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Combating Sick Season with a Health and Fitness Game Plan

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Combating Sick Season with a Health and Fitness Game Plan

Cold and flu season is quickly approaching, and it’s time to think about a game plan for your exercise routine if you come down with a sickness. Cooper Fitness Center Professional Fitness Trainer Jamie Cochran offers tips on when to exercise if you are sick and how to protect your health during the fall and winter seasons.

Head to the Gym
Recent research shows that moderate exercise can be beneficial if you have the common cold. While exercise may not help your sickness go away, it can boost your immune system and can lessen your odds of getting sick in the future. The key to exercising when you are sick is listening to your body and staying hydrated. Exercise to the level that your body is up to doing and give yourself the freedom to rest.

To stop the spread of germs, be sure to wipe down your equipment. Most gyms have antibacterial wipes throughout their facility, so disinfect the equipment before and after your workout to avoid cross-contamination and keep your fellow gym members healthy. Also, always remember to wash your hands to keep germs from making their way into your body.

Stay Home
If you are running a fever or experiencing body aches, chills or nausea, you should avoid exercising. Some of these symptoms can cause an increase in inflammation and a greater risk of becoming dehydrated. In this case, it is more beneficial for your body to rest. Resting periods allow your body to regroup and get stronger.

Exercise may feel like the best answer to get better, but aerobic conditioning or lifting weights can push you above your body’s limit. This can result in a weaker immune system and can cause your body more harm than good.

Recovery
Recovering from an illness can be a slow process, but it is important to flush inflammation out of the body through active recovery. Activities such as walking, Pilates or a slow ride on a stationary bike are a great ways to ease back into your exercise routine. Always remember pay attention to your body’s responses and not over-train while you are on the road to recovery.

Try these simple tips to start your fitness routine back up.

  1. Take a warm bath. This will help you relax and rid your body of aches associated with illness.
  2. Remove all distractions and spend 15 minutes stretching your lower and upper body. This will help increase your range of motion and circulation.
  3. Begin to rebuild your strength by trying a low impact exercises including gentle squats, lunges, wall push-ups and abdominal crunches. Do 12 repetitions of each for two to three sets.

Get Back on Track
How do you get back in the workout groove? Find out what type of exercise motivates you the most. Whether it is a simple balance exercise or a two-mile walk, give yourself opportunities to get moving in a toned-down version of your favorite workout. This will help you set achievable goals, so that you can continue to live out your Cooperized lifestyle.

Most importantly, remember that knowing when to exercise is an individual decision that you make based on your sickness and comfort level. Always listen to your body and consult a physician for additional recommendations.

For more information about Cooper Fitness Center Dallas, click here or call 972.233.4832.
 

Article provided by Cooper Aerobics Marketing and Communications.