Fit Tip: You’re Sick, should you exercise?

Dai / February 15, 2012 / Ask an Expert / Permalink

If you exercise consistently, you may eventually run into the problem of becoming sick and not knowing if you should continue your workout regimen. Here, Fitness Town and Life Fitness shares a few tips to try out.

Do a neck-check. The standard to follow is called the ‘neck-check.’ If your symptoms are above the neck, like a runny nose or sore throat, then you’re okay to exercise. Always listen to your body and take the intensity of your workout down a bit if your regular pace feels too strenuous.

If you are sick below the neck, take a break from exercise. If you have any symptoms below the neck, such as body aches, chills, stomach problems or diarrhea, take it easy until you are feeling better. If you’re running a fever, no matter what your symptoms are, put off exercising until your temperature returns to normal.

You can rev-up exercise when you’re run down. If you’re suffering from congestion or low energy, exercise may help you feel better. A brisk walk can unclog your sinuses better than an afternoon on the couch. And gentle exercise can rev up your circulation to counteract that sluggish, run-down feeling.

Don’t share your sniffles. When exercising in a public setting like a gym, consider your fellow exercisers and think about how contagious you might be before you make your decision to go. If you can’t get through a single set on a weight machine without sneezing or coughing, you are better off staying away from a public gym.

Be considerate of others and always wipe down exercise equipment after you use it; always remember to wash your hands after using hand weights and other fitness tools because many other hands have also touched them.

Prevention is always the best medicine!

About Dai

Growing up as an obese teenager, I learned firsthand what its like to be "un-healthy". It's not a place I enjoyed being and experiencing all the stigmas that come with being obese was traumatic. At age 15 I made a decision to change my lifestyle. And for 18 years, I haven't looked back. Fitness is, and always will be, a large part of my life. My passion is to engage as many people as possible in living healthy, more active lifestyles. With increasing obesity rates and a lack of focus and education on preventative medicine, our country is facing a health pandemic. The solution starts with parents modeling a healthy active lifestyle for children to follow. We all need to be inspired and held accountable to our fitness goals. My commitment is to provide inspiration, education, equipment and training – specifically supporting families – so that childhood obesity is no longer an issue in our country. As Chief Operating Officer and partner of Fitness Town Inc, I oversee the daily operations of 8 retail stores and 2 commercial divisions. Raised in Bowmanville, Ontario, I now live with my 2 children and loving wife, Christie, in Vancouver, B.C. With my spare time, I'm an active member of the Whiterock Early Edition Toastmasters organization and 2 other clubs, and when not honing my public speaking skills, I live out my passion for writing and sharing best health and fitness practices as the editor of the Fitness Town Health & Wellness Blog and The Moose is Loose.

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