I don't know about you, but when summer ends, it feels like the next thing to look forward to is getting ill!
As if the Covid-19 virus wasn’t bad enough, the kids are now bringing home runny noses and chesty coughs. And even if you don’t have kids, you can guarantee someone you know has something, and there’s a good chance you’re next.
I’m not a qualified doctor, so I can’t give you advice on what to take, but what I can do, is pass on some knowledge I’ve gained over the last 10+ years of being a personal trainer with a keen interest in nutrition, in an attempt to help strengthen your immune system, along with my top 3 steps to getting back to the gym after illness… it can be harder than you think.
1 - Take Your Time!
It can be demotivating when you catch a cold, Christmas party season is in sight and it’s a time when we’re supposed to get excited about change, but you feel more like hibernating than exercising and the thought of trying to sweat it out, is not at the top of your list of things to do.
So our first bit of advice would be to listen to your body and if you need more time then take it. There’s not much that’s going to happen in those first 1-2 weeks in comparison to what your efforts will provide over the remainder of the year. Plenty to still look forward to!
2 - Ease back in gently!
What you do when you come back to the gym after being ill can be the difference between having a good year and jacking it all in. If you’ve not done anything for the last few days or weeks, then you're going to feel it bad, when you get back under that barbell. Even if you go a bit lighter than normal, it can be a good way to get back into it as you’re not raising the heart rate too much and you can take your time with rest periods etc. If you’ve literally done nothing other than crash out in front of the TV, you may benefit with a bit of training with one of our personal trainers who will be able to guide you back to your best.
3 - Eat, Drink, Sleep, Repeat!
This bit of advice is to nourish your body as much as possible to ensure it gets all the nutrients it needs to help with recovery and provide you with the energy needed to actually start exercising again. Plenty of fruit and veg, as that will provide the vitamin and mineral boost you need and increase your protein intake where possible to assist recovery.
Start to increase your water intake to flush out those toxins and do your best to get to bed a bit earlier.
It’s hard to put a timescale on how long it will take to get back to your best again as everyone is different but once you’re back into a routine and surrounded by all the people you love to exercise with, you will be feeling good in no time at all.
And if there's one thing you can guarantee at OnPoint, it’s that you will have all the support and motivation you need!
It's all about making positive change, seeing results, achieving together and making friends on the journey.
Contact us today to start yours!