The Journey Back to Fitness After Illness: Pushing Through When Your Body Says No
Getting back to exercise after being sick can be a challenging experience, as one fitness enthusiast recently discovered. After several days of feeling ill and avoiding physical activity, they found their body had become stiff and painful – a stark reminder that neglecting exercise, even briefly, can have noticeable effects.
“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. “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.”
The Mental Battle of Returning to Exercise
The journey back to fitness isn’t just physical – it’s largely mental. The determination to push through discomfort was evident as they committed to a short 20-minute workout despite still experiencing symptoms: “I still feel a neck ache, my head is aching, my nose is growing, but I will be fine.”
This resilience shows how maintaining consistency in fitness requires mental fortitude, especially when returning after a break. By the next day, progress was already visible: “I’m doing fine today better than yesterday! Because the energy is coming back!”
Self-Control: The Key to Fitness Success
A recurring theme throughout the workout was the importance of self-discipline, particularly regarding diet and exercise habits. “It is very hard to lose weight. Very easy to gain weight,” they noted, emphasizing the need for mental strength to overcome physical resistance.
The mantra of “Control your body. Control your mouth” highlights a philosophy that success in fitness comes from mastering impulses and making conscious choices rather than following momentary desires. “When you feel like eating a snack, you say, no. I will not eat today’s snack. I will exercise. Just go ahead.”
Setting Realistic Expectations
An important aspect of sustainable fitness is knowing your current capabilities and setting appropriate goals. Using a treadmill as an example, they explained how they adjusted speed settings based on their current fitness level:
“Five is speed running… It’s also speed on seven. When I lose weight, I’ll start running at 10. Because at that level you have to be fit. If I put it at 10 now, I will fall because of my weight. But I used to put it up to seven. Before, I used to put up to nine.”
This pragmatic approach acknowledges current limitations while maintaining aspirational goals for the future.
The Rewards of Perseverance
By the end of the workout, the benefits were already becoming apparent. “I was cold before, but now I’m sweating,” they observed, noting they had burned almost 200 calories and could feel their energy levels returning.
This immediate feedback loop – feeling better after pushing through initial discomfort – reinforces the value of maintaining an exercise routine even when motivation is low.
The journey back to fitness after illness demonstrates an important truth about health and wellness: consistency matters more than perfection, and sometimes the most important exercise is simply showing up for yourself.