Why You Shouldn't Skip Exercise When You're Feeling Sick: A Personal Experience

We all know the importance of maintaining a consistent workout routine, but what happens when illness strikes? For many of us, sickness becomes an automatic excuse to skip exercise completely – but as one fitness enthusiast recently discovered, this approach might actually make you feel worse.

After several days of feeling under the weather and avoiding physical activity, the effects were noticeable and uncomfortable: stiffness throughout the body, pain during basic stretching, and an overall decrease in physical wellbeing.

The Consequences of Inactivity During Illness

“I have been feeling sick for some days, I have not really exercised and it did not do any good for my system,” the fitness enthusiast 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.”

This experience highlights an important reality: while complete rest is sometimes necessary when you're ill, extended inactivity can create its own problems, including:

• Increased muscle stiffness
• Joint discomfort
• Reduced flexibility
• Slower recovery in some cases

The Mental Battle of Getting Moving Again

Perhaps the most challenging aspect of returning to exercise after illness is the mental battle. When you're not feeling your best, your body wants to stay in rest mode. That's when self-discipline becomes essential.

“All you need to do is to push your body. You force it. Don't let your body control you – control your body,” advises the fitness enthusiast. This mindset applies not just to exercise but also to nutrition during recovery periods.

Starting Small: The Comeback Strategy

The key to returning to exercise after illness isn't jumping straight back to your previous intensity. Instead, a gradual approach works best:

“We must not lift 100 pounds. Just start by lifting 10 pounds, 5 pounds. If we cannot lift 10 pounds, just little by little, we are going to be fine.”

This progressive strategy allows your body to rebuild strength and endurance without overtaxing your still-recovering immune system.

Using Equipment Appropriately During Recovery

If you have access to home gym equipment like a treadmill, adjusting the settings to match your current capabilities is crucial. As noted in the experience: “Five is speed running… When I lose weight I'll start running 10… If I put 10 I will fall because of my weight, but I use up to seven.”

This self-awareness about current limitations is essential for safe and effective exercise during or after illness.

The Reward of Pushing Through

Despite still feeling some lingering symptoms (“I still feel my neck, my head is aching, my nose is running”), the workout produced immediate positive results. By the end of just a short 20-minute session, there was noticeable improvement: “My energy level is coming back.”

This demonstrates how even a brief, moderate-intensity workout can stimulate circulation, release endorphins, and potentially speed recovery.

Finding Balance

The key takeaway isn't that you should always exercise when sick – certain illnesses absolutely require complete rest. However, for many minor illnesses where you're on the mend but not quite 100%, gentle movement might be exactly what your body needs.

Listen to your body, start small, and gradually rebuild. Your health is your wealth, and maintaining it requires finding the right balance between rest and activity – even when you're not feeling your best.