The Best Ways to Get Back into Shape After an Injury

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If you have recently experienced a bout of illness or an injury, you may feel disheartened that it’s not as easy to reach the same level of fitness you were once at. It will take time and patience, but if you follow a few basic tips, you should be able to get back into shape. Whether you just like to keep fit in general or you usually spend most of your days at the gym, here are some steps you can take post-recovery.

Don’t Ask Too Much of Yourself

Although you might be keen to get back in the gym and start straight back on your old fitness routine, it’s important to be realistic. Regaining your physical strength is obviously important, but so is being in the right mindset. You need to realize that you’re probably not as fast or as strong as you used to be and that getting to that stage will take some time. If the injury is severe, you might not reach the level of your previous abilities at all. Instead of putting pressure on yourself and pushing yourself too hard, try to see every step as progress. Your current performance may not compare to previous achievements, but see it as a journey rather than a sprint.

Shorten Your Workouts

You may be used to long sessions at the gym or laps around the neighborhood, but if you try to overdo it immediately after an illness or injury, you’ll only come across setbacks or you could even make the injury worse. Instead, start to slowly increase your activity but, even then, keep it to short but frequent workouts. Experts suggest that, depending on your current state of health, you aim to exercise for between five and 15 minutes each day. This can be a low-impact cardiovascular activity such as walking. You can then add in a once-weekly workout of up to half an hour. Once you are comfortable with this routine, you can then increase the intensity and length of the activity.

Consider Supplements

As someone who likes to keep in shape, you likely already watch what you eat. However, after an illness or injury, there are certain vitamins and minerals that can help speed up recovery. For example, if your injury is a bone fracture, you’ll want to make sure you get enough magnesium, silicon, vitamins K1 and K2, and boron. These can be found in foods like almonds, lentils, leafy greens, and prunes. If these foods aren’t usually part of your diet, consider supplements. Other supplements that can help improve recovery time – especially after a workout – include turkesterone, which is a plant-based steroid. As well as helping you to gain lean muscle tissue, it can help you to slowly increase your endurance. Check this guide to find out more.

Be Consistent and Patient

It’s important to remember that you will have good days and bad days when it comes to working out after an injury. However, don’t let this put you off and give up altogether. Be consistent with your workouts and recognize that having bad days is normal. You also need to be patient and listen to your body. Try to avoid doing too much, too soon. As long as you are improving overall, you are on the right track.

Getting back into shape after an injury is a great goal to have, but make sure you give yourself plenty of time to fully recover. Take these tips on board and you should be feeling like your old self in no time.