The Power of Consistency: How to Overcome Exercise Obstacles When You're Feeling Sick
When illness strikes, it's easy to fall into a pattern of inactivity. But as many fitness enthusiasts discover, this can lead to stiffness, discomfort, and a challenging road back to regular exercise. One determined individual recently shared their experience of returning to exercise after feeling sick for several days, providing valuable insights for anyone struggling to maintain consistency in their fitness journey.
After a brief hiatus due to illness, they discovered that not exercising actually made their recovery more difficult. “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 nails, my toes, everything pained me. Because of lack of exercise.”
The Mental Battle of Getting Started Again
The hardest part of exercising, especially after feeling unwell, is simply beginning. The key is to push through initial resistance. “It is very hard to dress as nice, but very easy to get weight. Very hard to lose weight, very easy to get weight. All you need to do is to push your body, you force it. Not lay your body, control your body, control your mouth.”
This mental approach emphasizes self-discipline – making conscious choices rather than following impulses. “That's why you feel like it is Shawarma. You say no, I will not eat today Shawarma, I will exercise. Just go ahead, control your mouth, control your belly, control your crummy, control everything. And then force your body to move.”
Gradual Progress Is Still Progress
One important takeaway from this experience is the value of starting small. You don't need to immediately return to your previous exercise intensity – what matters is simply beginning again and gradually building back up.
“We need to run, we need to exercise anyhow we can. We must not be professional as well. We must not lift 100 pounds to 100 pounds. Just start by lifting 10 pounds, 5 pounds. So we cannot lift 10 pounds. Just little by little, we are going to be fine.”
This gradual approach was evident in their own workout. Using a treadmill with variable speeds up to 12, they acknowledged their current limitations while remembering past capabilities. “When I lose weight I'll start running 10… I used to put up to 7 before I used to put up to 9 but now I can do up to 7 but not 10 not 11 not 12.”
The Importance of Health to Overall Success
Perhaps the most profound insight shared was about the fundamental importance of health to achieving any goals in life. “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.”
This perspective frames exercise not merely as an aesthetic pursuit but as essential maintenance for the vehicle that carries us through life – our bodies.
Listening to Your Body While Challenging It
Finding the right balance between pushing yourself and respecting your body's limitations is crucial. In this case, they monitored their energy levels throughout the workout, noting improvements compared to the previous day: “Yesterday I cannot sustain this jogging for five minutes, no stop five minutes jogging.”
By tracking metrics like time, calories burned, and their subjective feeling of fatigue, they could objectively see progress while still acknowledging their current limitations.
The Bottom Line: Consistency Trumps Perfection
The road back to fitness after illness or a break isn't about perfect workouts – it's about consistency and gradually rebuilding your capacity. Starting with short, manageable sessions and celebrating small victories creates the foundation for long-term success.
Remember that your health is your most valuable asset for achieving anything else in life. Taking control of your fitness journey means sometimes gently forcing yourself to begin, even when you don't feel like it, while always respecting your body's genuine needs.
