The Journey Back to Fitness: Overcoming Sickness and Finding Motivation
Getting back to exercise after being sick can be challenging, but it’s an essential step toward recovery and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. This was clearly demonstrated by one fitness enthusiast who recently shared their experience of returning to physical activity after several days of illness.
“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 movement had noticeable consequences: “I 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.”
Despite still experiencing symptoms like neck pain, headaches, and nasal congestion, they made the decision to push through with a short 20-minute workout to begin rebuilding their strength and endurance.
The Mental Battle of Fitness
One of the most valuable insights shared was about the mental discipline required for fitness: “It is very hard to dress as nice. But very easy to get weight. Very hard to lose weight. Very easy to get weight.”
The solution? “All you need to do is to push your body. You force it. Not lay your body, control your body. Control your mouth… Just go ahead, control your lungs. Control your belly. Control your tummy. 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 Momentum
An important reminder for anyone on a fitness journey is that you don’t need to start with extreme measures: “We must not be professional as well! You must not lift 100 pounds! 200 pounds! Just start by lifting 10 pounds! 5 pounds! So we cannot lift 10 pounds! Just little by little, we are going to be fine!”
This gradual approach applies to cardio exercise as well. The workout included jogging at a manageable pace, with acknowledgment that higher speeds would come with time and weight loss: “When I lose weight, I’ll start running 10… 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.”
The Joy of Recovery
Perhaps the most inspiring aspect was the evident joy in returning to movement: “No more lying down! I got up and I shake my body! No more lying down, no more sickness, no more headache! I’m back after the death day honestly!”
By the end of the session, the progress was clear: “Almost in 200 calories. Good. My energy level is coming back.”
This experience serves as a reminder that health is foundational to achieving our goals: “Your health is what? When you are in good health, you can achieve all! It’s only when you cannot do certain things that you cannot achieve your goals! That is why we need to run, we need to exercise!”
Whether you’re recovering from illness or simply trying to maintain fitness, the message is clear: consistency, determination, and a gradual approach are key to success in any fitness journey.