The Power of Perseverance: How to Maintain Exercise Habits Even When You're Not Feeling Your Best
Maintaining a consistent exercise routine can be challenging, especially when you're not feeling your best. After feeling sick for several days and avoiding exercise, one fitness enthusiast discovered just how quickly the body can become stiff and uncomfortable when regular movement is neglected.
“I have been feeling sick for some days, I have not really exercised and I did not do any good for my system,” they shared. “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.”
The Importance of Pushing Through
Even while dealing with a headache and congestion, they made the decision to push through and engage in a short 20-minute workout. This determination exemplifies an important principle in fitness: sometimes you need to take control rather than letting discomfort dictate your actions.
“It is very hard to lose weight, but very easy to gain weight,” they noted. “All you need to do is to push your body. You force it. Not letting your body control you. Control your mouth. Control your belly. And then force your body to move. Force it. It's not easy. But you are going to force it.”
Progress Is Visible
The improvement from just a day of returning to exercise was noticeable. “Yesterday I cannot sustain this jogging for five minutes. No stop five minutes jogging. Because two days ago, that was the worst of them.”
By the end of the session, they were monitoring calories burned (approaching 200) and noticing positive changes: “My energy level is coming back.”
Equipment Matters
Using a treadmill with various settings helped make the workout adjustable to their current fitness level. The equipment included:
- Calorie counter
- Speed settings (ranging from 1-12)
- Incline options
While they once could run at speeds of 9 or 10, they now adjusted to a more moderate 7 to accommodate their current condition.
Start Where You Are
Perhaps the most important takeaway is that fitness doesn't require perfection or professional-level intensity. “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 define.”
Your health is your most valuable asset. When you're in good health, there are fewer obstacles between you and your goals. Even a short, consistent workout can help maintain that foundation of wellness.
The next time you're feeling under the weather or lacking motivation, remember that even a brief session of movement can help restore energy and prevent the stiffness that comes from inactivity. Your body will thank you for it.
