The Journey Back to Fitness After Illness: Why Consistency Matters

Returning to exercise after being sick can be challenging, but it’s a necessary step toward reclaiming your health and energy. After several days of illness and inactivity, the body becomes stiff, making movement painful and difficult.

“I have been feeling sick for some days, I have not really exercised and I did not do any good for my system,” shares a fitness enthusiast who recently resumed their workout routine. “Not exercising did not help me at all. It made my body 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 Challenge of Resuming Exercise

Despite still experiencing symptoms like headache and nasal congestion, this determined individual pushed through a 20-minute workout session. The physical discomfort was real, but so was the determination to get back on track.

“It’s very hard to lose weight but very easy to gain weight,” they noted during their workout. “You need to push your body. You force it. Don’t let your body control you. Control your body. Control your mouth.”

Starting Small and Building Momentum

An important aspect of returning to fitness after illness is recognizing your current limitations. “We need to exercise anyhow we can. We must not be professional. You must not lift 100 pounds. Just start by lifting 10 pounds. 5 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 moderate pace on a treadmill that displays calories burned, distance, and speed. “If I put it now on 10, I will fall because of my weight. But I used to put up to seven before. I used to put up to nine. But now, I can do up to seven.”

The Rewards of Persistence

Even within a short workout session, positive changes began to occur. “I was cold before, but now I’m sweating,” they observed, noting that their energy levels were visibly improving throughout the exercise.

The session concluded after burning nearly 200 calories – a modest but meaningful achievement representing the first step back toward regular fitness habits.

Why Health Should Be a Priority

The experience underscores an important reminder about health priorities: “Your health is what matters. When you are in good health, you can achieve your goals. It’s only when you cannot do certain things that you cannot achieve your goals.”

Consistency in exercise – even when it’s difficult – pays dividends in overall wellbeing and energy levels. By pushing through initial discomfort and gradually rebuilding fitness routines, we can recover faster from illness and maintain better health long-term.