Gastroenteritis: To Train or Not to Train?

April 16, 2025

Gastroenteritis — also known as "intestinal virus" or "stomach flu" — can come on suddenly, leaving you weak, dehydrated, and with your digestive system on high alert.

Gastroenteritis: To Train or Not to Train?

If you're one of those people who hates missing a workout, it's natural that the question arises:
“Should I train or is it better to stop completely?”

In this article, we give you clear answers so you can make safe and responsible decisions.

🤒 What is gastroenteritis?

Gastroenteritis is an inflammation of the stomach and intestines, caused by viruses, bacteria or food poisoning.
The main symptoms are:

Diarrhea
Vomiting
Nausea
Abdominal pain
Fever
Fatigue and weakness

These symptoms can last between 1 and 5 days, being more intense in the first 48 hours.

🏋️ To train or not to train?

❌ DO NOT train if:

You have a fever
You are dehydrated (dark urine, dry mouth, dizziness)
You continue to vomit or have diarrhea
Do you feel extreme tiredness or muscle pain?
You are forced fasting (unable to eat properly)

In these cases, training can worsen your condition , prolong recovery and even increase the risk of fainting or low blood pressure.

🛑 Conclusion: Stop. Your body needs to rest and recover.

✅ When can you start training again?

You can resume training after 48-72 hours without symptoms , as long as:

You are already tolerating solid and liquid foods
Have your energy levels minimally restored
Your bowel is functioning normally
Don't have a fever or abdominal pain

💪 How to safely resume training

Start with light to moderate exercise , such as:

Fast walking
Mobility and stretching
Short functional training sessions
Low-intensity exercise bike
Bodyweight exercises

Avoid intense workouts (HIIT, maximum strength, long runs) for the first few days. Give your immune and digestive systems time to normalize.

🥤 Hydration and nutrition after gastroenteritis

During recovery:

Drink lots of water, teas and broths
Reintroduces light, cooked foods (rice, banana, chicken, mashed potatoes)
Replenish electrolytes with soup, rice water, or rehydration drinks
Avoid coffee, alcohol and dairy products for the first few days.

If you're looking for light meal ideas, check out our article:
👉 Gastroenteritis: what to eat to speed up recovery

🎯 Home Workout Tip

Training with gastroenteritis doesn't speed up recovery, it delays it . Respecting your body is part of progress. Rest, eat well, and come back stronger!