Fighting Through Sickness: How Exercise Helps Recovery
When illness strikes, many of us instinctively reach for our beds, avoiding any physical activity. However, sometimes a gentle workout might be exactly what our bodies need to recover. This personal journey of fighting through sickness with exercise offers valuable insights for maintaining fitness even during challenging times.
The Consequences of Inactivity
After feeling sick for several days without exercising, the consequences became evident – stiffness throughout the body, pain during stretching, and overall discomfort. The lack of movement affected everything from leg muscles to toes, creating a cycle of pain that only made recovery more difficult.
Pushing Through When Your Body Resists
One of the most challenging aspects of maintaining fitness is learning to control your body rather than letting it control you. This means:
- Forcing yourself to move even when you don't feel like it
- Controlling your diet even when cravings hit
- Pushing through discomfort to maintain consistency
The key insight: “It's very hard to lose weight but very easy to gain weight.” This fundamental truth reminds us why consistency matters so much in fitness.
Starting Small After Illness
Recovery doesn't require jumping back into intense workouts immediately. The approach should be gradual:
“We must not be professional… You must not lift 100 pounds. Just start by lifting 10 pounds or 5 pounds… little by little, we are going to be fine.”
Finding Your Pace on the Treadmill
When using a treadmill for recovery, understanding the relationship between your current fitness level and appropriate settings is crucial:
- Speed levels 5-7 are good for moderate running
- Higher speeds (10-12) require significant fitness and should be approached cautiously
- Weight impacts what speeds you can safely handle
As fitness improves, you can gradually increase intensity: “When I lose weight, I'll start running at 10.”
Signs of Recovery
How do you know you're getting better? Look for these positive indicators:
- Increased endurance compared to previous days
- The ability to sustain activity longer
- Sweating after initially feeling cold
- Rising energy levels during the workout
The transformation from feeling sick to being able to jog consistently is a powerful indicator that your body is healing.
The Importance of Health for Achievement
Perhaps the most profound realization from this experience: “When you are in good health, you can achieve [your goals]. It's only when you cannot do certain things that you cannot achieve your goals.”
This fundamental connection between physical wellbeing and life achievement serves as powerful motivation to maintain fitness even through challenging periods of illness or recovery.
By listening to your body while gently pushing its boundaries, you can use exercise as a tool for recovery rather than an obstacle to it.
