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Should I Workout When I'm Sick? · Health Unscripted

• 0:06
  SPEAKER_00: What's up, guys?
• 0:07
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome back to another episode of Health Unscripted.
• 0:09
  SPEAKER_00: Today we're gonna talk about if you should work out when you're sick or when you should work out when you're sick.
• 0:15
  SPEAKER_00: And I feel like this is an appropriate podcast episode topic this week because I am sitting here with Strep, currently supposed to be resting my voice, and I decided it's the perfect time to record a podcast.
• 0:26
  SPEAKER_00: So naturally, if you have any idea how my brain works, this is it.
• 0:32
  SPEAKER_00: So I feel like that real sound on Instagram.
• 0:36
  SPEAKER_00: If you want to know what's it, this is it.
• 0:38
  SPEAKER_00: Well, here we go.
• 0:39
  SPEAKER_00: So when inspiration strikes, you gotta use it, right?
• 0:42
  SPEAKER_00: Like when we have that motivation, sit down and record an episode on sick.
• 0:46
  SPEAKER_00: So I've made posts about this in the past on my Instagram and on social media, but nobody wants to sift so far back.
• 0:52
  SPEAKER_00: So we're gonna make a podcast episode where we simply just talk about it.
• 0:55
  SPEAKER_00: And one of the things that I see a lot of times is either people completely taking off like weeks and weeks when they're sick, when it's maybe not necessary, or two, pushing themselves even harder to still get their workouts in, take no rest days, and just push through the sickness.
• 1:12
  SPEAKER_00: I've also seen a lot of nutritional changes, like, okay, well, I'm not exercising as much, so I need to cut my calories back down, or I need to watch what I eat or not eat as many carbs.
• 1:21
  SPEAKER_00: And so we're gonna go through all of that today and kind of dive into the general rules of working out or what you should do when you're sick, both nutrition and fitness.
• 1:33
  SPEAKER_00: So, first of all, I feel like this podcast episode's coming a little late through the whole COVID pandemic, but apparently this is the biggest surge we've ever had, even in the be like compared to the beginning of 2020, which I don't think is crazy because viruses replicate and they become more contagious and less deadly.
• 1:50
  SPEAKER_00: So now it's just like a giant inflamed sinus infection.
• 1:53
  SPEAKER_00: That is not what I have this time.
• 1:54
  SPEAKER_00: This time I have strep.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_00: Um, fun fact, I probably should have gotten my tonsils out as a kid because I used to get strep all the time, and I didn't, and now here we are, 33, not getting my tonsils out because I heard it's extremely painful as an adult.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_00: So if and when I do get strep, we will deal with it.
• 2:12
  SPEAKER_00: And that's currently what we're doing right now is just kind of dealing with it.
• 2:16
  SPEAKER_00: I don't even know how I got it, but I used to have this running joke at the pharmacy.
• 2:20
  SPEAKER_00: If like a kid came in with strep to pick up medication and they were at the counter, I would like hide in the back, and a tech would have to take care of them because even just like breathing the same air, I will get strep.
• 2:30
  SPEAKER_00: I don't know, tonsils just hate me.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_00: So I will talk as long as I can for this episode, and I apologize for the super nasally weird voice, if any.
• 2:42
  SPEAKER_00: I feel like I sound weird, but you know, we'll go with it.
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_00: So, general rules for working out if you're sick.
• 2:49
  SPEAKER_00: Obviously, if you have a fever, hard pass, that's a no.
• 2:54
  SPEAKER_00: We don't work out when we have a fever.
• 2:57
  SPEAKER_00: I feel like some of these are common sense, but I've also known people to go to the gym when they have a fever and just kind of push through it.
• 3:04
  SPEAKER_00: I know, I know, guys.
• 3:05
  SPEAKER_00: You're probably like, what?
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_00: You're rolling your eyes, it's happened.
• 3:07
  SPEAKER_00: I've seen it, um, I've known it, I've had clients who've done it.
