If you know me, you know I don’t nap. Not even when I have the opportunity. Not even when the bed is laid out beautifully before me, soothing music is being played and I have all the time in the world (I know, I know, shameless). Once, I took a personality test that described me as an “Achiever” or someone who doesn’t really feel they’ve had a good day unless they’ve crossed something (hopefully multiple things) off of their to-do list.
That’s me to a “T.”
Which is why when I found myself wanting to nap instead of getting ready for bootcamp, I knew something wasn’t right and sure enough, a few days later, I was sitting on the doctor’s table in agony.
“Do you know what you have?”
“Death?”
“Close. You’ve got the flu.”
Ugh. It’s been going around.
Which means I haven’t been crossing things off of my to-do list and feeling smug and accomplished like I usually do. Coming down with the flu has been all about lessons for me. I couldn’t work out, I was exhausted, my creativity and energy were non-existent and all I wanted to (could do) was nap.
I had to adjust. I had to learn… I had to stop compulsively crossing things off my to do list. Here are the 10 things I learned about weight loss while I was sick with the flu:
- Sometimes it is just not possible to give a ______ (sorta). – Did that make sense? Let me explain. I seriously admire people who can genuinely not give a f*ck. I am not one of those people. I think one of the most difficult lessons for me was learning to let things go (having the ability to give a f*ck taken away from me). I had to stop myself from listening to that nagging voice in the back of my mind that was screaming “YOU MISSED BOOTCAMP FOR A WHOLE WEEK!”
- Doing “my best” is completely relative from day to day. Part of ignoring my inner nagger meant realizing that some days, “my best” is getting out of bed, some days it’s remembering to write down what I ate, and other days I’m running and jumping and eating all sorts of leafy green goodness. Best is best. Period.
- And speaking of best…. It’s best to avoid the scale while sick. Drinking water really does help you lose of ton of weight quickly (hello 10lbs in one week!!), but it’s just as easy to put the water weight back on when you’re well again…. While sick just avoid the scale. Rollercoasters are for when you’re feeling better.
- Sugar free, Whole Fruit Popsicles are excellent. Plus, they don’t have that many calories and make your throat feel excellent. I’m not sure how many calories cough drops or cough syrup has… hmmm…..
- Recovery won’t rush just cause you want it to. Exercise before your lungs (and body) are really ready is seriously painful and should be avoided despite how badly you want to go outside and how nice the weather has become. I tried to rush my recovering by taking an innocent (hour long) walk with my dog. It hurt and I probably would’ve been best served by staying in bed.
- It is possible to longingly miss and fantasize about exercise and the gym. I swear. It really is.
What’s the hardest thing about being sick for you?
