Whether you took a break for an end of summer get away or an injury sidelined you for longer than you had hoped, fitness can disappear far more quickly than we might expect. Trying to get back into your healthy routine can leave you frustrated and disheartened when you see how much fitness you’ve lost in the time you spent away from FitClub. The bad news is, experts believe that we begin to lose cardiovascular fitness in as little as one to two weeks. The good news is, FitClub can help you find that lost fitness and even make fitness gains when you feel like you’re starting all over.
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Start where you are, not where you were. If you were pushing yourself with serious workouts five days a week before you took a hiatus and lost your fitness gains, don’t expect that your body is ready to go back to those daily, intense workouts on day one. Treat your body with the respect it deserves by paying attention to aches and pains and soreness. If you haven't been working out hard, the idea of delayed onset muscle soreness might be new to you all over again. Don’t let that feeling frustrate you, instead use it as a sign that your body is responding to the challenge just like it did the first time.
Lower your expectations and amount of weight you’re lifting for a short while. In only a two week break in strength training, you can lose up to seven to ten percent of your strength. Instead of risking injury by throwing yourself back into the same weight and number of reps you were lifting before your break, back up and lower the weight until you’re confident you can handle the weight and maintain good form. If your goal is to stay fit and healthy for life, don’t risk an injury by doing too much too soon. Use this as an opportunity to reexamine your routine and form and correct any flaws that may have been holding you back before.
Just get and stay moving. No matter how long you’ve been away, the key to getting your fitness back is to start moving and stay consistent. It’s the consistency that builds a lifetime of fitness, but often the most difficult part of building consistency is getting started. You may want to consider setting a new goal or challenge or hiring a personal trainer that can keep you motivated to begin to chase the fitness you once loved and to stay consistent in the chase.
Keep an eye on your diet. Often when we take an extended break from exercise, we also tend to take an extended break from minding our diets. Take a fresh look at how you’ve been eating and whether it’s leading you closer to or further away from your fitness and health goals. If you’ve been eating like you’ve been on vacation even after the vacation has ended, it’s probably time to reset your nutrition in addition to your fitness.
