all, when you’re not feeling well, listen to your body and your intuition. Don’t let anyone force you to push yourself when you shouldn’t. If you have to “ruin” your diet or exercise plan for a day or two — or even a week — it’s worth taking the time to heal as opposed to making yourself feel worse. When you’re feeling like yourself again, even if it’s a rare day, commit to eating well and getting in some extra movement. It just may give you the “oomph” you need to get through the next few days of not feeling so well…

Do you have any other tips for those trying to lose weight while dealing with illness?

Please share with us in the comments below.

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