Overcoming Sickness: How to Return to Exercise After Illness
Getting back to exercise after being sick can be challenging, but it's essential for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. After several days of feeling unwell, the body becomes stiff, muscles tighten, and energy levels drop significantly. This is exactly what happened to me recently.
During my illness, I didn't exercise at all, which only made things worse. My body became increasingly stiff, and I experienced pain when trying to stretch my legs, back, and even my toes. This experience reinforced an important lesson: avoiding exercise completely during minor illnesses can sometimes lead to more discomfort.
The Importance of Maintaining Movement
When we're sick, it's tempting to stay in bed and avoid all physical activity. However, gentle movement can actually help speed recovery in many cases. The key is to listen to your body and gradually reintroduce exercise at an appropriate intensity.
After several days of inactivity, I decided it was time to get moving again. Even though I still had some symptoms—a headache, nasal congestion, and neck pain—I knew that light exercise would help my recovery process.
Starting Small: The 20-Minute Workout
For my first workout after illness, I kept it short and manageable—just 20 minutes of light jogging on the treadmill. This was significantly less than my usual routine, but it was perfect for easing back into exercise.
During the workout, I monitored how I felt carefully. I was pleasantly surprised to find that I could sustain jogging for five minutes without stopping—something that would have been impossible just a day or two earlier when my symptoms were at their worst.
The Mental Challenge of Exercise
One of the hardest aspects of fitness is the mental discipline required. As I reminded myself during the workout: “It is very hard to exercise but very easy to gain weight. Very hard to lose weight but very easy to get weight.”
The secret lies in controlling your body rather than letting your body control you. This means pushing yourself to exercise even when you don't feel like it and maintaining discipline with nutrition.
Gradual Progression is Key
You don't need to be a professional athlete or lift heavy weights to benefit from exercise. Starting small is perfectly acceptable:
- Begin with light weights (5-10 pounds) if you can't lift heavier ones
- Start with walking if running is too difficult
- Choose shorter workout sessions as you rebuild stamina
The important thing is consistency and gradual progression. Little by little, your fitness will improve.
Equipment Considerations
Having the right equipment can make exercise more enjoyable and effective. A good treadmill, for example, offers features like:
- Calorie tracking
- Timer functions
- Incline adjustments
- Variable speed settings
I currently keep my treadmill at a moderate speed setting due to my weight, but I'm looking forward to increasing the intensity as my fitness improves. The machine goes up to speed level 12, but I'm currently comfortable around level 7.
Signs of Progress
By the end of my 20-minute session, I had burned nearly 200 calories and felt my energy returning. This was an encouraging sign that my body was healing and responding positively to exercise.
While I was definitely tired by the end of the workout, the satisfaction of having pushed through despite not feeling 100% was worth it. Sometimes, the hardest workouts mentally are the most rewarding.
Final Thoughts
When recovering from illness, it's important to honor your body's limits while gently encouraging it back to activity. Start small, be consistent, and celebrate the small victories along the way.
Remember that good health is the foundation for achieving all other goals in life. Without it, many accomplishments remain out of reach. That's why making time for exercise—even when it's challenging—should be a priority in everyone's life.
