My training plan got slightly derailed this week.  I woke up with a scratchy throat on Thursday, but still felt well enough to work out and continued with my program.  However, things got worse over night, and Friday I knew that putting any extra stress on myself would be a bad idea. 

I consider it a blessing when I know for sure NOT to do something (or TO do something.)  Too many times, when I’m slightly sick I stew over whether or not to do my usual work out.  To be honest, though, consideration for my health often takes a back seat to my desire to exercise.  Good judgment doesn’t always reign supreme.

While recuperating, I decided to research this issue a bit to see if there were any clear cut guidelines beyond the obvious.  I did find some fairly helpful information.   First the absolutes. 

Don’t exercise if:

• You are running a fever
• You have congestion in your chest and lungs
• You feel achy
• You have gastrointestinal symptoms along with cold symptoms

If none of those apply, you MAY be ok to exercise.  Experts use what they call the  “above the neck” rule to help determine whether or not it would be prudent to work out. This is the rule:  if all of your symptoms are located above the neck (runny nose, congestion, scratchy throat) AND you feel up to working out, then it is probably alright to do so.  The caveat is this:   if your above-neck  symptoms are severe, it would be wise to rest instead of working out.

Note, if you perform your exercise in a gym or other public place, please refrain from going until you are no longer contagious.  Even then, wipe off any equipment you use when you are done.  It’s your responsibility.

If you’ve determined that you are not too sick to work out, the experts say that you should still scale back from your normal routine.  They suggest starting out at about 50% of your normal level of  intensity.  If you still feel ok after about 10 minutes, it’s probably acceptable to increase to about 80% of your usual intensity for a few moments.  In general, your workout should be shorter and less intense than usual.  This would not be the time to attempt personal records. 

The value of exercise when mildly ill is in getting your blood flowing, at least briefly clearing your congestion, and improving your general overall feeling.  If at any time you don’t feel up to continuing, it is a sign that you need to rest rather than exercise.

It is always key to remember to stay hydrated when exercising.  This becomes even more important if you’re working out with a mild cold.  Dehydration can worsen your symptoms or set the stage for complications, like sinus infections.  Over-the-counter cold medications can also make dehydration a more likely outcome.  You owe it to yourself to drink extra water if you have chosen to do your workout.

Some good news: studies have shown that those who engage in regular moderate exercise get fewer colds than those who do not.  And we tend to get over the colds in about half the time as those who don’t exercise.   That means fewer days that the question, “Am I too sick?” will even have to be considered.