With a dramatic drop in temperatures this week, it’s safe to say that winter is officially here!
That’s means more people are staying indoors, in close proximity with one another and the spread of the common cold or respiratory illnesses heightens tenfold.
A common question we get asked is whether or not it’s ok to train when you have a cold?
As a general guideline we would advise that training is usually ok if your symptoms are all ‘above the neck’ e.g. runny nose, sneezing, congestion and minor sore throat. Training may help you feel better by increasing blood flow and opening nasal passages and relieving some congestion.
However, reducing the load and/or intensity of the session is advised. Your body is still fighting the infection and adding in your toughest training session of the week on top of that may do you more harm than good. Remember heavy load or physically exhaustive sessions require some serious recovery work from your body post training and adding that to stress that’s already on your immune system from the cold will just risk making you sicker.
Also please think of your training partners/gym buddies. They won’t be too happy to catch your infection from you if you are coughing and sweating all over them during a session!
If your symptoms are below the neck then no training is advised and rest up. These include chest congestion, bad cough, moderate to severe sore throat, fever and muscle aches.
Listen to your body – if you really feel miserable don’t train. A day or two off training won’t affect your performance but will allow your immune system time to recover and prevent you from having to take an much longer break if you become sicker.
Whether it’s prevention or cure you’re looking for; plenty of sleep, adequate hydration and a nutrient rich diet is essential for fighting off infections
Try incorporate these foods into your diet this week:
➖Vitamin C & Zinc
➖Ginger
➖Manuka Honey
➖Seeds e.g pumpkin, flax, sunflower
➖Citrus Fruits
➖Nuts
➖Green Veg
➖Omega 3/6/9
Staying on Track in December
Around Christmas time we have more work dinners, catch up with old friends, friends come home for the holidays and there’s a more family gatherings.
Member of the Month
Stephanie has been one of the most consistent and motivated clients I have ever trained. After ankle surgery a few years ago, our training journey
Top 10 Q’s October
How often should I train in a week? Easy – at least 4 times a week to achieve a healthy lifestyle. Your weekly exercise routine
