How to Push Through Exercise When Recovering From Illness
Getting back to exercise after being sick can be challenging, but it's essential for regaining your strength and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. When your body feels stiff from lack of movement, that's actually a sign you need to get moving again – even when it's the last thing you want to do.
After several days of feeling under the weather with symptoms like headaches and congestion, many people experience the negative effects of inactivity. Muscles become stiff, joints feel tight, and overall energy levels plummet. The solution? Force yourself to move again, even if it's just for a short workout.
Mind Over Matter: Taking Control of Your Body
One of the most important aspects of fitness is learning to control your body rather than letting it control you. This applies to both exercise and nutrition:
- Control your mouth and eating habits
- Don't let cravings dictate your choices
- Force your body to move even when it feels difficult
- Start small but be consistent
Remember that it's “very hard to lose weight, but very easy to gain weight.” This simple truth highlights why consistency matters so much in any fitness journey.
Signs You're Getting Back on Track
When recovering from illness, look for these positive indicators that your body is healing:
- Increased stamina during cardio exercises like jogging
- The return of your ability to sweat properly
- Gradual improvement in energy levels day by day
- Ability to sustain movement for longer periods
Track your progress using metrics like calories burned, distance covered, or simply how long you can maintain continuous movement without stopping.
Adjusting Intensity Based on Your Current Ability
It's important to modify exercise intensity based on your current fitness level, especially after being sick. For example, with treadmill workouts:
For beginners or those recovering: Start with speeds 2-5
For intermediate fitness levels: Work with speeds 5-7
For advanced exercisers: Speeds 7-12 (with 12 being the maximum)
Remember that proper weight management allows for greater exercise intensity. As the speaker noted, when carrying extra weight, higher speeds (like 10) might be dangerous and could lead to falls.
The Bottom Line
Recovery from illness requires patience, but also determination. By gradually reintroducing exercise, you can overcome the stiffness and lethargy that comes with inactivity. Start with short, manageable workouts, listen to your body while still challenging it, and celebrate small improvements as signs that you're heading in the right direction.
Remember that consistency is key – a short daily workout will do more for your recovery than occasional intense sessions that might set you back. Be patient with yourself, but don't let discomfort become an excuse for inaction.
