The Journey Back to Fitness After Illness: A Personal Account
Getting back to exercise after being sick can be challenging, but it’s an essential step toward recovery and maintaining overall health. After several days of illness that left her body stiff and achy, one fitness enthusiast shares her experience of returning to her workout routine.
“I have been feeling sick for some days, I have not really exercised and I did not do any good for my system,” she explains. “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 Importance of Pushing Through
Despite still experiencing symptoms like headache, congestion, and body aches, she emphasizes the importance of getting moving again: “I cannot do anything bad in my life… I will be fine.”
One of the key insights shared is the difference between gaining and losing weight. “It is very hard to dress nice, but very easy to get weight. Very hard to lose weight. Very easy to get weight,” she notes, highlighting a reality many face in their fitness journeys.
Mind Over Matter
The mental aspect of exercise features prominently in her approach: “All you need to do is to push your body. You force it. Not let your body control you, but control your body. Control your mouth.”
This mindset of self-discipline extends to food choices as well. “When you feel like eating a snack, you say, ‘No. I will not eat today. I will exercise.'”
Gradual Progress
The article emphasizes that fitness doesn’t require professional-level intensity right away: “We must not lift 100 pounds… Just start by lifting 10 pounds. Five pounds. If we cannot lift 10 pounds, just little by little. We are going to be fine.”
As the workout progresses, there’s visible improvement compared to previous days. “If it was yesterday, I could not sustain this jogging for five minutes. It was too much.”
The Connection Between Health and Achievement
Perhaps most importantly, the piece highlights how health serves as a foundation for all other accomplishments: “Your health is what? When you are in good health, you can achieve. It’s only when you cannot do certain things that you cannot achieve your goals.”
By the end of the short 20-minute session, progress is evident. “My energy level is coming back,” she notes, having burned nearly 200 calories and gradually rebuilding her stamina.
This account serves as a reminder that fitness journeys aren’t always linear, and returning after illness requires patience, determination, and listening to your body while gradually pushing its limits.