She had been keen to get back to her normal fitness regime and working life after what she described as a ‘full on, mentally and physically’ four months of Strictly, but Gemma Atkinson’s back-to-the-grind plans have been thwarted by illness.
Writing on Instagram alongside an old video of her working out with her personal trainer in the gym, Gemma revealed that what she first thought was just a common cold had left her confined to bed and watching boxsets.
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“So today should have been my first day back @upfitnesslive doing this,” she wrote, using an upward-finger-pointy emoji towards the vid of her working up a sweat.
“However,” she continued, “I have been struck down with flu. It started y’day morn with what I thought was just a cold so I carried about the day and went to an event but I started feeling worse and had to leave early.”
Gemma went on to explain that she ended up tucked up in bed by 4.30 in the afternoon with aching joints, the sweats and nausea.
Sounds pretty grim, eh?
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But Gemma, who made it through to the Strictly finals with pro dancer partner Aljaž Škorjanec, was determined not to let anyone down, and attempted to carry out her regular Key 103 Breakfast Show, but was sent home after an hour.
“I think because the last 4 months have been so full on mentally and physically with no rest period my body has just coped and ran on adrenaline,” Gemma explained.
“After a few days not so full on it’s like my brain has switched and gone, ‘Oh I now have time to shut this body down’,” she wrote, adding a terse warning to her misbehaving immune system: “Well no you don’t because it’s Christmas!”.
Gemma was heeding the words of her pro gym bunnies though, and taking it easy and letting herself recover in her own time.
“One thing the guys at UP (upfitnesslive) have taught me was to ALWAYS listen to my body & rest when needed,” she wrote.
“I’m gutted that instead of being in the gym starting my new program today I’m in bed starting a new boxset, however I know long term it’ll do me no favours to attempt to train feeling like I do.”
(Sound advice there).
“Taking care of ourselves is number one,” Gemma concluded.
Get well soon!