The Struggle and Triumph of Getting Back to Exercise After Illness
Getting back into an exercise routine after being sick can be one of the most challenging aspects of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. After several days of illness and inactivity, the body becomes stiff, muscles ache, and motivation wanes – but the importance of pushing through these barriers cannot be overstated.
“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 returned to their workout routine. “That did not help me at all. Not exercising did not help me, but made my body to be stiff. I tried to stretch, even the back of my legs, my nails, my toes, everything pained me because of lack of exercise.”
The Mental Battle of Restarting
The hardest part of exercising isn’t always the physical exertion – it’s the mental battle to begin. “It is very hard to exercise, but very easy to gain weight. Very hard to lose weight. Very easy to get weight,” notes the fitness advocate. The solution? “All you need to do is to push your body. You force it. Don’t let your body control you – control your body.”
This mentality extends beyond just movement: “Control your mouth. When you feel like eating something unhealthy, you say, ‘No, I will not eat today. I will exercise.’ Just go ahead, control your lungs. Control your belly. Control everything.”
Starting Small and Building Momentum
The key to sustainable fitness isn’t about extreme measures but consistency and gradual progression. “We need to run, we need to exercise anyhow we can. We must not be professional. We must not lift 100 pounds, just start by lifting 10 pounds, 5 pounds. If you cannot lift 10 pounds, just little by little, we are going to be fine.”
This approach applies to cardio exercise as well. Using a treadmill with various settings, our fitness enthusiast shares: “When I lose weight, I’ll start running at speed 10, but if I put it now, I will fall because of my weight. I used to put up to seven before. I used to put up to nine. But now, I can do up to seven, but not 10, not 11, not 12.”
The Importance of Health for Achievement
Perhaps the most profound insight shared is the connection between health and achievement: “Your health is wealth. When you are in good health, you can achieve. It’s only when you cannot do certain things that you cannot achieve your goals.”
This perspective transforms exercise from a cosmetic pursuit into a foundational aspect of living a fulfilling life. Each workout becomes an investment in future possibilities rather than just a calorie-burning session.
The Joy of Returning Energy
After pushing through the initial discomfort of returning to exercise, the rewards become evident. “My energy level is coming back,” notes the exerciser with satisfaction after reaching nearly 200 calories burned in their session.
The transition from feeling stiff and pained to experiencing renewed energy exemplifies why consistency in physical activity remains one of the most valuable habits one can develop.
Whether recovering from illness or simply breaking a period of inactivity, the message is clear: start where you are, push through the initial resistance, and trust that your energy and capabilities will return with persistence.