• 3:11
  SPEAKER_00: So if you have a fever, absolutely not, stay your ass home.
• 3:15
  SPEAKER_00: If you are also super fatigued, stay your ass home.
• 3:20
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, your body needs to rest, it needs to recuperate and use the extra energy it does have into getting better, not into, you know, um, working on restoring muscle breakdown.
• 3:34
  SPEAKER_00: And you're not gonna be putting on muscle when you're sick anyway.
• 3:37
  SPEAKER_00: So it's kind of like you're burning calories that your body needs anyway to help you get better.
• 3:43
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so you're just gonna actually be running your body down even more, which may prolong the sickness.
• 3:48
  SPEAKER_00: So, general rules, okay, there's fever and fatigue, right?
• 3:52
  SPEAKER_00: Common sense.
• 3:53
  SPEAKER_00: If you don't feel up to working out, don't work out.
• 3:56
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, your body doesn't feel not mentally, but your body doesn't feel.
• 4:00
  SPEAKER_00: Now, the general rules of working out when you're sick have to, you know, do with where you are sick.
• 4:05
  SPEAKER_00: So if you have an upper respiratory sickness or anything above the neck, nose, sore throat, um, you know, stuffy nose, runny nose, allergies, what have you, above the neck, you can still work out when you're sick, depending on the severity of your symptoms.
• 4:21
  SPEAKER_00: If you have below the neck, meaning it's in your chest, we have a lot of chest congestion, we have pneumonia, bronchitis, things like that.
• 4:28
  SPEAKER_00: Bronchitis, that's all I wanted to do was say.
• 4:32
  SPEAKER_00: Um, then we stay home.
• 4:34
  SPEAKER_00: We stay home if it's in the chest.
• 4:35
  SPEAKER_00: The chest is more of a complicated area, lower respiratory infections, a little more severe.
• 4:41
  SPEAKER_00: So we stay home until it's out of our chest, okay?
• 4:44
  SPEAKER_00: So head colds, it's kind of a yes.
• 4:46
  SPEAKER_00: Coughing, chest congestion, that's a no.
• 4:49
  SPEAKER_00: We stay home, okay?
• 4:51
  SPEAKER_00: So um, and then we get into the nitty-gritty.
• 4:55
  SPEAKER_00: So if you are on antibiotics and you're feeling better and you're not contagious, usually it's 24 hours after starting antibiotics, you're not really contagious anymore, unless it's a viral infection, obviously.
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_00: Um, you can work out.
• 5:07
  SPEAKER_00: So if you're feeling up to it, so for example, today, my sickness is in my head, right?
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_00: I have a head cold, I have strep.
• 5:13
  SPEAKER_00: Because of the fatigue I feel, because I didn't sleep very well last night.
• 5:17
  SPEAKER_00: I'm just overall lethargic and my head, like I have a headache.
• 5:20
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I definitely have more of a severe sore throat, not a mild sore throat.
• 5:25
  SPEAKER_00: I am staying my ass home.
• 5:26
  SPEAKER_00: I'm not gonna go to the gym and push myself even more and then give other people strep because I am starting antibiotics today, which means I'm still probably contagious.
• 5:35
  SPEAKER_00: And that's not cool, bro.
• 5:36
  SPEAKER_00: That's not cool.
• 5:37
  SPEAKER_00: If you have COVID, stay home, right?
• 5:38
  SPEAKER_00: Like if you have anything, stay home.
• 5:40
  SPEAKER_00: And no, don't wear a mask.
• 5:42
  SPEAKER_00: So, I mean, yes, wear a mask, but that's not your excuse to go out, right?
• 5:46
  SPEAKER_00: So if you have more severe infections, stay home.
• 5:50
  SPEAKER_00: If you just have like a little runny nose, some congestion, a mild sore throat that's just starting, like allergies, postnasal drips, stuff like that, we can go out and we can still work out, okay?
• 6:01
  SPEAKER_00: Um, if your symptoms again are below the neck, we need to skip the gym.
