7 Chronic Fatigue Exercise FAQs (That Actually Help)

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Overview

Are you struggling with chronic fatigue, you know you need to do exercise so that your body doesn’t completely waste away...

But you’re unsure of how to safely pace your movement because you’ve experienced crashes from working out in the past?

If so, you’re gonna love this newsletter titled: 7 Chronic Fatigue Exercise FAQs (That Actually Help)

These are the 7 most frequent movement questions I get asked by clients, and it’s what I WISH I would have known from the start of my CFS healing journey.

You’re gonna learn how to adapt your movement routine based on how you’re feeling so you can keep building strength and resilience—without overdoing it.

Note: I suggest you watch the video version of this newsletter above, but if you're a reader, then that's what this written section is for :)

Quick disclaimer: No, I’m not a doctor, this is NOT medical advice, just my experience. But I DO know what it’s like to have your life put on hold by chronic fatigue, and more importantly, I know how to beat it, even when some doctors say it’s incurable.

Why you must adapt and troubleshoot your movement...

Movement matters for recovery, but the old “push-through-it” mentality can cause setbacks. Your energy isn’t linear — some days feel good, others feel depleted. The smarter approach is to troubleshoot: learn when to push, when to pull back, and how to make tiny, safe adjustments that build a sustainable foundation of strength and resilience.

Key principles to keep in mind:

• Your energy varies. Adjust movement to match how you feel that day.
• Overdoing it equals delayed setbacks. Avoid boom-and-bust cycles by making conservative changes.
• The goal is sustainable strength: small, consistent wins compound into greater capacity over time.

7 chronic fatigue movement challenges & how to solve them...

Below are the seven most common movement problems I see and the exact strategies I recommend to address each one.

1) Problem: My steps aren’t increasing

Solution: Increase your steps slowly — roughly 100 to 500 extra steps on average per day, each week.

How to implement it:

• Track your weekly daily average (not just single days).
• Each week, add 100–500 steps to that daily average. For example, if your average was 2,000 steps/day, move to 2,100–2,500 the following week.
• Do not attempt this gradual step-up unless you’re also doing nervous-system calming work (see note below).

Bonus: Increase recovery practices as you increase steps — deep breathing, NSDR (non-sleep deep rest), relaxation rounds, or brain retraining. If your nervous system isn’t learning to relax, incremental step increases are more likely to backfire.

2) Problem: How should I move when I’m sick?

Solution: Dial your movement back.

• If you feel ill or run down, toggle your steps down to the previous week’s average (don’t try to hit your planned increase).
• For workouts: push the session to the next day, cut the volume in half, or skip the workout entirely. Missing one workout in a month will not derail progress.
• Think of small setbacks as part of the long game — stepping back a week or two can help you take bigger strides forward later.

3) Problem: I don’t know when to get my steps in

Solution: Break your daily steps into three windows — morning, midday, and evening.

• Morning walk: aim for 20–50% of your daily steps first thing to capture an early win and wake up your body.
• Midday movement: aim for 10–30% — a short walk or some light movement to break up the day.
• Evening walk: aim for 10–30% — great for winding down, digestion, and recovery.

Adjust proportions to your capacity. If your whole day is 1,000 steps, your “morning walk” may be a few laps around the room — that’s fine. Start with what your body can tolerate and schedule the bulk of your steps when you typically have the most energy.

4) Problem: My muscles feel sore after movement

Solution: Add targeted mobility and fascia work.

• Stretch 5–10 minutes, two to three times daily — morning, post-walk, and evening.
• If possible, foam roll before stretching to mobilize fascia and hydrate connective tissue. A basic foam roller is inexpensive and effective.
• Gentle, consistent mobility keeps tissues supple and reduces soreness from everyday movement.

5) Problem: I can’t progress in my workouts

Solution: Make micro-adjustments and track small wins.

• First, build consistency. Daily or regular movement is the platform for progress.
• Focus on tiny progressions — one extra rep, five more seconds, or 30 more steps. Small increments add up.
• Track your workouts and step averages so you can see improvement that might otherwise be easy to miss.
• If progress stalls, rotate exercises to target the same capacity in a slightly different way.

6) Problem: I crash after strength training

Solution: Lower workout volume and increase recovery windows.

• Reduce in-workout volume — for example, perform one set instead of two per exercise for one to two weeks.
• Lower the number of weekly workouts temporarily (e.g., two sessions per week) to allow more recovery between sessions.
• If you’re not fully recovering between sessions, that’s a clear signal to scale back. Respect recovery — it’s where gains happen.

7) Problem: I’m too exhausted to move some days

Solution: Shift to passive, restorative movement and nervous-system calming.

• Be compassionate — don’t force activity when your body needs rest.
• Use NSDR, breathing exercises, or brain retraining to calm your nervous system.
• If you can tolerate some movement, pick very light options: a short walk, gentle yoga, or stretching.
• Remember: rest is an active part of recovery. It’s not failure.

Recap and next steps...

Now you know the 7 chronic fatigue exercise FAQs (that actually help)...

You know why you must adapt & troubleshoot movement…

And you know: how to overcome common movement challenges & make smart adjustments, so you can keep progressing safely without setbacks.

Your action step: troubleshoot your movement. If movement isn’t feeling right, come back to this video to learn how to adjust your routine.

Check in with yourself, make one small tweak, and get back on your way to wellness.

Now, if you want more help on overcoming chronic fatigue naturally, regain your health and achieve total wellness, then I invite you to join my free weekly newsletter or apply to work with me 1-1 and I’ll help you start rewiring your brain & fix the glitch today.

Thanks for reading and I’ll see you in the next newsletter!

-Jeff Bangshow
Your CFS To Wellness™ Mentor

P.S. Whenever you’re ready, here are 3 ways I can help you:

1.Join The Jeff Bangshow Newsletter: Join and get free weekly insights to overcome chronic fatigue naturally, rebuild your health, and achieve total wellness.

2.Work With Me 1-1: Get 1-1 mentorship from me personally to overcome chronic fatigue naturally, regain your health and achieve total wellness.

3.Book Me To Speak: Want me on your podcast or at your next event? I speak about overcoming chronic fatigue naturally and achieving total wellness. Email me the details: [email protected].