How did you re-introduce exercise?

[whateveryouwantmetosay]

I tested positive last Saturday for the first time (ever). I'm symptom free other than bone tired exhaustion. Pre-COVID I was working out 30-45 min in the AM (weight training) and 45 min in the PM (treadmill, walking at a fast pace). I want to start back at the gym tomorrow. What were you able to handle post-COVID/ where should I start? 30'min treadmill only?

I think the most important thing is to listen to your body. When I had Covid I worked in a fairly active job so for about a week after work was my workout!
I think I went back to the gym about a week after coming out of isolation. I was just careful and didn't push myself. It's mainly weight lifting I do so I stuck to lifting weights I knew I could easily do for the first few sessions. Then gradually just went back to normal.

I did then get glandular fever about 9 weeks after though so maybe I didn't do it right!!

I had about 2 weeks completely off, I went back to parkrun and my time has dropped and I was wheezing, my time was about 2 mins slower, it was probably about two weeks later, so a month, before I was back to normal, I’d take time and get fully recovered so it’s gone for good.

Sounds a bit soon to be back at the gym, but maybe 15 mins walking treadmill? Personally I'd walk outside instead if that's an option. If you're bone tired I would take more time tbh.

You won't do yourself any good training before you're ready and remember your lungs have just taken a massive hit. I had a little while off when I had it - I think a week or two as I wanted to be fully recovered. DP trained from home (weights only) while he was sick.

Do what's right for you but listen to your body! It won't thank you for being overworked.

You could try switching the cardio to yoga or pilates while your lungs recover.

I had covid last month for the first time. I wasn't too ill with it, bit hot and cold for a couple of days and mild sore throat/headache.

I had been training for a half marathon, a bit half heatedly in honesty. I was able to go back to short runs after 11 days without much impact on pace. My VO2 max hadn't changed, but I hadn't really had a cough. I kept distances/times short, perhaps half of what I had been doing for a couple of weeks. Skipped the half too.

I was tired for a couple of weeks after work so skipped my cardio class those weeks, yoga etc was ok.

I think it's key to not have huge expectations and just focus on how it feels, scale back if needed.

If you are nine tired, OP, you need to keep resting. I know it’s hard, but from experience if you push it you will suffer. I had Covid mildly and went back to life too soon, did not realise how weak my body was - went for some half hour walks (I normally run 5 miles per day), over several days, ended up crashing and being exhausted for weeks. I do not think exercising caused me to crash - I think my body was always going to take several weeks to recover - but it made the exhaustion worse and a bit frightening tbh. Rest up and follow NHS advice to do much less than you think you can then monitor how you are 24 hours later before doing anymore, take a week before you increase further. Covid is nasty.

It's best to err on the side of caution with Covid. It's a pretty insidious virus and if you're still feeling more tired than usual, it isn't out of your system yet. Wait till you're fully better. Exercising too soon with Covid can break your batteries and make exercise impossible for a very long time, but if you wait till you're fully well, building back fitness is a quick process.

Believe me, from first hand experience: better a few weeks of frustration than a few years.