Why You Shouldn't Skip Exercise When Sick: A Recovery Story
Getting back to your fitness routine after being sick can be challenging, but as one fitness enthusiast discovered, avoiding exercise entirely can make recovery even more difficult.
After several days of illness and inactivity, the body can become surprisingly stiff and uncomfortable. “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,” shares our contributor who experienced this firsthand.
The Consequences of Inactivity
The consequences of complete inactivity while sick were unexpected and uncomfortable: “I 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.”
This experience highlights an important point for home fitness enthusiasts – while rest is crucial when you're ill, gentle movement might help prevent the stiffness and discomfort that comes with complete inactivity.
The Mental Challenge of Getting Started Again
The hardest part of returning to exercise is often mental rather than physical. As our contributor notes, “It is very hard to lose weight, but very easy to gain weight. All you need to do is to push your body. You force it. Not letting your body control you.”
This mindset applies to post-illness recovery as well. Getting back on the treadmill, even for a short session, can help rebuild strength and energy levels faster than continued rest after the worst symptoms have passed.
Start Small and Build Gradually
The key to successful recovery exercise is starting small: “We must not lift 100 pounds. Just start by lifting 10 pounds, 5 pounds. So I cannot lift 10 pounds. Just little by little we are going to be fine.”
For cardio workouts, this might mean walking instead of running, or jogging at a slower pace than usual. Our contributor started with just 20 minutes of light jogging, noting the improvement from previous days when even 5 minutes of continuous activity was challenging.
Monitoring Your Progress
During recovery, it's helpful to track your exercise metrics to gauge improvement. Using the settings on a treadmill can help control intensity, with speed settings from 1-12 allowing for precise adjustments based on how you're feeling.
As fitness returns, you can gradually increase speed and duration. Our contributor mentioned previously being able to run at speeds of 7-9, but scaling back to lower settings during recovery.
The Reward of Returning to Fitness
Despite still experiencing some symptoms, the reward of returning to exercise was immediate: “No more lying down. I got up and I shook my body. No more sickness. No more headache.”
By the end of just one 20-minute session, there was a noticeable improvement in energy and mood: “My energy level is coming back. I am feeling good.”
Listen to Your Body
While this experience shows the benefits of gentle exercise during recovery, it's important to listen to your body and consult healthcare providers when needed. The type and intensity of exercise appropriate during or after illness varies based on your specific condition and overall health.
For those dealing with minor illnesses like common colds or recovering from flu, gentle movement might speed recovery once the worst symptoms have passed – just be sure to ease back in gradually rather than jumping straight to your pre-illness routine.
