Question: Should You Exercise When You Feel Sick?

Answer: Here is the deal people. Don’t do it. Remember I have been a trainer for 20 years. This is from experience, personal and observing clients and friends. Exercising when you feel sick is never a good idea. Here are a few points on the topic.

• You feel sick for a reason. That tried feeling, those aches and pains and especially a fever are there for a reason. They are clear, natural signals they your system is under attack from a virus, infection or maybe just run down from working out and/or dieting. Listen to you body. Go rest – heal – recover. My clients come in the door, “Hiiii, Jiiiimmm – I not feeling great, can we go easy?”. “Go Home”, i scream. “Call and cancel next time!” Then I here, “I thought it might make me feel better.” No chicken soup, a bath and rest will make you feel better a workout session (especially with me) is going to deplete you further leaving you open to attack.
• Exercise depletes you and compromises your immune system. Your cells act like troops defending your body. While they are under attack is not when you ask them to build and farm. If you are on the brink of a virus or infection and decide to train anyway, you will likely have a MORE severe sickness and symptoms. You basically attacked your troops from behind while they were trying to fight the virus. You made they lose the fight! Weird isn’t it, but it is an accurate analogy.
• Hey – How about they rest of us. Really. Do not bring infection to the public – if you feel bad stay home. Fitness facilities battle bacteria and other germ problems as it is. Coughing, sneezing, sweating and wiping your runny nose is not cool. I have to use that machine after you.

Do as I Say,

Big Jim