28/08/2017
HOW TO BOUNCE BACK FROM A BREAK IN YOUR ROUTINE
Setbacks happen. Increased work demands, injury, catching the flu can disrupt your regular fitness habits.
Plan to survive the setback – you may even be recharged by it. So many people are quick to jump to the conclusion that taking time off will leave them lazy, fat and extremely unfit. But time off may even be beneficial for you.
EXERCISE DAMAGE CONTROL
It’s temporary. You don’t have to give up on your fitness goals. If your life is upended for whatever reason, take a break from your usual, full routine and choose activities that you can manage during this time. Or make alternative arrangements.
You will not lose all of your fitness gains over a span of a week; in fact, even if you took a whole month off, chances are the effects wouldn’t be too extreme when you decide to get back into your fitness routine.
Rest is good. Everyone should, theoretically speaking, take at least one full week of rest after every six or so months of training. So, if it’s been a while since you had some time out from your fitness routine, this may be just what your body needs.
GET BACK INTO IT
Reduce strength training intensity
The first week of getting back into your fitness routine, try cutting your intensity by about half to three-quarters.
Downplaying your regular routine will reduce soreness and stiffness – which could prevent you from completing your weekly routine.
After one week, bump up your weights to your normal level.
Take cardio slow
Getting back into a cardio routine is often harder than getting back into a strength training routine. That’s because we lose our cardiovascular fitness faster than we lose our muscular strength.
When you first get back into your cardio routine, try alternating periods at your old pace with periods at a slower pace. So, for example, if you used to run at a ten-kilometer-per-hour pace, now do five minutes at your original pace followed by five minutes at a slower pace. Or walk for two to five minutes between sets of your regular pace.
Alternate back and forth between a slower pace and your normal pace until the total session is completed, reducing the total time at the slower pace over a week or two until you are back to your normal level.
If it’s been a month or more since you’ve done any cardio activity at all, you might find that you have to go at the slower pace for a much longer portion of the workout than before. Or you may need to do the entire session at a slower pace. Don’t be discouraged. You’ll get back you’re your cardio groove within a couple of weeks.
Don’t forget to stretch
Reduce the pain and discomfort of getting back into your exercise routine by spending a little extra time after each session stretching.
The ideal time to stretch is while your muscles are still warm. Do some general stretches straight after your warm-up and after your workout. Try to hold each stretch for 20 seconds or longer.
Fuel your body right
When you get back to your fitness routine, pay attention to what you eat. Make sure you’re getting enough calories to fuel your body for exercise.
If you’ve been watching your carb intake while taking a break from exercise, you can up your carb intake a little over and above what you’d normally eat for two or three days after you get back into your fitness routine.
Chances are that your muscle glycogen stores are running a bit low after a period of low-carb eating, so top them up to avoid suffering from fatigue during your workouts.