• 6:04
  SPEAKER_00: If a few coughs here and there or just some like throat, you know, that kind of stuff, we're okay.
• 6:10
  SPEAKER_00: But if you're having productive sputum, yes, I'm using these words.
• 6:15
  SPEAKER_00: Productive sputum, yellow, green, all the fun colors, stay home.
• 6:20
  SPEAKER_00: We need the rest.
• 6:21
  SPEAKER_00: We don't want to make it worse.
• 6:23
  SPEAKER_00: And these are usually, unless you have bacterial pneumonia, these are usually viral, like bronchitis is viral.
• 6:29
  SPEAKER_00: You can't take antibiotics for it, it will pass.
• 6:31
  SPEAKER_00: Um, symptom management, sure, but stay home.
• 6:34
  SPEAKER_00: If you have a stomach bug, so even more below the neck, like nausea, vomiting, food poisoning, 24-hour virus that's just chilling and it's coming out of both ends.
• 6:43
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, we're unfiltered on this podcast.
• 6:46
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, these symptoms can lead to severe dehydration and working out will only make it worse.
• 6:51
  SPEAKER_00: So again, skip the gym on these days, okay?
• 6:54
  SPEAKER_00: Severe stomach upset, throwing up, extreme diarrhea, food poisoning, or just a 24-hour stomach bug.
• 7:01
  SPEAKER_00: You're not sure what's going on, stay home.
• 7:03
  SPEAKER_00: We don't want to go to the gym on these days.
• 7:06
  SPEAKER_00: Fever, like I said, it's a given.
• 7:08
  SPEAKER_00: Stay home.
• 7:09
  SPEAKER_00: Also suffer from dehydration here, and working out will make that worse.
• 7:13
  SPEAKER_00: Um, please drink plenty of fluids.
• 7:15
  SPEAKER_00: I love drink element.
• 7:17
  SPEAKER_00: If you, I will actually attach it in the show notes.
• 7:20
  SPEAKER_00: I have a link for a free variety pack.
• 7:22
  SPEAKER_00: All you have to do is pay for shipping so you can try the flavors.
• 7:25
  SPEAKER_00: But drink element is an electrolyte pack like liquid IV, um, but no sugar.
• 7:29
  SPEAKER_00: So there's no carbs in it.
• 7:30
  SPEAKER_00: If you're tracking macros and you're worried about sugar content, there's no sugar.
• 7:33
  SPEAKER_00: Second in line would be liquid IV, which obviously has the sodium, potassium, magnesium, or it does not have magnesium.
• 7:40
  SPEAKER_00: Drink element does.
• 7:41
  SPEAKER_00: But sodium, potassium, and carbs, liquid sugar, so that can also help to get in some calories.
• 7:47
  SPEAKER_00: It just depends on which one you want to use.
• 7:48
  SPEAKER_00: I personally use both depending on what I need them for.
• 7:51
  SPEAKER_00: And then pediolite, if you're just at the grocery store and want to grab something and you've been throwing up or have a lot of diarrhea, pediolite is great in a pinch as well, but it does contain sugar.
• 8:00
  SPEAKER_00: So stay hydrated.
• 8:02
  SPEAKER_00: Um, if you have body aches, fatigue, you're achy all over, obviously the gym is not going to help you here.
• 8:09
  SPEAKER_00: Please stay home.
• 8:11
  SPEAKER_00: So these are like the general symptoms that we see, right?
• 8:15
  SPEAKER_00: Um, something you can do instead if you do have enough exercise, is you can go for a long walk.
• 8:21
  SPEAKER_00: Like you can go for a walk, you can get your steps in if you have a treadmill.
• 8:25
  SPEAKER_00: If you want to go outside if it's not too hot and you don't sweat too much and you're well hydrated, you can go outside.
• 8:31
  SPEAKER_00: You can also sit in a sauna if you're not at risk for dehydration.
