The Power of Pushing Through: How to Get Back to Exercise After Illness
Getting back to exercise after being sick can be challenging, but it's essential for maintaining a healthy lifestyle and preventing stiffness and discomfort. This was the lesson I learned after a recent bout of illness that left me feeling stiff, achy, and out of sorts.
After several days without exercise, my body began to protest. The back of my legs, my neck, and even my toes were painful. My head was aching, and congestion was making breathing difficult. But I knew from experience that continuing to lie down and avoid movement would only prolong my recovery.
The Importance of Movement During Recovery
Even when you're not feeling your best, gentle movement can help stimulate circulation, reduce stiffness, and gradually rebuild your energy levels. This doesn't mean pushing yourself to pre-illness intensity, but rather listening to your body while gently challenging it.
On the first day back, I could barely sustain jogging for five minutes without stopping. The next day was slightly better, and by the third day, I was able to maintain a steady jog while tracking my progress on the treadmill.
Mind Over Matter
One of the most important aspects of fitness is mental discipline. As I often remind myself:
- It's very hard to lose weight but very easy to gain it
- You must control your body rather than letting it control you
- Control your mouth and your cravings
- Force your body to move even when it resists
This mental fortitude is what allows us to push through the initial discomfort of returning to exercise after a break.
Start Small and Build Gradually
You don't need to be a professional athlete or lift heavy weights to benefit from exercise. Starting with what you can manage—whether that's lifting 5 pounds instead of 100, or jogging at speed level 3 instead of 10—is perfectly acceptable.
On my treadmill, I used to comfortably run at speed levels 7-9 before my illness. During recovery, I had to reduce this significantly. The important thing wasn't the intensity but the consistency of movement.
Tracking Progress
Using the metrics on exercise equipment can be motivating during recovery. Watching the calories burned tick upward (approaching 200 during this session) provided tangible evidence that my body was working and healing.
By monitoring time, calories, and other statistics, you can objectively see improvement day by day, which helps maintain motivation when subjective feelings might not yet reflect progress.
The Reward of Persistence
By the end of my workout, I was tired but satisfied. My energy was returning, I was sweating (a good sign of normal bodily function resuming), and I could feel that I had taken an important step in my recovery process.
Remember that health is the foundation upon which we build our goals and achievements. Without it, many aspirations remain out of reach. That's why consistent exercise—at whatever level is appropriate for your current condition—should remain a priority even during recovery periods.
