Why You Should Never Stop Exercising – Even When You're Sick
Taking a break from your workout routine when you're feeling under the weather might seem like the sensible thing to do. However, as I recently discovered, completely stopping your exercise regimen can actually make you feel worse.
After feeling sick for several days and taking a complete break from my regular workouts, I quickly noticed the negative effects on my body. Rather than helping me recover, the lack of movement made my body stiff and uncomfortable. Even basic stretching became painful – the back of my legs, my knees, and even my toes were aching due to the sudden inactivity.
The Importance of Maintaining Movement
When you're feeling ill, your body still needs movement to maintain flexibility and circulation. Complete inactivity can lead to muscle stiffness, joint pain, and can even prolong your recovery time. A short, gentle workout can actually help restore your energy levels and improve your overall condition.
Even with a headache and congestion, I found that getting up and moving my body – even just for 20 minutes – helped tremendously with how I felt. The key is to listen to your body and scale back the intensity, not eliminate exercise completely.
Mind Over Matter
One of the most important aspects of maintaining a healthy lifestyle is developing mental discipline. As I often remind myself:
- It's very hard to lose weight, but very easy to gain it
- You must control your body, not let your body control you
- Control your mouth and your cravings
- Force your body to move, even when it's challenging
This mental discipline extends to your diet as well. When you feel like eating something unhealthy, you need to be able to say no and choose exercise instead. Controlling your cravings is just as important as the physical activity itself.
Start Where You Are
You don't need to be a professional athlete or lift heavy weights to benefit from exercise. Start with what you can manage:
- If you can't lift 100 pounds, start with 10 pounds or even 5 pounds
- If you can't run at high speeds, start with a gentle jog
- Build up gradually as your strength and stamina improve
Your health directly impacts what you can achieve in life. When you can't perform certain physical activities, it limits your ability to reach your goals in other areas as well. That's why maintaining even a basic level of fitness is so important.
Listen to Your Body
As you exercise, pay attention to what your body is telling you. Modern exercise equipment often includes features to help monitor your workout intensity – tracking calories burned, steps taken, incline levels, and speed settings.
I've learned to adjust my treadmill settings based on my current fitness level. While I once could handle speed settings of 7-9, I now know my limits. At my current weight, attempting the highest settings (10-12) would be dangerous. As I continue to lose weight and build stamina, I'll gradually increase the intensity.
The Recovery Process
Getting back to exercise after being sick should be a gradual process:
- Start with gentle movement to wake up your body
- Allow yourself to build up a light sweat
- Keep sessions shorter than normal
- Gradually increase duration and intensity as you feel stronger
Even a brief 20-minute session can help restore your energy levels and speed your recovery. The key is consistency – getting your body moving regularly, even if the workouts are shorter or less intense than usual.
Remember that maintaining your fitness is much easier than regaining it after a complete stop. Keep moving, adjust your expectations when necessary, and your body will thank you.
