“ Hidden calories” in cold and flu remedies?

maw I'm just beginning the lurgy - a trip to the bathroom cabinet has shown me many cold remedies include huge amounts of sugar. Oh well, don't feel like eating so will need the sugar from somewhere. Mr C has many talents, feeding a poorly person is not one. I am determined this will go quickly as I am hosting two family birthdays in a week. Hopefully determination will win through.

Apparantly, 1lb of fat is equal to 3,500 calories, therefore if you have lost 2lbs, that has been a reduction of an input of 7,000 calories to the amount of calories needed to sustain you it that time. I would think that seems about right for what you ate on the understanding if you weren't feeling well you would not have been doing mammoth exertions.

Do not fret the calories. Hope you feel better soon.

That wasn’t the problem nelliemoser and I apologise for being unclear.
I was pointing out the sugar content of the majority of flu and cold remedies, cough lozenges or mixture (and consequently calorific value) and that that was presumably the reason there was little or no obvious consequence to not eating for two days and just a bowl of homemade soup and piece of toast on the third and fourth.
Just because it comes from Boots doesn’t mean you can ignore the calorie content.

I cannot see the point in worrying about what you eat if you have a really bad cold or flu.
If you feel rough enough you probably don't want to eat much.
Just drink plenty of non alcoholic liquid.

Hope you will soon feel better Maw. I can't ever make sense of the relationship between food intake and my weight. Or exercise either. My weight just seems a random thing whatever I do. I've given up now, shame on me I suppose. My middle DD says she ate more and lost more weight when going to Slimming World. I suspect I need that. I know I don't eat sensibly. Maybe it's like the man who went to the Doctor with a banana in his ear, a bean stuck up his nose, some custard on his head and chocolate sauce pasted on his cheek. "Doctor Doctor, you've got to help me!" He said. "Of course I will," says the Doc, "I know what's wrong with you." "You do?" the man says, relieved, "Yes! You're not eating properly!"

Yep... you heard it when you were at school... I just like it though.

Unfortunately it seems the magic combination is exercise as well as careful eating and it certainly doesn't sound as though you have the energy or interest with your poor state of health at the moment. I'm soldiering on valiantly with Jane10's recommendation and successfully losing 1lb weekly. A pittance many would say and I agree but this time it's staying off so I'm persevering and it's just becoming a way of life and not at all unpleasant. Hope you feel much better real soon, MawBroon.

When you don’t eat your body holds onto its fat reserves. So In order to lose fat you need to eat more

Hope you all are feeling better soon .Maw you might not have been eating enough to get metabolism working but you have eaten what you could manage take care and don't worry about housework it will wait .

Willow, I am very much the same, I had flu and then got a chest infection on top. After 3 weeks I gave in and went to the dr, came out with antibiotics and after 3 days was feeling much better. I lost 11lb over those 3 weeks, still haven't got much appetite but have put 3lb back on. However, everything is such an effort, I can hardly get up the stairs, and I am so cold. I know several people who have been suffering the same way, it really is a nasty bug.

I've had a bad chest infection and hardly ate for a week. I thought I'd get on the scales but didn't seem to have lost any weight. I can't take any cold/flu medication other than paracetamol but did try to have Manuka honey on the odd piece of toast and drank loads of water. After a course of anti-biotics (had to give in in the end and go to the dr) I'm over the infection but left feeling so drained - I've walked into town a couple of times and felt like I can hardly drag one foot in front of another. Hope you soon feel better.

Sounds like you've been in a very bad way, glad to hear you're feeling at least a little bit better. Weight loss or otherwise seems to have it's own rules, I've been on the Slimfast of late to lose weight pre-holiday, 2 weeks later and 1lb less - at least I tried...

When I feel very ill my home made chicken soup always makes me feel a bit better. If you live alone who's going to prepare the food? it takes all your effort to get out of bed & if hungry reach for the easiest comfort food.

I don't take any cold remedies, just take paracetamol & if necessary use the eye drops nasal spray that are prescribed for my hay fever

Couldn’t face ironing, so hats off to you sandelf A shower and hair wash and ai am exhausted. Everything aches.
I suppose there is a silver lining to being on my own now (faint) but I am so glad I don’t have to look after Paw too, I suppose that’s why I haven’t been ill for years and now the backlog is getting back at me.

Colds make your body do mad things. Just concentrate on staying OK until the infection is clearing. - 'I feel your pain' though. - Been trying to do ironing without dripping on the ironing board. V. tedious!!!

Thank you Greyduster!

I hadn’t read that about Night Nurse but it simply didnt work last night (3rd night) and I was awake until nearly three
Worth bearing in mind, thank you

Annoying isn't it? I had to take Night Nurse over Christmas as I felt so bad - then saw on the box that I should only have taken it for three/our days at most.
I swapped to Robitussin - it hasn't any sugar and is recommended for diabetics.

It is not only soup; it is magic soup!!

Sheilasue it is hardly likely that I would be preparing a “sensible” diet when I am flat on my back in bed with a temperature of 39 is it? And beg to differ, but homemade chicken soup from organic chicken is pretty damn healthy.

But Blinko I haven’t eaten anything and I am actually starving so that must be a good sign that I am feeling better

You should be on a sensible eating diet your not eating properly, soup is nice and healthy, but try some others,
A proper breakfast, such as porridge or eggs etc. Lunch should be fish or chicken and cut out bread that doesn’t help.

You've lost two pounds in four days?? I'd think myself lucky to lose that in two weeks....

I just remember that when I did WW, there seemed to be some 'slippage' in terms of weight loss and cals taken in, week on week. So I might not get the result I was hoping for one week, but it showed up the following week.

Anyone else experienced this?

I don't think you can really judge when ill - I think the body tends to retain a lot of fluid (you feel puffy and produce mucous).

Anyway losing 2lbs in 4 days seems a lot to me

Also it's maybe too soon to look for serious weight loss. You may be retaining fluid due to saltiness in the soup for example? Keep up the fluids.
Hope you feel much better soon.

I would take the chicken broth over the lemons and honey any day. It is my go to for colds and flu. That and an infusion of fresh ginger root, but I have to admit to putting honey in with that. When you have a heavy cold you tend not to feel like moving about so much to burn any calories off. Perhaps that’s the answer.