Several visits to urgent care and my family doctor were the big highlights and outings in the weeks that followed. Otherwise my exercise was limited to interval bouts of coughing and shuffling between bed and the sofa. Ugh. I was so coughing so hard I began to understand how pneumonia might kill older people.
The good news is that I’m on the road to recovery. I’m feeling better, coughing less, and I’m starting to get bored about the house. Phew.
My recovery involved first working at my laptop in our comfy chair, then sitting at my desk, and now I’m back at my standing desk.
Now my task is getting fit again and recovering what I lost due to illness. Good thing I like a challenge!
What do I say to myself to get back at it after a good chunk of time curled up on the sofa?
Here’s a few things:
First, I’m glad it’s winter. I remind myself of my outdoor exercising friends who pretty much give up moving in the dead of Canadian winter. I won’t be alone coming back after time spent in a slump.
Second, I remember the advice I give inactive beginners. Start where you are and go from there. There is no need to work out alone until I’m fit enough to rejoin my communities of very fit people. And I remind myself of the things I learn while working out with others.
Third, I check my ego at the door of the gym, beside the rowing machine, at the edge of the mat at the dojo. I’m not where I was a month ago and that’s okay. Acceptance makes a difference.
Fourth, I remind myself that it’s fun. I’ve missed my physical activities. I’ve missed my fitness friends. And I’m really happy to be well enough to be back at it. Happiness outweighs the nervousness.
Fifth, while I’ve been sick I’ve focused a lot on nutrition. When you don’t feel like eating every calories has to count. That’s been a productive and useful focus. My goal is to be a better intuitive eater, as Tracy recommends, and trust my instincts more but while sick I haven’t been eating intuitively. My inclinations while sick are for tea, toast, and orange juice and not much else. So it’s been work to keep eating protein and veggies.
This week I went back to Aikido, today soccer, next week CrossFit, rowing, riding, running, and swimming.
And yes, I’ll take it easy. I won’t be working out twice a day for a little while at least. I will make sure that I get enough sleep. And I will be taking rest days.
Wish me luck.
How do you handle coming back to exercise after illness?
Here’s some helpful advice here.
How to manage the return to training after illness
Getting back to the gym after being sick
