The Journey Back to Fitness: Overcoming Sickness Through Exercise

After several days of feeling unwell and avoiding physical activity, one fitness enthusiast demonstrates the importance of getting back on track with exercise, even when recovery feels challenging.

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

The Struggle of Returning to Exercise

The road back to fitness after illness isn’t easy. As the workout progresses, there’s a clear determination to push through physical discomfort: “I still feel my neck, my head is aching me, my nose is running, but I will be fine.”

This resilience highlights an important aspect of maintaining a fitness routine—consistency matters, even when circumstances make it difficult.

Mind Over Matter

A key theme throughout the session is the mental aspect of exercise and healthy living. “It is very hard to lose weight, but very easy to gain weight. All you need to do is to push your body. You force it. Not letting your body control you—you control your body.”

This philosophy extends to nutrition as well: “Control your mouth. That’s why when you feel like eating something unhealthy, you say, ‘No, I will not eat that today. I will exercise instead.’ Just go ahead. Control your mouth. Control your belly.”

Progress Not Perfection

The workout demonstrates that fitness is accessible at different levels. “We must not be professionals. We must not lift 100 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 graduated approach applies to cardio exercise too. The workout includes jogging at various speeds: “If you are using speed 3, or 2, or 5—5 is speed running and 6 is also speed, and 7, it has up to 12.” Each level represents a different challenge, allowing for personalization based on current fitness levels.

The Benefits of Consistency

By the end of the session, the positive effects are already evident: “I’m getting better. That’s why I’m running today. Small, small running today. I want to wake up my body.”

The workout concludes with: “I’m getting tired of it. But I still want to see how long I can go with the jogging. We are almost at 200 calories. Good. My energy level is coming back.”

This experience reminds us that health and fitness are ongoing journeys. Even after setbacks like illness, returning to physical activity—however modified—can help restore energy and well-being.