7 Tips To Start Exercising Again After Illness

If you were watching my Instagram stories recently, you may have noticed how sick we all were! So, as we jump back into life, I realized that being sick is the catalyst for SO many people that stops them from continuing on any good healthy path. Like, for me it's just not an option and I crave the day and time that I'll be able to get back to being ME again. And since I've been in the business for a number of years now, it occurred to me that not everyone is like this. And they need help. So that's the purpose of this email today. I'd like to outline some simple steps you could take to make sure you jump right back in after having a setback. It's hard for me to actually break this down because it's something I cannot relate to. I innately do it, but I wanted to self-reflect and actually figure out theses steps for you. And I know it's something that so many people need so I'm going to try my best to inspire those of you who this has happened to!!

My Steps For Recovering & Mindset to Keep Going When I'm Better:

1. I make it an absolute TOP priority to go to bed before 9pm and sleep in when I am sick. Non-negotiable. Because my #1 reason for getting better is to get back on track with exercise and healthy eating. So, don't try to be supermom/superwife/superhero when you're sick. GO THE EFF TO BED. AND STAY THERE.

2. Stay home from work. This is a big one because so many of us now have jobs that we feel we "NEED" to be there for. Yeah, I get it. I have patients who are injured who are banking on ME to help them. But when you need to call out, you need to call out. The world will still go round.

3. Eat whatever you want. YES I just said that! When I'm sick I eat what I feel like eating. I don't obsess about what's going in my mouth, my main objective is to FELL good again. Just because I'm not adhering to my strict clean eating protocol when I'm sick doesn't mean I'm done for! I know that it will be a challenge getting back into it, but I accept it and know that it will be waiting for me when I feel better.

4. I say NO to exercise. I know people (friends) who push through sicknesses and continue to exercise. I refuse. I know my body and it makes me more run down. So, even if I have a cold - I say no. I know it's waiting for me later.

5. I have someone waiting for me. Whether it's a friendly, unsaid competition with a friend who I know makes it to the gym every day, or these days it's my social media following who is waiting for me to get back in to inspire. I am held accountable for my actions. Therefore, not showing up and never returning to exercise just because I had an off week seems INSANE to me! Get yourself an accountability partner. Or join a challenge :) I've got 48 people willing to hold you to your word, LOL!

6. I don't expect to start up again where I left off!!! THIS IS BIG!!! If you are following me on Instagram or Facebook, you may have noticed this morning I was feeling good enough to start exercising again. Did I jump into my crazy 8 week program that I had been doing prior to getting sick? NOPE! I did some gentle yoga. I know that I'm not at the capacity that I was back 2 weeks ago. So why would I try to hold myself to that unrealistic expectation that I could do a hard ass workout today? I don't. I know I can't so I just do SOMETHING rather than nothing. I picked yoga today.

7. I avoid the grocery store until I'm totally better. Because when you're sick you want those comfort foods from when you were little, don't you? You want the canned chicken soup, the mac n cheese and bagels. WHO DOESN'T?! I let my husband or mom go out for me when I'm under the weather and they buy just enough to get by. Then, when I'm back to my old self I make a list, pick some recipes and get to the store with my head back in the game!

Being healthy is something easily taken for granted. As I sat on my couch, all zombie-like last week, all I could do was ask God to make us well and get me back to our normal routine! It’s really easy to stop a workout plan all together after being sick. You could throw in the towel and quit because you missed too many days. Because you had to eat pasta because that’s all you could stomach. Because of ALL the things you did when you were sick that were SO off the plan, it’s easy to tell ourselves that it’s useless to keep going. We tell ourselves that we failed and then that’s it. NOT A CHANCE!!! Not anymore! That's INSANE!!! Being healthy does not have a destination. It’s a journey with the ups and downs of life! Do NOT give up! Drag your ass back into it! Lace up your shoes and jump back in! Start over. Who cares. Feels fantastic to be back at it! I got in some yoga and then some chocolate superfoods for breakfast! Be well, Jen xoxo