The Journey to Recovery: How Exercise Helps Overcome Illness

Recovery from illness often requires more than just medication and rest. For many, returning to physical activity can be a crucial component in regaining overall health and well-being.

After several days of feeling sick and avoiding exercise, one fitness enthusiast discovered that the lack of physical activity only made things worse. “I have been feeling sick for some days, I have not really exercised and I did not do any good for my system. That did not help me at all. Not exercising did not help me, but made my body to be stiff,” they shared during a recent workout session.

The physical consequences of inactivity became apparent quickly. “I tried to stretch, even the back of my legs, my knees, my toes, everything pained me. Because of lack of exercise.”

Pushing Through Discomfort

Despite still experiencing symptoms like headache and congestion, they made the decision to return to exercise with a short 20-minute workout. The improvement was noticeable compared to previous days when even five minutes of jogging would have been impossible.

“If it was yesterday, I cannot sustain this jogging for five minutes. No stop five minutes jogging. If it was two days ago, it was the worst of them,” they explained, highlighting the rapid improvement that can come with returning to physical activity.

The Mental Approach to Fitness

One of the key insights shared was about the mental discipline required for fitness: “All you need to do is to push your body. You force it. Not let your body control. Control your body. Control your mouth.”

This philosophy extends beyond exercise to eating habits as well. “When you feel like [eating something unhealthy], you say, no. I will not eat today’s whimmy. I will exercise. Just go ahead.”

Starting Small

For those intimidated by fitness, the advice is clear: start with what you can manage. “We must not be professional as well. We must not lift 100 pounds to 100 pounds. Just start by lifting 10 pounds. Five pounds. Just little by little, we are going to be fine.”

This approach applies to cardio exercise as well. Using a treadmill with various settings allows for customization based on current fitness levels. “When I lose weight I’ll start running 10 because that way you have to pop up. If I put it now I will fall because of my weight. But I used to put seven, I put up to seven before.”

The Importance of Health

Perhaps the most poignant reflection was on the value of good health itself: “Your health is what? When you are in good health, you cannot… It’s only when you cannot do certain things that you cannot achieve your goals. That is why we need to run.”

For anyone recovering from illness or starting a fitness journey, these words offer both inspiration and practical advice. The journey may not be easy, but with consistency and determination, progress is possible.