Working out when sick

Is it OK to work out when you are recovering from a cold or from the flu?

In my opinion, it is all up to how you feel.  Do you feel like you have the energy?  I know when I have had a cold, I can tend to feel like I'm dragging myself around. 

If you have the energy and desire to work out, then I would think it's OK - so long as you continue to feel that way through your workout.  If you feel like you are dragging, though, then I would stay home and rest.  Same if you decide to work out and start feeling poorly during your session, I would just stop and take it easy until you feel up to it again.

Honestly when I'm sick with cold/flu I feel like working out is the last thing I wanna do but usually after I drag myself to the gym I feel a lot better afterwards, sometimes the cold goes away a lot faster when I'm working out. The sauna is pretty amazing for congestion too.

Rule of thumb (confirmed by a few metastudies I'm too lazy to look up right now) is that the dividing line is your neck - as long as you're only sick above your throath you're good to go, if you've got symptoms below the chest you wait until they clear up.

Original Post by melkor:

Rule of thumb (confirmed by a few metastudies I'm too lazy to look up right now) is that the dividing line is your neck - as long as you're only sick above your throath you're good to go, if you've got symptoms below the chest you wait until they clear up.

Yep, that's the rule! But go easy on yourself while working out with a cold/flu. The last time I worked out on while with a minor cold (after applying this rule) I got this really nasty cough and felt this pain in my chest every time I coughed. I ended up not working out for 5 days straight, til the cough went away and my lungs cleared.

If you feel you can give it your all, are not running a fever or have congestion in the chest/lungs and are NOT CONTAGIOUS - esp if working out with others//in a gym.

There are SO many freaking people out sick these past few weeks...which is more typical of Dec/Jan/Feb. than it is for Aug/Sept. 

Original Post by fitnessgirll:

If you feel you can give it your all, are not running a fever or have congestion in the chest/lungs and are NOT CONTAGIOUS - esp if working out with others//in a gym.

^This.  If you're on the treadmill next to me while coughing and hacking, you WILL incur my wrath.  Even worse if you're doing weights and touching everything without wiping it down. 

Try going for a bit and see how you feel.  Sometimes working out is the perfect way to get over being sick.  If it makes you feel worse, stop.  If it makes you feel better, keep going!

I usually feel better if I get some blood flowing when I'm sick. I don't (can't) work out at my normal intensity. Of course, it depends on how bad I'm feeling too...

Thanks everyone. Lots of good ideas to consider here. I appreciate it!