Are you getting back in shape after taking a break that started as one day and turned into one week, one month, or even one year? I’ve been there.
Life happens (or it doesn’t during a global pandemic) and whether you’re post-vacation, post-baby, or post-pandemic funk, restarting a fitness habit after a break can be challenging. However, with the right strategies, rebuilding a fitness routine is can be less difficult.
When you are ready to start working out again it’s hard to know where to start. With that in mind here are 7 proven tips that have worked for me anytime I have returned to working out after a long layoff.
Start Small
Thank your former fit self for showing you what is possible, then honor where you are now. You might lack the muscle endurance, stamina, or strength to workout at the level you used to and that’s okay.
Don’t push yourself to reach old numbers at your current level of fitness. Don’t expect to go from several months of inactivity to HIIT workouts five times a week (this is a reminder to myself as much as it is to you.) That is a recipe for injury at worst or a DOMS episode that will require extra rest days and put a halt to your momentum. Focus on form over speed or weight. Proper mechanics will help you avoid injury.
Start with a small, achievable goal of twenty minutes of movement a day, 5 days a week, for example. Start with low-impact options like yoga, pilates, biking, or walking. Honestly, walking is my favorite fitness restarter because of its accessibility and the minimal gear it requires. Up the intensity and duration slowly, as you get more accustomed to your reestablished fitness routine.
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Find A Workout App or Program
Sometimes not knowing where to start is what’s blocking you from getting back into your fitness routine. Personal trainers are a great resource, but they’re not an expense everyone can take on. The good news is there are so many structured workout programs available on apps and streaming services.
Most fitness apps with a monthly subscription have a free trial period. Try one or two workouts before deciding to sign up.
What To Look For In A Workout Program
Price
Is it a one-time purchase or subscription-based?
Video Demonstrations
Does it include videos for each movement that demonstrate proper form and technique?
Variety
Is there a variety of workouts that you’re interested in trying?
Fitness Level
Is there an onramp, beginner’s program, or a program that matches your current fitness level?
Progression
Do weights, frequency, and repetitions increase over time to help prevent training plateaus?
Find A Workout Buddy
Need help staying accountable to your workout plan? Phone a friend that can be your workout buddy and accountability partner. Scheduling workouts with a friend can up the odds of consistently maintaining your workout schedule. You’ll be less likely to cancel workouts when someone is counting on you to show up.
Good friends don’t always make for good workout partners, so here are some things to consider when picking one:
- Are they at a similar fitness level?
- Do they have similar fitness goals?
- Do they have the same level of commitment?
- Are they reliable and consistent?
- Do your schedules align?
It’s inevitable that something may come up for your accountability partner that forces them to miss a workout session. Don’t let your friend’s cancellations become an excuse to skip your workout. Be comfortable going it alone sometimes and encourage your friend to keep their routine when you have to miss a workout.
Remember to have fun, accountability is great but isn’t the only benefit of having a workout buddy. If fitness feels more fun and less like a grind, you’ll be more motivated to stick to your routine.
Schedule Your Workouts
Look at your schedule and find pockets of time where you can slip away and work out. The key here is to start with what’s realistic and not aspirational. Remember, start small, you can always build to more.
If you’re finding that working out in the afternoon or evening just doesn’t happen because life seems to get in the way, set a goal to workout before noon then reverse engineer your schedule.
Concentrate on the (not so secret) secret to getting fit: CONSISTENCY. There will be times that something unavoidable comes up and getting to the gym is impossible. Don’t let that derail you or halt your progress. Get back to your newly re-established fitness routine as soon as you can.
Make Time For Rest And Recovery
Let’s say you’ve got your routine going, you’re getting after it, your motivation is at an all-time high, and you’re hooked on the post-workout endorphins. You feel so good in fact that you’re thinking about skipping a rest day. Don’t!
It’s important to make time for rest and recovery. Doing so will help prevent overuse injuries and give your muscles time to rebuild. Building rest days into your workout schedule can help you to stay on track and ensure your body is getting the recovery time it needs.
Active Recovery vs. Passive Recovery
Active recovery, consisting of low-intensity movements like walking or casual biking (not an all-out peloton session), can help flush out some lactic acid and reduce the impact of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS). Stretching and foam rolling are also great tools to aid mobility and recovery on rest days.
Don’t forget to build in Passive Recovery or Total Rest days. Start out with at least one total rest day a week. Remember even on these days your body is rebuilding and working to get stronger.
Eat Healthy Food
Fuel your fitness by feeding your body the nutrients it needs to repair itself. Build your diet around nutrient-dense whole foods like lean protein, vegetables, and complex carbohydrates.
Protein helps to build and repair muscle so you may need to increase your protein intake overall as you increase you’re activity level or build in strength training.
Don’t forget to drink your water! Treat your water bottle like it’s an extension of yourself. Wherever you go, it goes too.
Update Your Workout Clothing
Dress the part. You don’t need to make a huge investment in all the latest activewear right away. Instead, start with what you need to feel comfortable. Toss the leggings that lost all their elasticity when you converted them from activewear to loungewear during your fitness hiatus.
Set aside workout gear that no longer fits and restock your closet with clothes that fit the style of your workouts. For example, if you’re incorporating H.I.I.T. workouts look for gear that is sweat-wicking and medium to high support.
Activewear is having a moment. This has led to brands at a range of price points releasing cute and functional workout fits. If you don’t have a head-to-toe Lulu budget, Target, Kohl’s, and Old Navy have affordable options to help you get to look good, feel-good status.
Don’t forget to replace any worn-out shoes that can no longer give your body the support it needs.
What’s Next
Now that you have a plan for getting back in shape, the only thing left to it is to do it. Remember to be patient with your body and your current fitness level, schedule your workouts to stay on track, find a workout buddy to stay accountable, use an app for structured workouts, refresh your activewear wardrobe, and make time to rest, recover, and get stronger.
Apply these tips, stay consistent, and you will see progress.
Go get it!
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