# Fitness Levels After The Flu



## Wester (23 Mar 2010)

Two weeks ago i was down for 3/4 days with the flu and could not do my daily cycling stint of 1/2 hours . When i resumed my daily cycling stint i found that i could only do half the distance that i could before i had the flu becuse i got tired and sweated a lot . I have now being cycling for about a week and there is still no improvement in my fitness levels 

Any advice on the subject please


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## palinurus (23 Mar 2010)

It's not unusual to be under par for some time after having flu, take it easy and give it a couple more weeks. If you feel like riding then ride but reduce the effort.


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## MacB (23 Mar 2010)

Yep, could be anything up to two months before you're back to previous levels, though exercise should accelerate the timescales.

I had a stinking cold end of last week and over the weekend. Did my local 24 mile loop yesterday and was 2.5mph slower, tired and sweating a lot more heavily. It will make the night ride harder than I was hoping for this week. That's just after a cold, flu is another level entirely, I should be back to normal by next week.


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## Crackle (23 Mar 2010)

Echo MacB. I'm just getting over a cold and am down on my normal fitness, flu will take more out of you, slow down or take some more time off the bike to recover.


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## accountantpete (23 Mar 2010)

Took me over a month to get over a case of "real" flu - ease back in gently as the others say.


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## Trek Trauma Chris (23 Mar 2010)

Wester said:


> Two weeks ago i was down for 3/4 days with the flu and could not do my daily cycling stint of 1/2 hours . When i resumed my daily cycling stint i found that i could only do half the distance that i could before i had the flu becuse i got tired and sweated a lot . I have now being cycling for about a week and there is still no improvement in my fitness levels
> 
> Any advice on the subject please



Don't forget you may have had proper man flu, not the type women get.


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## Wester (24 Mar 2010)

Wester said:


> Two weeks ago i was down for 3/4 days with the flu and could not do my daily cycling stint of 1/2 hours . When i resumed my daily cycling stint i found that i could only do half the distance that i could before i had the flu becuse i got tired and sweated a lot . I have now being cycling for about a week and there is still no improvement in my fitness levels
> 
> Any advice on the subject please



I forgot to mention that i also do weight training and my fitness in this field has not been affected one bit by the flu . strange but true


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## Globalti (28 Mar 2010)

Was it real influenza or just a heavy cold? If it was real flu you'd have been almost unconscious in bed for four or five days and you would need a month or two to recover. A cold probably takes a couple of weeks.


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## Wester (30 Mar 2010)

Globalti said:


> Was it real influenza or just a heavy cold? If it was real flu you'd have been almost unconscious in bed for four or five days and you would need a month or two to recover. A cold probably takes a couple of weeks.



It was probably just a heavey cold but that was a couple of weeks ago and i still have not reached my usual level of fitness


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## Banjo (30 Mar 2010)

Wester said:


> It was probably just a heavey cold but that was a couple of weeks ago and i still have not reached my usual level of fitness


I had the same experience.Dont exert yourself to much until your sure your feeling up to it.Pushing it will only slow your recovery.


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## Chrisc (30 Mar 2010)

Yep, important not to try and train through it. Counterproductive.


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## Wester (31 Mar 2010)

As a matter of interest how do you identify flu from a cold


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## Rob3rt (31 Mar 2010)

Wester said:


> As a matter of interest how do you identify flu from a cold



You just know! There is no mistaking one for the other really, if you have the flu, you will know about it.

A cold is feeling a bit stuffy, runny nose (possibly eyes), sneezing, sore throat, generally just feeling a bit off etc.

True influenza is brutal, alongside some of the same symptoms of a cold you will be cold sweating, feeling nausious, possibly have a fever, achey and fatigued!


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## accountantpete (31 Mar 2010)

If you don't know the difference between a cold and the flu then you have not had the flu.


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