Written by Sarah Bishop, MS Exercise Science, Functional Health Coach

How to Adapt Your Nutrition and Training Plan When Feeling Sick

At some point, you are bound to get the sniffles, a stomach bug, or some sort of cold or illness that will make you question what to do with your normal fitness and nutrition routine.

We want you to rest assured your progress isn’t going anywhere if you do get sick, especially if you take care and follow the below strategies.

Now, keep in mind, the severity of the illness and your symptoms will dictate specifically what to do, but you can use these guidelines to recover faster. And of course, reach out and get proper medical assistance if needed!

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Training

Please, do not go to the gym if you're a snotty, coughing, nauseous mess rocking a fever.

Besides not spreading whatever you have going on, the fact that your body needs REST right now should keep you out of the gym.

Training is a stressor on your body. A well-structured training program is a "good" stressor, but when you're sick it's counterproductive to put a taxed immune system into a state of further distress. All energy should be devoted to recovering from illness. You likely won’t have the best training sessions anyways if you have a throbbing headache or can’t breathe and brace as effectively due to congestion.

Instead, we’d suggest sticking to light walks outside, perhaps some stretching or gentle yoga (at home!) as symptoms improve. Even if it's a week or two before you can get back to the gym you won't lose progress. You will only recover quicker if you honor your body’s need to rest!

Returning to Training After Illness

When you are recovered enough to train, stay at an RIR 3 (3 reps short of failure) or about a 7 out of 10 intensity for the first session (or week, depending on how sick you were).

Nutrition

You still need to eat even if you aren't in the gym or as active as usual. We know it can be anxiety-provoking for a lot of you, but understand your body is now using those calories and micronutrients to fight off whatever it is that you're out for the count with.

Adjusting Macros or Calories

If you have a separate set of nutrition targets for rest days and training days, stick with the rest day macros.

• If you were in a calorie surplus focused on building muscle prior to becoming ill, it's okay to drop down to maintenance.

• If you were in a fat loss phase, consider increasing calories back to an estimated maintenance level.

• For many, simply eating intuitively and focusing more on sleep and recovery when you’re really not feeling good is the best nutrition approach.

Focus on Micronutrients

When you’re sick it’s a fantastic time to dial in on micronutrients to support your immune system to recover faster. Some fantastic options to support your body in healing include:

• Soups. You can pack these with immune supportive ingredients  such as garlic, turmeric, vegetables of all varieties, greens, ginger

• Smoothies packed with color , we love a blend of frozen berries, spinach (we promise you won't taste it if you add spinach), protein and a health fat such as chia seeds 

• Baby food or applesauce pouches 

• Bone broth

• Canned pumpkin (packed with Vitamin A and C, a great to add to yogurt, oats or cream of rice)

• Eggs

• Greek Yogurt or Kefir 

• Nuts and seeds

• Fermented foods if tolerated such as Kimchi or kraut 

When Eating Is Difficult

You don't need to force-feed when you’re sick, but you shouldn't actively restrict.

• If you're nauseous, sipping on ginger tea can be helpful.

• Bananas, applesauce, rice, and gluten-free toast are binding foods that can help if you are dealing with loose stool.

• This is also where smoothies, soups and low volume foods come in handy.

Recovery

Recovery is your number one goal right now.

Hydration and Electrolytes

A big thing you can do to recover faster is drink plenty of water and stay hydrated with electrolytes. Redmond's RE-Lyte is a brands we like. Ginger tea and green tea can also be helpful to sip on to stay hydrated and may have some immune-boosting properties.

Prioritize Sleep

Focus on sleep! This is when your body is going to do its repair work.

• If you have a cough impacting your sleep, try up to a tablespoon of honey (not just an old wives' tale!) or getting a humidifier for your room.

Lower Stress and Rest More

We also recommend lowering stress and taking a few days away from your to-do list. Try not to go ham on work or house projects to occupy your time if it's more than a mild head cold. Relax, take an Epsom salt bath (a great way to get topical magnesium- another powerhouse mineral for immune system), maybe dive into a new book or TV series. We promise, your body will thank you!

Final Thoughts

Getting sick doesn’t erase your hard work.  Focusing on recovery not only helps you return to training and goals faster, but with even more momentum than if you overlook it.