The second wave of Covid-19 seems to be affecting more and more people. A few of you in this community have mentioned that you have tested positive or have had symptoms of the virus. I have seen in the comments that you are recovering (good news!), but have zero energy to continue your workouts.
So many of you are dedicated to the program and getting those tick marks on your calendar, that taking a step back from your workouts can be difficult. However, when recovering from an illness, you must give your body time to do just that, recover.
There is no timeline for recovery for all of our bodies are different. I know you want to jump right back into working out and crushing your calendars, but that's not the best idea. You need to give your body time to adjust and fully recover from fighting off an infection.
Easing back into a workout program will look different for each person, however there are a few things that everyone can do to keep their recovery moving in the right direction without putting additional stress on their bodies.
Recovery Tip One: Stay Focused on Nutrition
After fighting off an infection and getting your appetite back, it is crucial to feed your body all the nutrients and vitamins that it needs. During this time, your body is working overtime to recover and repair itself. Consuming foods that contain the right nutrients is an easy way to get back on track such as one of our healthy meal shakes.
Eat Your Protein!
You all know I am a firm believer on this one. Protein acts as building block that makes up our bones, organs & muscles. Basically we are a bunch of proteins walking around! Protein is a crucial part of the process that fuels our energy and oxygenates our blood. Consuming protein daily, especially during recovery, will help you feel less depleted. Giving your body what it needs to rebuild its strength will speed up your recovery time.
Stay Hydrated
It is easy to become dehydrated while fighting off an illness. With a temperature, your body naturally loses more water, so if you don't consume enough water to make up for what you lost, boom dehydrated. Its that simple. Hydration plays a key role in regulating body temperature, food digestion and also helping the brain function correctly. Consuming enough water throughout daily, is super important to keeping our immune systems healthy.
Do you need help with staying consistent in drinking your water? Check out my new BTES 32 oz Water Bottle.
Recovery Tip Two: Enjoy Some Fresh Air
Fresh air does the body, mind and soul lots of good. Of course, only if you are fully recovered from the virus should you be outside (around others). If you have been cooped up in the house, smelling some fresh crisp air and getting a dose of Vitamin D will not only help your body but also be good for your mental state. Fresh air is good for your lungs and the sunshine is good for your heart.
I absolutely love waking up early in the morning and going outside in my backyard, it truly never gets old. Taking a few deep breaths of the crisp air as I head over to grab some lemons out of my garden to add to my ice water and aloe, it helps me start my day on a positive note.
Recovery Tip Three: Light Movements, Start Slow
After taking a break from your workouts, you are probably itching to jump right back in and start your workout streak, however it is more beneficial to start small and gradually increase your workouts to build yourself back up. It is important to understand that you are starting over after an illness and your body just fought off an infection. No matter where you were before, your muscles are naturally going to be weaker and you will have less endurance.
In the beginning, start by going for short walks outside. Now, I know this may be difficult for some of you, however if you jump back into 5 workouts a week you are risking injury and possibly overworking your body, which could result in feeling sick again. As mentioned above, the fresh air will help as you re-acclimate your muscles to being active again.
If you aren't feeling up to walking around outside yet, you can start with some stretching or light yoga poses. This type of movement will aid in getting some of your flexibility back and will prepare your muscles for more intense movements once you are ready for them. Stretching now will also help to prevent injuries, when you are back to knocking our your workouts on the BTES calendar!
Looking for guided stretching videos? Check out the BTES App for a whole library full of stretching videos.
Recovery Tip Four: Keep A Positive Mindset
This whole pandemic has taken a huge toll on a lot of people. I know sometimes it can be difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel, especially when we are coming up on almost 1 full year of lockdown. That being said, it is most important during this times to keep a positive mindset. You know what I say; If you're in your head, you're dead.
We have lots of LIVE workouts and meditations that you can join in with so if you are feeling lonely, searching for friends or just want something fun to do add your email here and I will send you our monthly live schedule!
Your body is the only place you have to live, look after it!
Have you had Covid, how do you feel? Share in the comments below...
Love you
Rebecca
xoxo
p.s. Interested in what you can do to keep yourself from catching a cold or getting sick? Check out my blog post on How To Boost Your Immune System.
Kimberly Huffman
January 25, 2021Thank you for this post, Rebecca. I kicked off 2021 with flu-like symptoms that turned out to be COVID. It’s hard to take the needed break from your fitness routine when it is such a big part of your life. But your advice is spot on, and I’ve been giving my body that needed break so it can recover strong and healthy. I did your beautiful yoga stretch this morning and then went out for a long walk in the fresh air and sunshine. We are having incredible weather this weekend in Tucson, AZ. I’ve relied on your meditations to get me through thus far. Looking forward to all my boxes being checked in February. Thanks for your constant positivity and inspiration! ❤😊🙌