When you know you have been doing well in your weight loss efforts by increasing your exercise and eating great fuel (most of the time), getting sick can throw a spanner in the works. You will experience low energy and less motivation to follow your eating plan. You will feel less like putting on those trainers to beat the streets or get to your gym class.
Getting sick may bring up some worry about what this pause in your routine will do to all those great actions you were taking. But don’t fear, read on, and find out 4 tips to stop you feeling ill and putting on weight. It all starts with taking care of number 1. Yes, I mean you!
Being sick is just part of life. Nothing has gone wrong and instead of punishing yourself by either soldiering on, beating yourself up for being sick, or using sugar for energy or to feel better… consider the following tips to ensure you take care of yourself and your body in a loving way. A way that will help you maintain your weight loss into the future and get you back to fighting fit in the shortest possible time.
4 Tips to stop you feeling ill and putting on weight
- Don’t be upset with your body. Being upset will not help weight loss. It might well do the opposite. When you feel sorry for yourself or have low energy you are likely to want to reach for the comfort food to feel better, and I am not talking about Grandma’s chicken broth… I am talking Grandma’s custard tart.
- Be kind to yourself and decide if rest is the best thing. Treat yourself like you would your best friend. What would you say to your best friend when she is sick? Exercising, or trying to food prep for the week when you are feeling ill is not looking after yourself. Trying to maintain the normal family schedule when you are feeling like rubbish will also slow the recovery. Decide what loving action looks like to you when you feel ill. By this, I don’t mean letting everything go and sitting down with a king-size bar of chocolate. I mean deciding what you CAN manage without cancelling on you and your health. Get in tune with your body cues for food and rest.
- Give yourself permission to rest – there are no awards for turning up to an exercise class when you are unwell or getting your children to all their extracurricular activities when all you want to do is curl up in your PJ’s. There are also no rewards for getting through your normal to-do list for the day. You are important and self-sacrificing behaviour will only lead to delayed recovery and low productivity during that time. Which ultimately means a delay to continue your weight loss journey and the way you feel about yourself.
- Give your body fuel that will help it recover. See below for good fuels for your body when you are sick.
If you normally eat a certain way but your body just doesn’t feel like that food, or you can’t get to the store to fuel it with your normal fuel, then choose the healthiest option that will aid your recovery. Ask yourself What would loving action look like in this situation?
Top foods to aid recovery when you are sick
- Water, herbal teas or lemon and honey drinks to stay hydrated.
- Fruit and vegetables high in vitamin C like oranges, spinach, lettuce, kiwi, lemon, broccoli, and kale
- Blueberries and Strawberries for their immune-boosting power and a good source of vitamin C
- Bananas for their fast-acting carbs, potassium, and boost to electrolyte stores. They are also good for upset tummies.
- Garlic for its antibacterial and antiviral properties.
- Honey for its antibacterial properties and soothing effect on sore throats.
- Chicken soup for all the vitamins minerals and protein.
- Bone broths are another oldie but a goodie to provide nutrients, amino acids and collagen which aid in faster recovery.
Long term weight loss is more than just knowing what foods are good for weight loss. It’s about consistently following through on yourself and managing your mind and emotions when life throws you curve balls. Overeating or over drinking are two ways to escape feeling the discomfort in situations, but they are not a long-term solution and often have negative consequences and take you further away from feeling great in your own skin.
If you are sick of eating or drinking to avoid your emotions and want to find out the long-term solution to release your weight and stop your struggle with food and weight, schedule a call HERE. We will have a personalised look at the causes of your emotional eating and see if weight coaching is a good fit for you.
Have a beautiful day
