Why You Should Never Stop Exercising: A Personal Recovery Story

After feeling sick for several days and avoiding exercise, I learned a painful lesson about the importance of staying active. My body became stiff, with pain spreading to my legs, toes, and even my neck. The lack of physical activity made everything worse – not better.

It's remarkable how quickly our bodies can deteriorate when we stop moving. As I discovered, it's incredibly difficult to exercise but surprisingly easy to gain weight. Losing that weight, on the other hand, requires significant effort and persistence.

Taking Back Control

The key to maintaining fitness is taking control of your body rather than letting it control you. This means making conscious decisions about what you eat and how you move, even when you don't feel like it.

When you crave that shawarma, you need the discipline to say no and choose exercise instead. Controlling your cravings and forcing your body to move isn't easy, but it's necessary for your health and wellbeing.

Starting Small

You don't need to be a fitness professional to benefit from exercise. If lifting 100 pounds seems impossible, start with just 5 or 10 pounds. The important thing is to begin somewhere and gradually build your strength and endurance.

During my recovery, I couldn't sustain even five minutes of jogging without stopping. But with persistence, my energy levels improved, and I was able to continue for longer periods.

The Importance of Consistency

Working out consistently is crucial for maintaining good health. When you're healthy, you can achieve almost anything. It's only when health problems limit you that your goals become unattainable.

My treadmill has become an essential tool in my fitness journey. It tracks calories burned, distance covered, and allows me to adjust the speed according to my fitness level. Currently, I'm comfortable at speed level 7, but I used to manage level 9. My goal is to get back to running at level 10 once I lose more weight.

The Reward of Perseverance

Despite feeling unwell, I pushed myself to exercise, and the results were immediate. The cold feeling I had been experiencing was replaced by healthy sweat, and my energy levels began to return.

This experience reminded me that our bodies are designed to move. When we stop exercising, we don't just pause our fitness – we actively move backward. But with determination and consistency, we can always find our way back to health.