When I was sick with that nasty cold the week before Thanksgiving, I went to the grocery store for three things: cold medicine to knock me out, a big jug of Odwalla orange juice and a carton of ice cream. I won’t lie. When I’m sick I immediately want comfort food. I want soup–tomato or chicken broth and noodles. I want carbs like bread. And I want ice cream. I told myself it was because I had a sore throat and the ice cream would feel good on my raw throat (true) but it was also just me reverting back to older times when I used food to feel better.
The good news was that I didn’t have much of an appetite while I was sick, and couldn’t really taste most of the food so I was within my calorie range each day. To be honest, I counted my calories but didn’t care about them too much. I was under 2000 and that was fine with me. So while I did indulge in some ice cream, I didn’t go completely crazy.
I also took about 5 days off from the gym. It was a long time for me! I can’t remember the last time I took that much time off in a row. I found that laying around watching tv for a week with my box of kleenex, glass of orange juice and bottle of Nyquil made my body hurt. The lack of activity felt weird. Every time I got up and moved around I felt it in my joints and my muscles felt weak. It was not fun!
Thankfully I don’t get sick too often now. I usually get a cold in February or March and then October or November. So I was right on schedule. 🙂 When I lost my weight and got healthy, including a regular exercise program, the constant sicknesses that I had went away. I used to be sick all the time. I had at least one or two outbreaks of bronchitis a year on top of colds and general malaise. Losing weight and eating healthy most definitely improved my immune system!
I was too sick to care that I was picking up my old habit of using ice cream to make myself feel better. Once I felt better, I thought about what I did. Why was it so easy to revert back? Why are old habits so easy to pick back up? Laziness? I don’t know.
I also wanted to check in with all of you guys. Did you read my post: Nutritional Challenges and a Challenge? Did you take me up on my challenge? And if yes, how did it go?
So what about you? When you’re sick, do you give in to comfort foods to make yourself feel better?
Simply Life
hope you’re feeling better now!
Lisa Eirene
Much better, finally!
Jess
Oh I am BIG on comfort food when I am sick. My favourite is ginger kisses. At 100cal a pop I don’t have them often, but when I am sick I go to town. Like you I’m not seriously sick often (I get mild colds because I work with kids, but only really sick 1-2 times a year) so I just go with it. At the time it makes me feel better!
Lisa Eirene
I’ve never heard of ginger kisses–are they like the chocolate ones?
Lori
Hope you are feeling better!
I almost never, ever get sick. Maybe once every couple of years. The last time I was sick was at the end of our Disney trip last winter (booo). It was weird, I had a horrible sore throat – just horrible, but no other symptoms. Probably tonsillitis. I always lose my voice when I get sick, too. I really lose my appetite when I am sick and usually only want liquids or stuff like oatmeal.
Lisa Eirene
I usually lose my appetite too. Ice cream, soup, etc is all I want!
Unfortunately, I work with clientele at my job that are unhealthy/homeless/addicts etc so they have all sorts of sickness! It’s hard to avoid. The fact that I only get sick 2x a year is amazing.