Fitness Monday: How to Get Back into the Game After an Illness

I’ve been sick for three weeks running, first a cold and then the flu. Translation: I haven’t run in 16 days, getting in only two runs between the cold and when the flu hit me. And other than those two runs, I haven’t done anything else aside from some very light yoga. I am, to put it simply, off my game completely. I’m dreading the first post-illness run, knowing I’m going to face a setback of proportions yet unknown. Running is something I can’t just dive back into full-on after a hiatus.

With the weather as crazy as it’s been this winter, it seems like everyone I know has been down with an illness sometime in the past month. So how do you get back into the swing of working out when you’ve been out of your routine for more than a few days? Here are a few tips to help you do just that.

Don’t move too soon. First, make sure you’re truly over whatever was ailing you. If your cold or virus is still lingering, preemptive exercise could bring it back on full force, and the last thing you want is to be down longer because you started working out too early. What your body needs most during an illness is rest, so just be sure you’re feeling like you before you try to get back into your fitness routine.

Ease into it. Make your first workout a gentle one. Take a brisk walk, or jump on the bike or elliptical. Push yourself to sweat a little, but not too hard. Use this first workout as a testing ground, and ask yourself, How do I really feel? If you’ve been ill, your muscles are going to be resistant at first. You might even feel a little wobbly and weak. Give your body time to warm up. Also, stretch well. A nice, long yoga session can be a good first step when you’re rebounding after an illness.

Do what feels doable. If you were running three miles when you got sick, and now running two miles feels like the most you can do, don’t get frustrated. Do what you can do. You’ll eventually get where you want to be.

Build up. Give yourself at least a full week to get back to where you were before your illness. Better yet, think of it as an even exchange: if you were ill for two weeks, give yourself two weeks to rebound. Each workout, push just a little harder for a little longer, until you’re back where you were.

Nourish yourself. Good nutrition every day is important, but after an illness especially, your body needs nutrients in the form of high-quality protein, fresh fruits and vegetables in order to get back in tip-top shape. Make sure you’re not cutting back on calories or eating junk during this time. Put good stuff into your body, and you’ll get better results out of it.

The main thing here is to give your body – and yourself – care and grace. This means treating your body gently at first, allowing it the time it needs to fully rebound, and not allowing yourself to feel frustrated in the process.