Not being able to work out sucks. It really does. Since being sick this last week, I have not worked out. I still feel horrible and have a hard time breathing without coughing up a lung. I was okay not working out the first few days. But then another day came. And another. It all adds up. I last worked out a week ago and I want to get back so. bad. I feel so ‘blah’ without working out and like all my endurance and strength is going away. Then there’s the eating aspect. When I’m sick, I crave carbs, crabs, and more carbs. Toast for breakfast, crackers for snacks, cereal and orange juice for lunch, graham crackers for snack, and soup and toast for dinner. So. Many. Carbs. But it’s what my body wants. Everything else sounds inedible.
So no working out and lots of carbs. Oh boy. I hate it. I feel so ‘blah’ and like a slob. I want to get back to working out and eating normally. Of course, I initially look at myself as ‘lazy’ or ‘fat’ because of the no working out and carb combination. But I need to stop myself. Here’s a few reasons why I need to be okay with my current situation:
- If I workout sooner than I am ready, it will take longer for me to get back to being 100%.
- Working out will always be there. It doesn’t matter if I get better today or next week.
- If my body wants carbs, I need to feed it.
- My body needs food to get better and heal properly.
- Like working out, vegetables will always be there.
- I’m not going to gain a whole bunch of weight and it will be okay!
And what about my feeling of ‘fat-ness?’ Well I just need to get over it. It’s only been a week and once I get better, I will be back to working out and eating healthy. So I just need to take one day at a time. And get better. Slowly, but surely. 
How do you deal with not being able to work out?
Health Freak College Girl 
I had a toe injury two weeks ago that caused my toenail to rip completely off and have no movement (up until the past week) in big toe. I couldn’t wear closed toe shoes the first week and the second week(currently) will bleed when I try any cardio. Although it’s been tough skimping on my strenuous workout schedule, I have to remind myself I not only work out for my appearance and weight but most importantly for my health and well-being. Instead of looking at all of the negative aspects (like why the heck I’ve eaten chocolate or ice cream every night?!?!) I strive to be thankful I have the privilege to have access to gym facilities and have been blessed with a body that survives through all of the activity I put it through! I think it’s great that you’re listening to your body and I hope you continue to do so. Be thankful and get well! ❤
Haley,I know it’s hard to deal with all those negative feelings coming up when you don’t work out,but as you’ve said already,it’s really really important to rest if you want to get better soon!
You can be damn proud of yourself for fighting against your “inner voice” and NOT acting according to it all the time. It’s tough,definitely,but you can do it and in the end,you will be strong and fit again and ROCK your workouts,kay?! I’m thinking of you! 🙂
I hope you feel better soon Haley!! A lot of us have been in this position at one point or another and felt exactly the same way. Without the endorphins and sweat your mood drops, and combining that mood drop with just feeling sick and icky in general – well it really sucks. I’m sure it’s tough, but you know better and you can refute those negative thoughts. You’ll be back out there in no time, just give your body what it needs!
And just so you know, when I’m sick I eat bread and that’s pretty much it. Totally normal to crave carbs! Remember your body is working harder just to get back to being healthy and it NEEDS them!
aww Haley I’m so sorry you’ve been sick!!! I can’t say I come down with illnesses often, but it’s really just NOT fun. And it’s 100% normal to crave carbs, your body is using them to fight off the virus! Your metabolism is actually pretty high when your sick because your body is producing hundreds of new cells – the immune responders AND repairing cells that’ve been damaged. In addition to the normal baseline cell turnover you undergo every day! (I learned this in my immunology class last year, and it really changed the way I thought about eating while sick). Your body’s not turning those carbs into fat, it’s turning them into B cells and T cells – I find that when I’m sick, it’s easier for me to eat well if I think about it that way! 😀
And I feel ya on the not working out. I’m not doing much of that myself right now either, and I can tell you that without a good sweat sesh, I’m not as happy, focused, productive, or confident during the day. Right now I’m still dealing with nagging injuries, and cutting my training volume helped a bit, but I’m realizing that the more I REST, the faster everything will re-align ya know? I’m still coming to terms with it, and I won’t lie, I cry about it more days than not, but it only means that my body will be ready to train sooner. I usually want to punish my body when I’m sick and injured, but I’m learning this year that those are the times when we need to be the most generous toward our bodies! Give it what it asks for, and you shall recieve what you want out of it in return. 🙂 In the meantime, rest up, take yourself out to a fun place for some tea or soup, and write up some fitness goals that you want to achieve when you can train again – I always like to do that when I’m sick, it gives me the motivation I need to get back to a place where I can achieve them! Love you Haley, feel better! ❤
You are so right with all those points you made!!! A few weeks off exercise in the grand scheme of things will do nothing to your body! I hope you heal up quick girl!!
