Recovery Isn’t Rest -It’s a Strategy used at the Olympics - and you can use it to help reclaim energy and function.

The Olympics begin this week. And as someone who has competed at four Olympic Games and brought home four medals, Andrea understands not only what these athletes are focusing on right now - but also the long process that gets them here.

But what does any of this have to do with rebuilding after a post-infection condition or trying to create more resilience in your daily life?

More than you might think.

Let’s look at the Olympians for a moment. They aren’t training harder right now. They’re fine-tuning - using active recovery to let them have their best possible performance when the competition begins.

At this stage, every athlete in the Village is focused on one thing: being ready when it counts. That means protecting energy, refining the skills they already trust, and creating the conditions for their body and brain to function at a high level.

They use active recovery not to “take it easy,” but to stay sharp, strong, and steady.

And that's where the approach for athletic performance and chronic condition management align. If you’re living with Long COVID symptoms, a post-infection condition, or simply navigating low energy and instability, you may have more in common with professional athletes than you realise. With both groups, your system is under pressure. Your energy is limited. And it matters how you support yourself each day.

At ThriveNinety, we help people use these same principles - in a way that fits their lives, works with their symptoms, and boosts their capacity.

Here’s how top athletes use our PEDAL™ approach to perform at their best -and how you can, too:

P – Pacing

Athletes don’t just pace before the Olympics — they pace all year. They know exactly what their body needs because they’ve practiced this skill season after season. This is the time to trust what’s proven, not to change anything.

• choosing to do small things that restore energy
• reducing unnecessary demands
• prioritizing sleep and uplifting interactions
• focusing only on what matters for the goal ahead

Pacing is an active strategy that is all about smart energy conservation and use. For anyone rebuilding health, it becomes one of the most powerful tools you can learn and use - protecting you from overdoing things and letting you use the energy you have well.

E – Exercises

Athletes still train — but with precision since they have worked all year to develop skills, build a strong foundation, and enhance their physical capabilities. Right now, in the time before competing in the Games, they sharpen the skills they’ll need on competition day and avoid anything that drains them without benefit.

• refining key technical elements and repeating patterns so recall is automatic
• moving with purpose to keep the system responsive, which includes low intensity movements
• maintaining the gains built throughout the season

If a skill isn’t used and developed, it won’t show up when you need it. Strategic activity supports stability and function in recovery, too.

D – Diet

Athletes choose foods that feel steady, predictable, and supportive because anything that disrupts the system can affect performance.

• avoiding what causes discomfort or destabilizes their system
• choosing meals that keep energy even
• supporting digestion to reduce overall strain on their bodysystem

Small, consistent choices make a noticeable difference when energy is limited — for athletes, resilience and for anyone recovering.

A – Align the Nervous System

Performance depends on a nervous system that can shift states — not one stuck in a stressed state. Athletes practice being able to move between states flexibly, regulating up for focus and down for recovery, which promotes a more resilient and stable system.

• managing sympathetic (fight-or-flight) load
• creating moments of calm to restore capacity
• using breath and routine to stay grounded

For Long COVID recovery, this flexibility becomes essential for clearer thinking, steadier energy, and fewer symptom spikes.

L – Loosen Tension

Fine-tuning matters. Athletes take steps to release unnecessary tension so movement feels smooth, coordinated, and responsive.

• loosening tight areas that disrupt flow
• using hands-on support or simple tools
• reducing strain that can impact energy levels and performance

Even small shifts to support easier movement can change how the whole system performs — and the same is true during recovery.

Small, Consistent Actions Shape What’s Possible

As this shows, performance and supporting the body doesn’t begin at the Olympics.
It’s built across a season - refined day after day. Your recovery follows the same pattern. There’s no magic trick; there’s a method. A way to make the most of the energy you have right now.

You don’t need to train like an Olympian.
You need to recover like one.

If you’d like support in applying this approach in your own life to manage symptoms, have more energy, and feel real improvement, we’re here to help you move forward at a pace that feels right.

Warmly,  
Katie & Andrea

PS. The heart of this week’s message is simple: recovery is a practice, not a moment. Olympians rely on it every day, and you can use the same steady principles to support your own energy and resilience. If you’d like help choosing where to begin, we’re here when you’re ready.