Sickness keeps hampering progress

[jeremiahk]

Hi team! Looking for sympathy/advice/encouragement/anything…

It seems that every time I’m getting into a good rhythm with my training, I come down with a cold. I’m not overtraining - I aim for two runs and two weight sessions a week and I throw in a yoga, Pilates, spin bike session or a swim for fun.

I sleep well, I eat healthy at least 90% of time, but I work in an office of nearly 60 people and there are always bugs going around. I seem to manage to stay healthy for a few weeks, get my training back on track and then I get taken down with another cold. It’s so frustrating and I don’t want to keep losing progress because I’m having so much fun with my fitness again for the first time in a long time.

I’m in the southern hemisphere and while we’re heading into summer, it still seems like a long time to get there. I’m supplementing vitamin d, c, zinc & olive leaf for immunity. I’ve started on B vitamins tho my recent bloods were fine I figured there’s no harm in topping things up before I need to.

I’m not sure how much I can train while I’m not 100% - I obviously want to get better quickly but it seems inevitable to be sick a lot regardless. I mostly don’t want to lose my strength training gains that I’m making.

Any help or words of encouragement would go a long way

 

[lisasoslea]

@jeremiahk Take care of yourself first and foremost. If you overdo it, it will take longer to get back to 100%.

Working in an office is rough because people act like they have learned nothing from the pandemic. Wear a mask if you're super concerned, disinfect your desk and computer, and wash your hands regularly.

 

[jeremiahk]

@lisasoslea Thanks. I do think I can sanitise more regularly but generally have good hand hygiene. I half considered starting to wear makeup again - kinda too lazy, hate taking it off, think it’s a waste of money for everyday wear & I work out in the morning then boost it to work so it’s hard to apply until I stop sweating - BUT it does stop me from touching my face and rubbing my eyes when tired etc. At the moment it feels like I can’t get more than a month of being healthy before the next cold gets me. And people are gross

 

[lisasoslea]

@jeremiahk Are you Aussie by any chance? We're currently getting our arses handed to us with illness pre-Summer.

 

[jeremiahk]

@lisasoslea I’m in NZ - basically the same thing, right? I don’t rate the sanitation of our trains very highly either

 

[jeremiahk]

@lisasoslea As it turns out, I did a test this morning & I have covid again

 

[pamcaid]

@jeremiahk Wearing a mask seems easier than getting monthly colds. You could use a reusable cloth mask. They may not be as effective at blocking pathogens, but they'd probably be better than no mask.

 

[jesseessej]

@jeremiahk I'd rather get an air purifier in the office than wear a mask the whole day every day

 

[jeremiahk]

@jesseessej Yeah unfortunately I’m not in control of the building HVAC

 

[jesseessej]

@jeremiahk I meant like.. a portable one..

 

[jeremiahk]

@jesseessej Yeah but it’s a big space over 800m2 with lots of areas. I think touch points is the biggest issue tbh. I’ve had another word with our cleaners about daily sanitation but

 

[xajmaht1]

@jeremiahk I have a toddler in daycare, have to be in office a few times a week, and see my nieces and nephew frequently, so I feel like I am also sick all the time.

I follow the “chest down” approach for the most part; if my symptoms are my head (congestion, headache) I take some cold meds and work out. If I have body aches I take the day off. If I have chest congestion I take it easy. If I didn’t work out when I felt sick I’d never work out.

Just play it by ear and if possible, train even if it’s just at 50%. I find the mental stimulation makes feeling sick less terrible since I’m not moping around the house feeling bad for myself for being sick as much.

 

[jeremiahk]

@xajmaht1 This is it - if I stop working out every time I’m sick I’ll hardly ever be able to do anything. I have to be in the office every day (except when I’m sick, I can wfh) so I’m constantly exposed to everyone’s bugs. A lot of people come to work sick too which is really frustrating.

 

[sunshinehally]

@jeremiahk Do you have kids? They just go to school/nursery mix germs and bring them home. I've just accepted colds, flus and bugs are going to happen. Trying to keep my kids in the garage, see if that works.

 

[jeremiahk]

@sunshinehally No kids - just my 60 adult office babies as I call them some people have such poor hygiene and etiquette that I feel like they are children some days. I love them, but they need to wash up more

 

[elleoj]

@jeremiahk Green tea, as spicy a food as you can handle & holy basil (either in your food or as a tea) - in my humble opinion.
I work food service, take public transportation, live in “the hood”. I don’t recall the last time I have taken a cold or flu medication.
Like I said. My humble opinion.

Oh and recite this

It’s comforting.

 

[jeremiahk]

@elleoj Thank you, it sounds like a lovely meditation! Will start green tea too. I do love spicy food as well but might need to wait until the cough calms down first

 

[pamcaid]

@jeremiahk Wear a face mask at work?

 

[dawn16]

@jeremiahk I have heard general "above or below neck" advice.

If you're sick above the neck - runny nose, sore throat, headache, etc, you should still attempt your workout. Obviously adjust it if you're lightheaded or not able to do the same amount.

If it's below the neck - lungs, basically, then maybe take more rest.

I've found this advice to make sense for me personally. YMMV, but I find my head cold gets way better if I am active.

 

[jeremiahk]

@dawn16 Thanks. Yeah I feel like my symptoms have all been above the neck. I only cough because of a post nasal drip it feels like. I might just keep moving but at a low intensity, like a walk or yoga session today and see how that goes.