It took an injury to make me finally take a break from working out. It’s definitely frustrating but I’ve also learned a lot from the forced break. Your body will NOT explode with weight gain, even though I know it feels like it. Remember there’s a difference between “feeling” fat and lazy and actually “being” fat and lazy, and you’re feeling something that isn’t real. A few days won’t hurt your fitness at all – in fact, you’ll be better off for taking the time to get fully healthy again.
Feel better!
I don’t deal with it. In fact, I often work out when I’m sick. This is weird but I get better faster if I work out. I feel better while I work out, too. It’s weird. I hope you feel better soon so you can get back into it!
Not being able to work out is so hard to deal with! But I love the way you reasoned things out to help yourself be more okay with the situation. 😀 Also I like to walk a lot when I’m not able to workout because it keeps me feeling at least a little bit active.
Feel better soon girl!
I HATE not working out and I understand your situation I was sick just last week and I didn’t workout for like a solid 7 days and on the 8th day I could only do a little bit. But your right, take your time and get back, you don’t want to rush your body. You’lll be better in no time and back to it!
I’m sorry you can’t work out! I totally understand. 😦 With me, I’m in a similar situation, but less severe.. I have cold, but because of it I’m not supposed to run outside.. Even though I want to train outside as much as possible because I have a big race coming up. As I was walking to the gym to do a treadmill run, I felt like such a quitter when I saw all these other runners going on their morning runs. It sucks temporarily, but it’ll be better in the long run, right?!
I am sorry you cannot work out – I can only imagine how hard it must be on you but I think you have the right attitude about it. I think you realize that this will be better for you in the long run 🙂
I know how you feel, I had to stop working out for ten days recently. I was so upset and felt like my endurance and strength was all going down the drain. I just had to think that rest is what my body needs right now, and that I’ll be able to get back to the shape I was in before in a couple of weeks or sooner. But yea, it’s hard to deal with the distress and negative feelings that come with not exercising.
In the long run, you have every day of the rest of your life to work out. Being sick or not being able to work out for any other reason is important, and you should rest!
…and not feel bad, though I always do! Hope you feel better soon!
Ooo boy can I relate and understand this one! Like you, I feel like a gross, lazy, fat “slob” when I don’t workout, even for one day! Although I have not been sidelined by an injury or illness before, it’s going to happen if I don’t take care of myself properly. Rest is 100% essential, necessary, needed…you get it, it’s a part of our lives! The reasons you listed here for why embracing the rest is the way to go is great and beneficial. It’s important to remind ourselves, especially during the tough times! You have this Hayley, keep doing what you need to for your body
I wouldn’t worry so much on the carbs, since your body is trying to heal, and your body needs energy to heal, and carbs are one of the best sources of energy for your body. I remember when I couldn’t workout for a week and it drove me literally INSANE! All I wanted to do was work out, but I couldn’t unless I wanted to make my knee take longer to heal than it needed. I know it must be hard, but I know you can do this. 🙂
Obviously from the comments: YOU ARE NOT ALONE! I went through the same thing a few weeks ago. It’s tough, but you have to remember that its only 1 WEEK. In the grand scheme of life, that’s nothing! Rest your body so the workouts you have when you get back will be THE BOMB! You will be fine and while you might FEEL blah, I GUARANTEE there is zero difference in your body.