The Power of Persistence: Returning to Exercise After Illness

Getting back into exercise after being sick can be challenging, but the rewards for perseverance are significant. One fitness enthusiast recently shared their journey of returning to a workout routine after several days of illness, highlighting both the struggles and determination required.

“I have been feeling sick for some days, I have not really exercised and I did not do any good for my system,” they explained. The lack of physical activity had noticeable effects: “That did not help me at all. Not exercising did not help me, but made my body to be stiff. I tried to stretch, even the back of my legs, my knees, my toes, everything pained me. Because of lack of exercise.”

Despite still experiencing symptoms like headache and congestion, they committed to a short 20-minute workout to begin rebuilding their strength and endurance. “I still feel my neck, my head is aching me, my nose is growing, but I will be fine,” they noted with determination.

The Mental Battle of Exercise

A significant portion of the fitness journey involves mental discipline. As our fitness enthusiast points out: “It is very hard to lose weight, but very easy to gain weight. All you need to do is to push your body. You force it. Don’t let your body control you, control your body. Control your mouth.”

This philosophy of mind over matter continues throughout their workout: “When you feel like eating a snack, you say, no. I will not eat today. I will exercise. Just go ahead, control your mouth. Control your belly. Control everything. And then force your body to move. Force it. It’s not easy. But you’re gonna force it.”

Starting Small and Building Up

The workout session demonstrated the importance of adapting exercise intensity to current capabilities. “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, just little by little, we are going to be fine.”

Using a treadmill with various settings, they adjusted the intensity to match their current fitness level: “I used to put up to seven, before I used to put up to nine. But now, I can do up to seven, but not 10, not 11, not 12. 12 is the highest.”

The Reward of Persistence

By the end of the short workout session, progress was already evident: “My energy level is coming back.” The session burned nearly 200 calories and provided a much-needed boost after days of inactivity.

This experience highlights an important health principle: maintaining physical activity, even at reduced intensity, is vital for overall wellbeing. When recovering from illness, gentle movement can often accelerate the healing process and prevent the physical discomfort that comes from extended inactivity.

The key takeaway is clear – listen to your body, but don’t remain inactive for too long. Start small, adapt your routine to your current capabilities, and gradually build back to your previous fitness level.