• 8:35
  SPEAKER_00: So again, fever, no sauna.
• 8:37
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 8:37
  SPEAKER_00: Um, stomach bug and at risk of dehydration, probably not a great idea to sit in the sauna.
• 8:42
  SPEAKER_00: But like allergies, like me with strep right now, if I stay hydrated and I go on a sauna, I can sweat out some stuff.
• 8:48
  SPEAKER_00: It will be fine.
• 8:49
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I can also go on long walks with Finn and be fine.
• 8:52
  SPEAKER_00: When I had COVID, you know, the first time.
• 8:54
  SPEAKER_00: So I've had COVID twice.
• 8:56
  SPEAKER_00: The first time was more of the um I was afraid of the respiratory issues and I did get short of breath trying to work out too soon.
• 9:03
  SPEAKER_00: So long walks was what I did for about two weeks until the third week I could push it a little more.
• 9:09
  SPEAKER_00: So walking is fine.
• 9:11
  SPEAKER_00: We don't need to run, we don't need to do hit, we don't need to do anything brisk.
• 9:15
  SPEAKER_00: Steps are actually a really good way to keep calorie expenditure up.
• 9:20
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and then what else?
• 9:24
  SPEAKER_00: So, and then we can like ease back into the gym.
• 9:26
  SPEAKER_00: Like obviously, my first day back after I'm sick like this, I'm not gonna push it and try and hit a PR.
• 9:31
  SPEAKER_00: I'm gonna slowly go into it because again, my body has been resting, I've been stagnant, I am at greater risk of injury.
• 9:39
  SPEAKER_00: Not a good idea.
• 9:39
  SPEAKER_00: Also, depending on what antibiotics you're on for what you're sick for, for example, any of the fluoroquinolones like levofloxicin, which you'll get for pneumonia, or cipro if you've had a UTI or anything like that, um, those are also at greater risk of tendon rupture.
• 9:55
  SPEAKER_00: So be careful on those antibiotics or going back to the gym.
• 9:59
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 9:59
  SPEAKER_00: So you guys are getting kind of a pharmacy lesson here as well.
• 10:02
  SPEAKER_00: If you're taking bactrum for anything or sulfamethazole, um, I don't even know.
• 10:09
  SPEAKER_00: I'm like a horrible pharmacist now.
• 10:10
  SPEAKER_00: I've been out of it for how long?
• 10:11
  SPEAKER_00: I have to like look up if I even said that name.
• 10:14
  SPEAKER_00: Trimethoprim, sulfamexazole, I said it right.
• 10:17
  SPEAKER_00: If you're on Bactrum or the generic, you're also at greater risk of dehydration.
• 10:23
  SPEAKER_00: So please drink tons of water if you are someone who has been given backdrum for a bacterial infection.
• 10:29
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I know we didn't ask for the sparm lesson today, but we're gonna get it.
• 10:33
  SPEAKER_00: And then if you are on like doxycycline, backdrum, things like that, and you do go out for walks in the sun, you are at greater risk of burning and sunburn.
• 10:43
  SPEAKER_00: So put on some sunscreen, wear a hat, take an umbrella.
• 10:46
  SPEAKER_00: I don't really care if you look silly or feel like you look silly.
• 10:50
  SPEAKER_00: Photosensitivity is a real thing and you will burn if you're taking any of those medications.
• 10:55
  SPEAKER_00: So, should you work out when sick?
• 10:57
  SPEAKER_00: Again, it depends.
• 10:58
  SPEAKER_00: But if you heard any of these symptoms and you're like, yeah, that's what I have, should I should I go for it?
• 11:04
  SPEAKER_00: Obviously, base this on how you feel.
• 11:06
  SPEAKER_00: For example, right now, my mind wants to go work out.
• 11:10
  SPEAKER_00: Like, I wish I could go to the gym and just do my workout, but my body does not feel up to it.
• 11:16
  SPEAKER_00: Like, I don't even want to go for a walk at this point.
