How to ease into a fitness routine after a break
Key Points
- Your fitness may start to decline after an exercise break of a couple of weeks, but it depends on a number of factors.
- When you ease back into your fitness routine, it’s important to be kind to yourself and realistic about your goals.
- It’s important you follow the right technique, especially if you’re starting to lift weights again after a holiday break.
Holidays are the best. Many of us like to catch up with friends and enjoy some relaxation time.
The only problem is that sometimes, holidays can disrupt our physical activity routines.
Personal Trainer, Gabrielle Petterwood wants you to know that you’re not alone if you find it difficult to ease back into your fitness routine after a break during the holidays.
“It’s OK to ease back into fitness training if you’ve had a break,” she says, “That’s what I recommend anyway. The important thing is that you do get back into it.”
We asked Gabrielle to share some of her best tips to help you get back on track and ease into your fitness routine again. But first, let’s explore some of the answers to common questions people may have about fitness routine disruptions.
“It’s OK to ease back into fitness training if you’ve had a break,” Gab says.
How long does it take to lose muscle?
Gabrielle says the speed at which you lose muscle depends on several factors.
“It comes down to your nutrition, your previous training history and how sedentary or active you are,” she explains.
How fast do you lose cardiovascular fitness?
Researchers say the loss of cardiovascular fitness for athletes may happen after a break of three to four weeks.
According to Gabrielle, when you exercise a lot, your body becomes more efficient at up-taking oxygen. When you take a break from exercising, you may lose those gains. If you use a fitness tracker, you might be familiar with this.
“The more you exercise, you develop cells that can carry the oxygen around your body,” she says. “When you have a break, you may lose some of those cells. That’s why you might find yourself getting puffed more quickly.”
Be realistic and set small goals. Once you start achieving those small goals, you’ll feel more motivated to get the ball rolling
How to get back to exercise after a long break
So now you’re wondering, how do I start working out again? How often should I go to the gym to get my fitness back?
Gabrielle says the trick is to ease into your exercise routine.
“Don’t put too much pressure on yourself,” says Gabrielle, “Be realistic and set small goals. Once you start achieving those small goals, you’ll feel more motivated to get the ball rolling. Then you can build on that.”
Don’t forget the value of incidental exercise in your day. Or even the fun exercises you can do with the kids. You could get your body moving gently and build back up to where you were before the holidays. You might even surprise yourself.
Tips for getting back into weight training
How do you start weight training after a long break? Gabrielle says she recommends taking the same approach no matter the exercise. Whether it’s functional strength training, barre stretch classes or high altitude training, Gabrielle says to take it step-by-step, one day and one workout at a time.
What are the benefits of lifting weights?
Wondering why you should lift weights? How does increasing your flexibility sound? We were surprised too!
“When you’re starting to work out again, just start light,” suggests Gabrielle, “You could start with lower weights and build on that. If you’re unsure, consider getting a trainer to assist you for a couple of sessions to help you with your technique. They may help refresh your mind on how to move through certain exercises.”
Gabrielle cautions against pushing too hard or too fast when you’re getting back into exercise, particularly resistance training.
“With this type of training you may pull up quite sore if you push too hard, too quickly,” she explains, “Often at the time, you’re not certain that you’re doing it wrong until you can’t move, or have hurt your back.”
The last thing you want to do is end up carting around a heat pack for back pain for days after you’ve worked out.
Creating good exercise habits
As you ease into fitness, you might wonder how can you get motivated to exercise? Is a gym membership worth it if it means you’ll actually exercise? And how much exercise should you do per day?
Whether you’re getting back into the health benefits of walking, running, stretching or even yoga, be kind to yourself. To help make it easier to get back into your fitness routine, you might want to consider working with an accredited exercise professional.
Related:
- How to set and keep effective fitness goals
- Family fitness challenge
- Goals that will motivate you more than any number on a scale
Gabrielle Petterwood is a Personal Trainer with a holistic approach to fitness, nourishing the body with fresh foods and living a healthy and balanced lifestyle to realise full body health.
Reviewed by the healthylife Advisory Board January 2022.