The Journey Back to Fitness After Illness: Why Consistency Matters

Returning to exercise after being sick can be challenging, but it’s often the most important time to get your body moving again. This was the experience shared during a recent workout livestream, where the importance of pushing through discomfort to regain fitness was demonstrated firsthand.

“I have been feeling sick for some days, I have not really exercised and I did not do any good for my system,” the fitness enthusiast 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 knees, my toes, everything pained me. Because of lack of exercise.”

The Importance of Movement During Recovery

Even while still experiencing some symptoms—”I still feel my neck, my head is aching, my nose is running”—getting back to physical activity proved beneficial. The workout, though challenging, showed immediate benefits as energy levels began returning during the session.

“If it was yesterday, I cannot sustain this jogging for five minutes,” they noted, highlighting the rapid improvement that can come from pushing through initial discomfort.

Mind Over Matter

One of the key messages shared was about mental discipline when it comes to fitness:

“It is very hard to dress nice. But very easy to get weight. Very hard to lose weight. Very easy to gain weight. All you need to do is to push your body. You force it. Not letting your body control you. Control your body. Control your mouth.”

This philosophy of disciplined self-control extends beyond just exercise to nutrition and overall lifestyle choices. The perspective shared emphasizes that our bodies shouldn’t dictate our actions—rather, we should consciously direct our bodies.

Starting Small

For those intimidated by fitness, the advice was clear: start where you are.

“We need to exercise anyhow we can. You must not be professional as well. You must not lift 100 pounds. Just start by lifting 10 pounds, 5 pounds. If you cannot lift 10 pounds, just little by little, we are going to be fine.”

This progressive approach applies to cardio exercise as well. The workout demonstrated used a treadmill with adjustable settings, where the participant acknowledged their current limitations while remembering past capabilities:

“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 Results of Consistency

By the end of the short workout, the transformation was evident: “I was cold now, but now I’m sweating… My energy level is coming back.”

The session concluded with almost 200 calories burned and a visible improvement in energy and mood—compelling evidence that even when we don’t feel our best, movement can be the medicine we need.

For anyone struggling to maintain fitness during or after illness, this experience serves as a reminder that sometimes the hardest workouts deliver the most rewarding results.