• 11:18
  SPEAKER_00: So I know that I need the rest, I need to sleep.
• 11:21
  SPEAKER_00: If your mind is kind of like, nah, I don't really feel like it, but your body's feeling much better.
• 11:27
  SPEAKER_00: That's when we kind of have to ask ourselves, like, all right, am I just like not having motivation or can I go get in a walk or a really light workout?
• 11:36
  SPEAKER_00: So sometimes working out does help us get back to the basics and sweat it out, right?
• 11:40
  SPEAKER_00: But you have to judge on your severity of symptoms.
• 11:42
  SPEAKER_00: So replay what I've already said and you know, make that decision for yourself based on how you feel.
• 11:49
  SPEAKER_00: Now, as far as nutrition goes with being sick, okay.
• 11:56
  SPEAKER_00: So, what we want to do when we are sick is focus on nutrient-dense foods, lots of water, and just if we have to, liquids like bone broth is one of my favorite.
• 12:07
  SPEAKER_00: Right now, I'm not really being able to swallow.
• 12:09
  SPEAKER_00: I'm doing a lot of bone broth, soup, uh, dense ass protein shakes.
• 12:13
  SPEAKER_00: That's what I call them, dense ass protein shakes.
• 12:15
  SPEAKER_00: And when I say dense ass, I mean like a thousand calorie protein shakes.
• 12:18
  SPEAKER_00: So a scoop and a half to two scoops of protein powder.
• 12:21
  SPEAKER_00: We got some oatmeal in there, and a lot of oatmeal, I grind it up.
• 12:24
  SPEAKER_00: We got two kinds of fruit in there, we got two tablespoons of almond butter, some chia seeds.
• 12:29
  SPEAKER_00: All this adds up to some dense calorie-heavy protein shakes, and it's super easy to drink.
• 12:36
  SPEAKER_00: So always do that in a pinch.
• 12:37
  SPEAKER_00: I often see a lot of times like our appetite goes away when we're sick, and I know it sucks, and I know you don't feel like eating, but your body absolutely needs this fuel to get better, okay?
• 12:48
  SPEAKER_00: And it needs protein to help with antibodies and for your immune system.
• 12:53
  SPEAKER_00: So make sure you're still getting your protein in.
• 12:55
  SPEAKER_00: If you do have a stomach type of issue, the brat diet is the best.
• 12:58
  SPEAKER_00: So, brat stands for bananas, rice, apples, and toast.
• 13:03
  SPEAKER_00: So, obviously, like applesauce is my go-to.
• 13:06
  SPEAKER_00: Um, bland toast, saltine crackers, things like that.
• 13:10
  SPEAKER_00: I know there's not really protein in the brat diet, but we make exceptions for stomach issues.
• 13:15
  SPEAKER_00: Any other type of sickness, um, stomach issues are usually very temporary, whereas viral and bacterial infections from the head and the chest last, you know, anywhere from one to two weeks.
• 13:27
  SPEAKER_00: So make sure you're getting in some nutrient-dense foods.
• 13:30
  SPEAKER_00: Green juices are also really great to keep up antioxidants and keep up micronutrients if we're not really wanting to, you know, eat a whole big bowl of vegetables.
• 13:38
  SPEAKER_00: I've been doing some green juices as well.
• 13:40
  SPEAKER_00: Um, one thing I don't want you to do is cut your calories because it's so acute, meaning like one to three weeks of being sick.
• 13:47
  SPEAKER_00: You know, COVID is obviously longer for some people.
• 13:49
  SPEAKER_00: We think that because we're not working out, we need to cut our calories or we're gonna gain weight or something like that.
• 13:54
  SPEAKER_00: Your appetite's already suppressed and you're already making yourself eat.
• 13:58
  SPEAKER_00: So we don't want to continue making that lower.
• 14:02
  SPEAKER_00: Your body's also gonna need the extra fuel to get yourself better, okay?
