From my Spark blog Friday, January 20, 2012
I read somewhere once, I think it was in a Reader's Digest, that it's perfectly healthy to exercise when you have a cold, or any other ailment, as long as you are getting enough sleep. I don't think this is true; at least not for serious head colds. I'm not talking about the "I have a little sniffle and a tiny cough" headcolds, no, I'm talking about the "my head feels ready to explode any moment, I can feel my heart pounding in my ears, and I can't breath out of my nose at all" headcolds. Ow! I can barely move, let alone exercise. But, because I'd read that article, and I am not quitting this time, I decided to try exercising today anyway.
Needless to say, that did not go well! I started walking around my block (because we're having weird January weather, for Utah, and it feels like Spring), and had to sit down on the curb three houses down from mine. When the dizzy spell passed, I walked back home. After resting, and drinking a lot of water and a little snack, I decided to try the treadmill. That wasn't so good either. The noise of the treadmill coupled with the heartbeat in my ears nearly brought on a migraine. So, with a total of just barely 15 minutes, if you count the "walk" outside, I gave up, for today.
I think that my lesson for today is that it is important to listen to my body. I didn't feel well, but I pushed, and then I felt worse. However, I need to be careful to not use illness as an excuse. If I have a severe head cold, then I will do some easy stretches and get plenty of fluids. If I have a little sniffle, I'm walking, or swimming, the whole 30 minutes, or more.
I have had a tendency in the past to let one little setback, like this one today, be the end of my grand plans for weight loss and getting healthy. I seem to have the attitude that if I mess up one day, then one more day doesn't hurt. I am working on developing a different attitude, one where each new day is a new chance to start over and be better. Like I said at the beginning of this post: I am not quitting this time!
I will do this, just not while I have a headcold.
I read somewhere once, I think it was in a Reader's Digest, that it's perfectly healthy to exercise when you have a cold, or any other ailment, as long as you are getting enough sleep. I don't think this is true; at least not for serious head colds. I'm not talking about the "I have a little sniffle and a tiny cough" headcolds, no, I'm talking about the "my head feels ready to explode any moment, I can feel my heart pounding in my ears, and I can't breath out of my nose at all" headcolds. Ow! I can barely move, let alone exercise. But, because I'd read that article, and I am not quitting this time, I decided to try exercising today anyway.
Needless to say, that did not go well! I started walking around my block (because we're having weird January weather, for Utah, and it feels like Spring), and had to sit down on the curb three houses down from mine. When the dizzy spell passed, I walked back home. After resting, and drinking a lot of water and a little snack, I decided to try the treadmill. That wasn't so good either. The noise of the treadmill coupled with the heartbeat in my ears nearly brought on a migraine. So, with a total of just barely 15 minutes, if you count the "walk" outside, I gave up, for today.
I think that my lesson for today is that it is important to listen to my body. I didn't feel well, but I pushed, and then I felt worse. However, I need to be careful to not use illness as an excuse. If I have a severe head cold, then I will do some easy stretches and get plenty of fluids. If I have a little sniffle, I'm walking, or swimming, the whole 30 minutes, or more.
I have had a tendency in the past to let one little setback, like this one today, be the end of my grand plans for weight loss and getting healthy. I seem to have the attitude that if I mess up one day, then one more day doesn't hurt. I am working on developing a different attitude, one where each new day is a new chance to start over and be better. Like I said at the beginning of this post: I am not quitting this time!
I will do this, just not while I have a headcold.
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