Welcome to the Get Fit Guys quick and dirty tips to slim down and shape up. My name is Ben Greenfield, and I'm the Get Fit Guy. Just yesterday, cold weather forced me to put on a coat for the first time in a while, and as temperatures begin to dip, cold and flu season will set in. As a matter of fact,

listener Eric recently asked, I've just come down with an obnoxious sore throat accompanied with a lot

of aches and chills. One thing I'm wondering is how should I exercise when I'm sick? I obviously

don't want to go jogging in the cold and exacerbate symptoms and make it harder to recover.

I don't know how much lifting weights slows the recovery process.

Lying in bed and eating a lot and getting fat is probably not the best approach while sick.

And advice on this question definitely would depend on how severe the illnesses.

But are there some general guidelines you can give on this question?

Well, in this episode, Eric, and all the rest of you listening in, you'll find out if you can

exercise when you're sick and what kind of workouts to do if you have a cold or flu.

Regular physical activity actually strengthens your immune system.

Studies have shown that recreational exercises report fewer

colds when they're running regularly, and moderate exercise has been associated with a stronger

immune system response and an increase in the production of macrophages, which are the cells

that attack bacteria. When you exercise, you improve blood flow and movement of your immune

system's lymphatic fluid, and your immune cells can circulate through your body more quickly,

which means they're able to kill bacteria and viruses more efficiently. The more consistently

you exercise, the more immune system enhancement you can get. For example, one study has shown

that people who walk at a very brisk pace for 40 minutes a day

report half as many sick days as those who don't exercise.

But can exercise make you sick?

Well, you can certainly overdo it.

...