Should You Diet when You're Sick with Reduced Calories?

The idea of a reduced calorie diet to lose weight is not to place the immune system in the red zone while maintaining a negative calorie deficit in the body. The average dieter is expected to consume between 1200 and 1800 calories every day, depending on gender. When sickness strikes, it is common to ask if you should diet when you're sick by continuing the same reduced calorie meal plans? The simple answer is yes.

Healthy Eating and Sickness

A healthy eating plan for weight loss should contain enough calories to suffice the body in times of sickness and health. Dieters can think of the menu plan as a marriage. When times get tough, most couples will work through the differences and come out better on the other side. The same goes for weight loss plans with reduced calories. If the immune system is kicked into overdrive to fight off illness, this is the best time to continue eating healthy.

Why Does Sickness Mean Eating Unhealthy?

Most often, dieters ask the question, "Should you diet when you're sick?" because they "feel" better when they are eating unhealthy. Food addiction is a physical condition that affects mental status. When eating unhealthy foods, it may not be that the dieter physically feels better, but the mental state changes. That is why comfort foods are called such.

Comfort foods tend to be high in fat and cholesterol, which are both unhealthy for an ailing body. It is important to remember, however, that certain foods or dieting habits may need to be changed during times of sickness in order to best achieve wellness in a shorter amount of time.

When to Sacrifice Calories or Weight Loss for Better Health

If the menu plan you have chosen for dieting is lacking in vitamins and nutrients, food changes need to be made to better support the body's natural defenses. Low carb diets, for instance, tend to be high in fat and protein. If followed correctly, there will also be a healthy supply of all necessary vitamins and nutrients. If the dieter has chosen to follow a strict meat-only plan, vitamin C levels could be lower than necessary to support better health. In this case, taking a vitamin C supplement may suffice, but natural sources of vitamin C are better absorbed by the body.