Yes, it’s true – illness has been sweeping through Santa Barbara like the plague. People have the flu, the sniffles, pneumonia, and other variations of illness. There’s a lot of studying out on the Webs to be done about whether or not you should workout while you’re feeling under the weather. Just like with anything in life, there are a few things you need to consider when making this decision:
1) How do you feel? If looking at your child or dog makes you want to vomit (that line was inspired from an actual Facebook post about a mom being so ill that looking at her child made her vomit – no kidding), then you probably shouldn’t workout.
2) How long have you been sick? If you’ve had the sniffles for a few days, that’s one thing, but if you’ve been feeling really run down and kinda achey for more than a few days, that’s a whole other thing.
3) Is not working out going to be a massive detriment to your goals? If you’re in a phase where you’re working out just to stay in shape, taking a week off to let your body fully recover won’t be the end of the world. If you have a competition or race on the horizon (and you’re semi-reasonable-OK), then try doing a lighter version of your scheduled workouts to keep your body moving.
Some tips for AVOIDING the plague this season:
1) Get plenty of sleep. Allowing your body to fully recover from workouts reduces muscle and body inflammation, and allows your immune system to keep functioning at peak capacity
2) EAT HEALTHY! This is probably one of the most important aspects to staying healthy. Period. Make sure you’re getting lots of quality foods…dark, leafy greens, fresh fruits, lean meats (if you eat meat), etc. Your body is a ferrari, if you put crappy fuel in it, it’s not going to function at optimal performance.
3) Wash your hands. Washing your hands and not touching your face is one of the best ways to protect yourself when you’re constantly in public spaces (taking the bus, in an office, in a gym, etc.)