The Importance of Consistent Exercise: A Recovery Journey
After several days of illness and inactivity, the reality of how quickly our bodies can decline becomes painfully apparent. This is exactly what happened during a recent recovery journey where just a few days without exercise led to stiffness, pain, and discomfort throughout the body.
“I have been feeling sick for some days, I have not really exercised and I did not do any good for my system,” shares the recovering fitness enthusiast. “That did not help me at all. Not exercising did not help me, but made my body to be stiff. I tried to stretch, even the back of my legs, my nails, my toes, everything pained me. Because of lack of exercise.”
The Difficult Return to Exercise
Getting back into an exercise routine after illness can be challenging. The body feels weaker, endurance decreases, and what once seemed manageable now feels overwhelming. However, the benefits of pushing through this difficult transition period far outweigh the temporary discomfort.
During the recovery workout, there was a noticeable improvement from previous days: “Yesterday I cannot sustain this jogging for five minutes! No stop five minutes jogging!” The progression from barely being able to jog to sustaining a longer workout demonstrates how quickly the body can begin to rebuild its strength and endurance when given the opportunity.
Mind Over Matter: Controlling Your Body
One of the most powerful insights shared during this recovery journey was about the mental aspect of fitness and weight management:
“It is very hard to lose weight. Very easy to get weight. All you need to do is to push your body. You force it. Not let your body control you, but control your body. Control your mouth. When you feel like eating a snack, you say, ‘No, I will not eat today's snack. I will exercise instead.'”
This approach to fitness—taking control rather than being controlled—applies to every aspect of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. It's about making conscious decisions that benefit your long-term health, even when those decisions aren't the easiest or most comfortable in the moment.
Starting Small and Building Consistency
An important reminder for everyone on their fitness journey is that you don't need to be an elite athlete to benefit from exercise. The key is to start at your current ability level and build from there:
“You must not lift 100 pounds or 200 pounds! Just start by lifting 10 pounds, 5 pounds! Little by little, we are going to be fine!”
This gradual approach applies to cardio exercise as well. During the recovery workout, speed was moderated on the treadmill: “When I lose weight, I'll start running at 10. Because at that speed you have to really push. If I put it at 10 now, I will fall because of my weight. I used to put it up to seven. Before, I used to put up to nine.”
The Link Between Health and Achievement
Perhaps the most profound observation shared during this recovery journey was about the connection between health and our ability to achieve our goals:
“Your health is what? When you are in good health, you can achieve all! It's only when you cannot do certain things that you cannot achieve your goals! That is why we need to run, we need to exercise!”
This simple truth highlights why consistent physical activity should be a priority for everyone. Without our health, other aspirations become significantly more difficult to pursue.
The Reward of Persistence
By the end of the workout, there was visible progress: “My energy level is coming back.” This quick turnaround demonstrates how responsive our bodies can be to positive interventions like exercise, even after a period of illness or inactivity.
The journey from feeling sick and stiff to gradually rebuilding strength and endurance serves as an inspiration for anyone who has fallen off their fitness routine. It's never too late to start again, and the benefits of returning to regular exercise can be felt surprisingly quickly.
Remember, consistency is key in fitness. Even when circumstances force a temporary break, the most important thing is to resume activity as soon as your body is ready, starting where you need to and gradually building back to your previous level of fitness.
