From Sickness to Strength: How Regular Exercise Combats Stiffness and Fatigue
After several days of illness and inactivity, returning to exercise can be challenging but essential for recovery. One fitness enthusiast recently shared their journey of resuming physical activity after a period of sickness that left them with stiffness, pain, and discomfort throughout their body.
“I have been feeling sick for some days, I have not really exercised, and that did not help me at all,” they explained. “Not exercising did not help me, but made my body become stiff. I tried to stretch, even the back of my legs, my nails, my toes, everything pained me because of lack of exercise.”
The Challenge of Resuming Activity
Despite still experiencing neck pain, headaches, and nasal congestion, they committed to a short 20-minute workout to begin rebuilding their strength and endurance. This determination highlights an important health principle: sometimes you need to push through initial discomfort to begin healing.
“It is very hard to lose weight, but very easy to gain weight,” they observed. “All you need to do is to push your body. You force it. Don’t let your body control you – you control your body.”
Practical Tips for Self-Discipline
The fitness enthusiast offered several practical tips for maintaining discipline:
- Control your mouth and eating habits
- Resist unnecessary cravings
- Force your body to move even when it’s difficult
- Start with small, manageable exercises
“When you feel like eating a snack, you say no. When you will not exercise today, just go ahead and do it anyway. Control your mouth, control your belly, control everything,” they advised.
Progress Takes Time
An important aspect of fitness highlighted in this experience is the gradual nature of progress. Not everyone needs to begin with intense workouts to see benefits.
“We must not be professional. You must not lift 100 pounds… just start by lifting 10 pounds, 5 pounds. Little by little we are going to be fine,” they encouraged.
Listening to Your Body
While pushing through initial resistance is important, the fitness enthusiast also demonstrated awareness of their current limitations. When discussing treadmill settings, they noted, “If I put it on 10, I will fall because of my weight… but now, I can do up to seven.”
This balanced approach—challenging yourself while respecting your body’s current capabilities—is crucial for sustainable fitness progress, especially when recovering from illness.
The Importance of Consistency
By the end of their short workout, they were already noticing improvements: “My energy level is coming back.” This rapid positive feedback demonstrates how quickly the body can respond to renewed activity, even after a period of illness.
Whether you’re recovering from sickness or simply trying to establish a consistent exercise routine, remember that your health is foundational to achieving other goals in life. As our fitness enthusiast wisely noted, “When you are in good health, you can achieve. It’s only when you cannot do certain things that you cannot achieve your goals.”