Dealing with Fitness Setbacks!

Last summer just after I reached my 50 pounds weight loss goal, I had an injury which stopped me in my tracks. I had used too heavy of a weight and pulled the tendons in my right arm. I couldn’t even lift up my arm, the pain was so intense which caused me to panic. My first thought was, “I can’t exercise!” But I remembered something that Tony Horton of P90X fame had said–something like, “Just because your arm is out of commission, doesn’t mean your legs aren’t working.”
That hit me big time.
So I did a few things differently. I was able to still do my workout DVD’s but just didn’t do any jumping or raising of my arm, it was ALL modified. I looked forward to the stretching as I saw improvement each day without question. I also added some running, holding my right arm close to my body. Walking was another great alternative. And within about two weeks, the pain was gone and the full movement of my arm gained strength daily. I stayed away from lifting weights for about 4 weeks to ensure I was healed at the advice of my doctor.
Having any type of illness applies a bit differently and everyone needs to adjust based on the illness and your doctors advisement. If you are struggling with just a head cold, you can still exercise, simply lower the intensity. Or, add walking to your workout for a toned-down version of what you did before. If you have a chest cold, your doctor may say to rest and wait. Same with flu. Sometimes your body will tell you when you need to rest and sometimes illness is what it takes for you to slow down to repair and restore your body.
Again, listen to your body, and visit your doctor if needed, to get sound advice.
Whatever you do, adjust and keep going!
Best,
Jill Holmes
Website Director, Back to Basics