The Journey Back: How to Restart Your Exercise Routine After Illness
Getting back to exercise after being sick can be challenging. Your body feels stiff, energy levels are low, and motivation might be lacking. However, as difficult as it seems, restarting your fitness journey is crucial for recovery and overall well-being.
When you've been inactive due to illness, your body quickly feels the effects. Muscles become stiff, joints get achy, and even simple movements can cause discomfort. This is exactly what happened during a recent recovery process: “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. I tried to stretch, even the back of my legs, my knees, my toes, everything pained me. Because of lack of exercise.”
Starting Small: The 20-Minute Workout
The key to getting back into exercise after illness is starting small. A short 20-minute workout can be enough to reawaken your body without overexertion. Begin with light jogging or walking on a treadmill at a comfortable speed. The goal isn't to break records but to rebuild stamina gradually.
During recovery, you might notice you can't maintain the same intensity as before. That's completely normal. If you previously ran at speeds of 7 or higher on a treadmill, you might need to dial it back to 3-5 until your strength returns. “Before, I used to put up to nine. But now, I can do up to seven, but not 10, not 11, not 12.”
Mind Over Matter: Taking Control
One of the most powerful aspects of restarting an exercise routine is reclaiming control over your body. Illness can make us feel powerless, but exercise helps reverse that feeling. As you begin to move again, remember: “Not letting your body control you. You control your body.”
This principle extends beyond exercise to nutrition as well. “Control your mouth. That's why you feel like eating a snack. You say, no. I will not eat today's snack. I will exercise. Just go ahead.”
Progress Indicators
When getting back into exercise, tracking your progress can be motivating. Modern treadmills offer features that help monitor your workout:
- Time elapsed
- Calories burned
- Number of steps
- Distance covered
- Speed and incline levels
Watching these numbers improve day by day provides tangible evidence of your recovery and can boost motivation to continue.
The Mental Benefits of Returning to Exercise
Beyond the physical benefits, returning to exercise after illness provides significant mental health advantages. The endorphin release helps combat the mental fatigue that often accompanies recovery. You might find yourself declaring: “No more lying down! No more sickness! No more headache!” as your energy levels increase.
Consistency Is Key
The path back to fitness isn't about intensity but consistency. You don't need to “lift 100 pounds” right away. Instead, “start by lifting 10 pounds, five pounds.” The important thing is to keep showing up for yourself, even when progress seems slow.
Remember that health is foundational to achieving your goals: “When you are in good health, you can achieve all! It's only when you are not in good health that you cannot achieve your goals!”
Listen to Your Body
While pushing yourself is important, equally crucial is listening to your body's signals. If you feel excessively fatigued or experience pain beyond normal muscle soreness, it might be time to scale back. Recovery is not linear, and some days will be better than others.
As you gradually increase your workout duration and intensity, celebrate each milestone. Every extra minute of sustained activity, every additional calorie burned represents progress on your journey back to full health and fitness.
Getting back to exercise after illness isn't easy, but the rewards—increased energy, improved mood, and restored confidence—make the effort worthwhile. Start small, stay consistent, and remember that every step forward, no matter how small, is a victory.
