Mind Over Matter: The Importance of Pushing Through Exercise Even When You’re Down
Getting back to exercise after feeling sick can be challenging, but the rewards are immense. A recent fitness enthusiast shared their journey of returning to their workout routine after several days of illness, demonstrating the remarkable resilience of the human body when properly motivated.
“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. “Not exercising did not help me at all, 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.”
This common experience highlights an important health principle: sometimes inactivity during illness can create its own problems. Stiffness, increased pain, and prolonged recovery may result from extended periods without movement.
The Mental Battle of Exercise
The most significant insight shared was about the mental aspect of maintaining 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. All you need to do is to push your body. You force it. Not letting your body control you. Control your body.”
This philosophy of mind over matter extends to nutrition as well: “Control your mouth. That’s the way you feel like. It is your trauma. You say, no. I will not eat today, shall I? I will exercise. Just go ahead.”
Starting Small and Building Up
The fitness journey described wasn’t about extreme performance but rather consistent effort at an appropriate level. “We must not be professional as well. We must not lift 100 pounds, 200 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.”
This approach applies to cardio exercise as well. The individual noted that they previously could run at higher speeds but now adjusted to what their current fitness level allowed: “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 Return of Energy
Perhaps most encouraging was the noticeable improvement in energy levels just from getting back to exercise: “I’m better today, definitely. Honestly. And definitely you can see. Because yesterday I cannot sustain this jogging for five minutes.”
By the end of the session, they were celebrating: “My energy level is coming back.”
The Bottom Line
Your health is your most valuable asset. As our fitness enthusiast aptly put it: “When you are in good health, you can achieve. 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.”
The key takeaway is that consistency matters more than intensity. Even when recovering from illness or facing other challenges, finding ways to incorporate appropriate movement can help your body bounce back faster and maintain your overall well-being.