Exercising while sick?

Have you reached the point in your training where you absolutely hate to miss your scheduled workouts? Congratulations -  you've formed a very positive habit which you will hopefully carry with you throughout your life. However, cold and flu season is upon us, and catching a bug (or your trainer catching one!) almost seems inevitable. Sometimes it's difficult to tell whether it is safe to exercise, or if you will end up setting yourself further back. Here are some general guidelines to follow when dealing with a cold, flu or other illness:

~If your doctor has told you that you have a cold virus and you do not have a fever or any total body symptoms such as muscle aches or chills, consider exercising at a low heart rate and easy rate of exertion for a shortened period of time. 

~Never exercise with a fever, lower respiratory tract infection, or total body symptoms such as muscle aches, chills or fatigue. When you have a fever, your heart is already stressed to fight the infection, and exercising may make it worse.

~Following the "neck" rule is generally advisable for most cold and flu viruses. If your symptoms are above the neck, you can probably exercise safely without prolonging the illness. Consider walking instead of running, or lowering the intensity on your weights, as breathing may be impaired when sinuses are affected. If your symptoms are below the neck, including chest congestion, tightness, stomach pain and body ache, hit the sheets instead of the weights and allow your body to heal. 

~When recovering from a flu-like illness, listen to your body at all times and practice restraint. Wait to resume your previous activity level until your motivation to train returns and you are symptom-free. You have only one body, take care of it!

And last but not least, what goes better with resting and recovering than Chicken Soup! You'll probably want to eat this when you aren't sick, too!


"The Whole Enchilada" Chicken Soup





Ingredients:

3 cups fat-free chicken broth
1 1/4 cups finely chopped celery
1/2 cup diced sweet yellow onion
3 cups green enchilada sauce
One 15-oz. can pure pumpkin
10 oz. cooked boneless skinless lean chicken breast, chopped or shredded
1 cup frozen white (or yellow) corn
Optional: dash hot sauce, or more to taste


Directions:

In a large pot, bring broth to a low boil on the stove. Add celery and onion, and simmer for about 5 minutes, until slightly tender.

Stir in enchilada sauce and pumpkin. Once soup returns to a low boil, add chicken and corn, and mix well. Cook for an additional 3 - 5 minutes, until soup is heated throughout. Makes 9 servings!


Per 1 cup serving: 105 calories, 1.75g fat, 12.5g carbs, 11g protein