• 14:07
  SPEAKER_00: Um, your body's still working overtime, especially if you have a fever, to get your processes going and it's gonna need those extra calories.
• 14:15
  SPEAKER_00: So do not cut your calories when sick.
• 14:17
  SPEAKER_00: You also want to keep your protein high to preserve muscle mass in the time you're taking off from the gym.
• 14:22
  SPEAKER_00: One week, no big deal.
• 14:24
  SPEAKER_00: Two weeks, kind of no big deal.
• 14:25
  SPEAKER_00: Over three weeks, we start to potentially get into a big deal.
• 14:29
  SPEAKER_00: You're not gonna lose your muscle mass, you're just going to look very depleted and feel like you've lost all your gains.
• 14:35
  SPEAKER_00: It will come back, okay?
• 14:37
  SPEAKER_00: But preserving lean muscle mass and getting enough protein is gonna be super important.
• 14:41
  SPEAKER_00: So I think I've hit the 15-minute mark.
• 14:44
  SPEAKER_00: I've covered all the topics.
• 14:45
  SPEAKER_00: I promised I would keep this one short too because of my throat and it is starting to ache right now.
• 14:49
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I need some wada or something cold, maybe a popsicle.
• 14:54
  SPEAKER_00: So, again, fresh fruits, veggies, protein, get your soups and broths in, collagen powder, protein powder, whatever you can make, some dense ass protein shakes to sum it up.
• 15:04
  SPEAKER_00: Head cold above the neck, unless it's severe, usually okay to work out.
• 15:08
  SPEAKER_00: Below the neck, nope, stay home.
• 15:10
  SPEAKER_00: Gastrointestinal or or in the chest, stay home.
• 15:14
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I did mention UTIs and things like that.
• 15:16
  SPEAKER_00: That's gonna be on you.
• 15:18
  SPEAKER_00: Obviously, the the worst symptoms of a UTI last within the first day or two, and then you're on antibiotics or you're taking ASO and feeling much better.
• 15:28
  SPEAKER_00: The symptoms are kind of managed, then you can kind of go, but it does depend on what you're gonna want to do for um your workout.
• 15:34
  SPEAKER_00: Like maybe upper body would be much better than trying to do legs with a UTI, if you know what I mean.
• 15:40
  SPEAKER_00: So those are gonna be something that you judge as well.
• 15:45
  SPEAKER_00: So uh fever, stay home, um, body aches, fatigue, stay home.
• 15:51
  SPEAKER_00: And then that's it, guys.
• 15:52
  SPEAKER_00: So let me know your thoughts about this episode.
• 15:54
  SPEAKER_00: I'll attach some things in the show notes.
• 15:57
  SPEAKER_00: Um, coming up at uh the end of the month, I'm actually hosting a free nutrition webinar.
• 16:02
  SPEAKER_00: Again, I used to do webinars in the past and I'm bringing it back.
• 16:06
  SPEAKER_00: It's a free nutrition webinar on the five most common reasons your fat loss is stalled and what to do about each.
• 16:12
  SPEAKER_00: So I will be attaching the um, I haven't even really announced it to the public yet.
• 16:17
  SPEAKER_00: So I am gonna put it in the show notes for here for how to sign up to get on that webinar list.
• 16:22
  SPEAKER_00: It will be recorded, but we're gonna be offering a lot of raffles and bonuses during the webinar.
• 16:28
  SPEAKER_00: So you're not gonna want to miss out on some special offers because we got some cool things coming up.
• 16:32
  SPEAKER_00: So I will talk to you guys hopefully next week or the week after.
• 16:36
  SPEAKER_00: We're now on a bi-weekly rotation, I think, for this.
• 16:39
  SPEAKER_00: And um, again, if you like this podcast episode, please like, share, hit me up on Instagram, share it on Instagram and tag me.
• 16:45
  SPEAKER_00: I love when I see you guys listening.
• 16:48
  SPEAKER_00: And um, talk to you guys soon.
• 16:50
  SPEAKER_00: Bye.