The Journey Back to Fitness: Overcoming Sickness with Exercise
Getting back into exercise after illness can be challenging, but it’s often the best medicine for recovery. One fitness enthusiast recently shared their experience of returning to exercise after feeling sick for several days, demonstrating how even a short workout can help restore energy and improve overall wellbeing.
“I have been feeling sick for some days, I have not really exercised and I did not do any good for my system,” they explained. “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 ankles, my toes, everything pained me because of lack of exercise.”
The Importance of Movement During Recovery
Despite still experiencing symptoms including headache and nasal congestion, they committed to a short 20-minute workout to help their body recover. This approach highlights an important aspect of health maintenance – sometimes gentle movement can accelerate recovery when done appropriately.
“I still feel my neck, my head is aching, my nose is growing, but I will be fine,” they shared during their workout, noting that their energy levels were already improving compared to previous days.
The Mental Challenge of Fitness
The fitness enthusiast also addressed the mental aspects of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, particularly the challenge of weight management: “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, control your mouth.”
This philosophy of mind over matter extends to exercise consistency as well. “When you feel like it is enough, you say no. I will not quit today, I will exercise. Just go ahead, control your mouth, control your belly… and then force your body to move. Force it, it’s not easy, but you can force it.”
Starting Small for Sustainable Results
An important reminder for anyone beginning or returning to fitness is that you don’t need to start with extreme intensity. “We must not lift 100 pounds. Just start by lifting 10 pounds, 5 pounds. Little by little, we are going to be fine.”
This gradual approach was demonstrated in their own workout, where they monitored their jogging time and used moderate speed settings on their treadmill. “I used to put up to seven, but not 10, not 11, not 12. 12 is the highest,” they explained about their treadmill speed settings, acknowledging their current fitness level while remembering previous capabilities.
By the end of the short session, positive results were already evident: “My energy level is coming back” – proving that sometimes the best remedy for feeling unwell is getting the body moving again, even if just for a short time.