A good rule of thumb is that moderate physical activity is fine if all your symptoms are above the neck like runny nose, nasal congestion, sneezing, or a soar throat. In fact in many cases a light workout will help to alleviate these symptoms especially sinus congestion. Research has suggested that individuals who regularly workout catch fewer colds than their inactive counterparts. If you have a cold and you work out you could halve the number of days you experience cold symptoms. Some people who work out regularly could actually feel worse if they skip a light workout.
As a note of clarity if you are a runner or partake in another high impact activity you should walk instead of your usual routine until you are feeling better because if you overdo it your cold symptoms could linger on more than usual. If you do exercise while sick make sure to remain well hydrated. Also note if you workout in a public place and you're sneezing up a storm skip the public area and walk around your neighborhood - remember be nice to your fellow gym rats.
However, you should NOT work out if you have a fever because if you're body is already warm and you workout and get warmer you can spike your fever higher. You should also avoid working out if you have an upset stomach, chest congestion, irritable bowels, fatigue, or muscle aches.
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