Overcoming Illness: How Exercise Revitalizes Your Body After Sickness
Getting back to fitness after being sick can be challenging, but it's one of the most important steps in recovery. When illness forces you to take a break from your regular exercise routine, your body quickly loses conditioning – muscles become stiff, joints get achy, and energy levels plummet.
After several days of sickness, the negative effects of inactivity become apparent. As one fitness enthusiast recently discovered, “I have been feeling sick for some days, I have not really exercised and I did not do any good for my system. That did not help me at all. Not exercising did not help me, but made my body to be stiff.”
The Consequences of Inactivity
When you stop exercising during illness, your body responds quickly. The experience can be uncomfortable: “I tried to stretch, even the back of my legs, my knees, my toes, everything pained me. Because of lack of exercise.”
Even short periods of inactivity can lead to:
- Muscle stiffness and soreness
- Reduced flexibility
- Lower energy levels
- Decreased cardiovascular conditioning
Taking Control of Your Recovery
The key to getting back to exercise is starting slowly but being consistent. Begin with short workouts that gradually rebuild your endurance. Even when you're not feeling 100%, gentle movement can help speed recovery.
As you begin exercising again, you might notice your capabilities have changed: “Yesterday I cannot sustain this jogging for five minutes. No stop five minutes jogging.” But with persistence, improvement comes quickly.
Mind Over Matter
Getting back to exercise after illness is largely a mental game. You need to push through initial discomfort to reap the benefits:
“All you need to do is to push your body. You force it. Not letting your body control you. Control your body. Control your mouth. Control your belly. Control everything. And then force your body to move. Force it. It's not easy. But you're gonna force it.”
This mindset applies not just to exercise but also to nutrition during recovery. Being disciplined with both is essential for bouncing back.
Start Where You Are
One of the most important principles when returning to fitness is working at your current level, not where you were before getting sick:
“We need to exercise anyhow. We must not be professional as well. We must not lift 100 pounds. Just start by lifting 10 pounds. Five pounds. Some people cannot lift 10 pounds. Just little by little, we are going to be fine.”
Adjusting Your Intensity
For cardio exercise like running or jogging, be mindful of intensity levels. If you previously ran at higher speeds, you might need to reduce intensity temporarily:
“When I lose weight, I start running at level 10. But now, I can do up to seven. But not 10. Not 11. Not 12.”
This principle applies to all types of exercise – modify based on your current capacity, not your past performance.
The Health-Achievement Connection
Remember that good health is the foundation for all other accomplishments: “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.”
Getting back to exercise after illness isn't just about physical fitness – it's about restoring your capacity to pursue all your life goals.
Signs of Recovery
As you consistently reintroduce exercise, you'll notice encouraging signs of recovery:
- Increased energy levels
- Improved mood
- Better sleep quality
- Reduced stiffness and pain
- Gradual return of endurance
When you start feeling these improvements, it's a strong indication that you're on the right track: “My energy level is coming back. I am feeling good. I am feeling good.”
Conclusion
Recovering from illness through exercise requires patience, persistence, and a willingness to start small. By gradually reintroducing physical activity, you help your body rebuild strength while accelerating the healing process.
Listen to your body, adjust intensity as needed, and celebrate small victories along the way. Before long, you'll not only recover from your illness but potentially become stronger and more resilient than before.
