For many, finding the motivation to devote so much time and effort to their body is extremely difficult. To be able to maintain the required amount of consistency for months at a time is something to be very proud of. Once you’re rolling, there’s little that can interfere with you and your motivation. Other than injury, a huge one is being sick. It may sound like a minor speed bump, but losing those few pounds of muscle, or falling out of that rhythm can be really discouraging.
With the amount of flu and colds going around this month, it seems unavoidable. Governor Cuomo actually declared state of emergency in New York due to the flu epidemic, and it’s all over North America, so avoiding it isn’t easy. Fortunately, there are ways to reduce your chances.
Being in great shape already allows your body to better function. This is true for things such as your metabolism, and even sleep patterns. That being said, your immune system is also improved. To add to that, it is suggested (by Marc, and many others) to take a lot of vitamins, and supplements so you can really get the most out of your body and workouts to make the most possible progress.
Some of the pills and supplements you may want to take to improve your immune system include:
- Multi-vitamins
- Vitamin C
- Glutamine
- BCAA
- & many more! (See the supplement chart, available with the nutrition planner)
Somehow, despite all of the improvements you can make to your immune system by being in great shape, and taking all of these supplements, many of us still manage to get sick. Depending on what you catch, and how severe the strain is, it may lead to significant weight loss, or interruption to your training schedule. The cold that’s going around now leaves you feeling weak for near to a week, and can lead to weight loss of up to five pounds! That’s enough for you to visually notice a difference.
If you do end up catching the cold or flu, there isn’t much you can do to speed up the recovery process other than what you’re doing. Take cold pills (day & night), and most importantly, maintain as much of your routine as possible. This means try not to stray too far off your diet, keep taking all of the beneficial pills such as vitamin C, drink a ton of water and get solid nights of sleep. If you manage to stick to your regular routine, the cold will be gone more quickly, and you should be able maintain the same weight even though you most probably wont be in the gym.
It can be slightly debilitating, so if the weight does come off, don’t fret. Think about your return to the gym, look forward to it, and use it as motivation. That weight will be back quickly, it’s just your mental state you’ll need to re-acquire!
