Should you exercise when you’re sick?

I know i know… we all like black and white answers. but… not everything is cut and dry. the only black & white answer here is if you have a fever, don’t work out.

Everything else… it depends.

My rules (and i am NOT a doctor so please consult your doctor on this!) are:

  1. if you feel like working out, do it. just modify
  2. if you don’t feel like working out, don’t

Pretty simple. i LOVE exercising and it makes me feel awesome. when i’m sick, i feel like crap. so when i work out, i feel better. but if you’re not like that, then maybe skip it. working out is such a huge part of my life and my days that skipping it will make me feel worse. now i’m not saying i should be out there sprinting marathons but a quick easy run is for sure OK… and even an easy longer run i’d be fine with. and i’ll maybe take more breaks. or go slower. but getting it in is so important to me!

HOWEVER. There are times when i just want to curl up in bed with some cheesy romcoms and that’s OK too. if you really feel like shit and don’t want to work out at all, then take the day off. sometimes that’s where i’m at and i do it too. it doesn’t mean you’re a quitter or lazy or not committed. it’s OK to let your body rest! in fact rest is a critical component of any workout plan, sick or not. so listen to your body, do what feels right to you, and don’t worry about what anyone else (besides your doctor) says.

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