This is a question for the Guru: What are your thoughts on working out when you are sick? I don’t have a fever but have some pretty severe congestion. I did a weights workout yesterday which was ok but need to get the cardio moving again.

Bob, Pace yourself. You don’t want to overdo it, especially when you are under the weather. If you are lifting weights, I would cut the weight by about twenty percent. It may not seem like the usual challenge, but you are not up to your usual strength. As for cardio, it really depends how bad you feel and how much you are planning on doing. One time, I had bad congestion on the day I was supposed to appear in a friend’s exercise video. We ended up doing a great deal of cardio that day, and I ended up with sinus, throat and bronchial infections. Good times! If you feel like you need to get going again, then by all means, go. But take it easy at first and see how your body reacts. Make sure that you stay hydrated and don’t go wandering out into the cold winter air while you’re still sweaty.

In the end, go with your instinct: if you feel that you are pushing the edge of the envelope, back off. He who fights and runs away…..you know the rest.

Michael