The Importance of Consistent Exercise for Recovery and Health

Getting back into exercise after illness can be challenging but necessary for recovery, as one fitness enthusiast recently discovered. After feeling sick for several days and avoiding physical activity, they experienced increased stiffness, pain in their legs, and overall discomfort due to lack of movement.

“I have been feeling sick for some days, I have not really exercised and that did not help me at all,” they explained. “Not exercising did not help me, but made my body to be stiff. I tried to stretch, even the back of my legs, my nails, my toes, everything pained me because of lack of exercise.”

Pushing Through Discomfort

Despite still experiencing some symptoms including headache and nasal congestion, they decided to push through with a 20-minute workout to rejuvenate their body. The difference was noticeable almost immediately, with energy levels increasing during the exercise session.

“No more lying down, no more sickness, no more headache! I am back,” they shared while continuing their jogging routine. “Yesterday I couldn’t sustain jogging for five minutes, but today I can go longer.”

Mind Over Matter

One of the key insights shared during the workout was the importance of mental discipline when it comes to fitness and weight management:

“It is very hard to lose weight but very easy to gain weight. You need to push your body, you force it. Not letting your body control you – you control your body, control your mouth. When you feel like eating something unhealthy, you say no. I will not eat that – I will exercise instead.”

Starting Small

For those intimidated by exercise, the message was clear: start where you are. “We need to exercise anyhow we can. We must not be professional. We must not lift 100 pounds. Just start by lifting 10 pounds, 5 pounds. If we cannot lift 10 pounds, even less. Just little by little, we are going to be fine.”

The workout session included monitoring of calories burned and adjusting the treadmill speed to a comfortable yet challenging level. They noted that previously they could run at higher speeds (levels 7-9), but currently were adjusting based on their weight and condition, avoiding the highest settings (10-12) to prevent injury.

By the end of the session, despite growing fatigue, there was a noticeable improvement in energy and a determination to reach the 200-calorie mark before concluding the workout.

The key takeaway? Consistent movement is essential for maintaining health, and even when recovering from illness, gentle exercise can help restore energy and reduce discomfort from inactivity.