How to Stay Fit & Sane During Injury Recovery

When it comes to fitness, you’ll often hear that consistency is key. So what happens when you’re sidelined by an injury or an extended illness? How do you stay fit (and sane) during injury recovery? We polled the pros at Framework Personal Training here in Reno, and here’s what they recommend.

Don’t Beat Yourself Up

Skipping workouts because you’re injured or ill isn’t the same as skipping workouts because you just don’t feel like training, so change your mindset from the start. This isn’t about laziness, it’s about taking care of your body and health. Sometimes, resting is the very best thing you can do, even if it’s mentally hard to wrap your head around. If you cut short your healing time, you may find that your injury or illness returns with a vengeance. Just remember that time off is what you need, above all else.

Do What You Can When You’re Ready

Whether it’s easy stretching or beginner and low-impact work, there may be something you can do that will help clear your head. The trick here is taking it slowly and being completely honest with yourself. What can you really do without aggravating your current condition? If physical activity is absolutely out of the question, then hey, at least you tried.

Put the Focus on Food

Pairing inactivity with poor nutrition choices will add up quickly, but you may be pleasantly surprised by how much your physique doesn’t change if you can dial in your nutrition. And even if you do notice a change in body fat, body composition or fitness ability, you know the cause. Don’t panic, and don’t beat yourself up about it. Just adjust your food choices and focus on getting better so that you can pick up where you left off when your body is ready.

Start Again – Slowly

When you’re cleared to begin working out again, resist the impulse to dive right in. Listen to your body and avoid making assumptions about your body and its abilities. This is the time to make modifications to exercises, workout length and intensity, range of motion, whatever, as necessary. And if you’re wondering how exactly to do that, find a certified personal trainer to show you how. He or she can help ensure that you’re managing your return to fitness as safely as possible.