The Struggle and Triumph of Getting Back to Exercise After Illness

We've all been there – feeling stiff, achy, and out of sorts after a break from our exercise routine. Whether it's due to illness, travel, or life simply getting in the way, returning to fitness can be challenging but absolutely necessary for our physical and mental wellbeing.

After several days of feeling sick and not exercising, the consequences become painfully apparent. Muscles grow stiff, flexibility decreases, and even simple stretches can cause discomfort. As one fitness enthusiast recently discovered, “I tried to stretch, even the back of my legs, my nails, my toes, everything pained me. Because of lack of exercise.”

The Reality of Exercise Recovery

The first workout back after illness is rarely easy. You might experience headaches, reduced stamina, and general discomfort. However, pushing through (safely) is essential for recovery. Even a short 20-minute session can help reacclimate your body to movement and begin rebuilding your fitness foundation.

When returning to exercise after illness, you'll likely notice immediate differences. Activities that were once manageable become challenging. A five-minute jog might leave you winded when previously you could run for much longer without stopping. This is completely normal and temporary!

The Mental Battle

Perhaps the most significant challenge in fitness isn't physical at all – it's mental. As our fitness enthusiast wisely noted:

“It is very hard to exercise. But very easy to get weight. Very hard to lose weight. Very easy to get weight… All you need to do is to push your body. You force it. Not lay your body, control your body. Control your mouth.”

This mental fortitude applies not only to exercise but to nutrition as well. Making conscious choices rather than giving in to momentary cravings is crucial: “When you feel like it is a shawarma, you say, no. I will not eat today shawarma. I will exercise. Just go ahead, control your mouth. Control your belly.”

Starting Small

One of the most important principles when returning to fitness is starting where you are, not where you were. If you previously lifted heavy weights, begin with lighter ones. If you ran at a fast pace, slow down.

“We must not be professional as well. We must not lift 100 pounds. Just start by lifting 10 pounds. Five pounds. So, we cannot lift 10 pounds. Just little by little, we are going to be fine.”

This progressive approach applies to cardio as well. If high-intensity workouts were your norm, adjust the intensity to match your current condition. On a treadmill, for example, reduce the speed and incline until your body readjusts.

Health as the Foundation

Perhaps the most powerful reminder from this fitness journey is how fundamental health is to everything else we do: “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.”

This perspective helps transform exercise from a chore into a privilege – a way to maintain the physical foundation that supports all other aspects of life.

Celebrating Small Victories

Every fitness journey is marked by milestones, some more dramatic than others. After illness, even small improvements are worth celebrating:

“If it was yesterday, I cannot sustain this jogging for five minutes. No stop five minutes jogging. If it was two days ago, that was the worst of them.”

These incremental improvements are how real progress happens – not in dramatic transformations but in consistent, small steps forward.

The Path Forward

Returning to exercise after illness is a delicate balance. Push too hard, and you risk setbacks or injury. Don't push enough, and recovery takes longer than necessary.

Listen to your body while gently challenging it. Track measurable markers like calories burned, distance covered, or time active to see your progress objectively. Most importantly, be patient with yourself.

Remember that fitness is a lifelong journey with natural ebbs and flows. Illness and setbacks are part of life, but they don't define your path. What matters is getting back up, moving forward, and as our fitness enthusiast concluded: “No more lying down, no more sickness, no more headache. I'm back.”