Had a Break From Exercise? Here’s How to Get Going Again Without Overdoing It
Summer has a funny way of knocking our normal routines completely out of the window.
Holidays, days out, children/grandchildren, BBQs, glasses of something cold in the garden… and suddenly the exercise routine that was ticking along quite nicely has gone a little bit AWOL.
And if your exercise over the last few weeks has mainly consisted of walking to the fridge, lifting a glass of something cold or occasionally wrestling with a sun lounger, please don't panic! 😂
You haven't ruined anything.
You haven't suddenly lost all your fitness.
And you certainly don't need to punish yourself for having a break.
But equally, this probably isn't the moment to decide you're going to make up for it all by launching yourself straight back into five workouts a week!
Your body might need a bit of time to catch up
Even after a relatively short break from regular exercise, things can feel different when you start again.
You might feel a little stiffer.
Those weights you were happily lifting before your holiday might suddenly feel surprisingly heavy.
You might get out of breath a little sooner.
And you may find you're more achy afterwards than you remember.
That's okay.
Your body is incredibly adaptable, but it adapts to what we regularly ask it to do.
So if you've been doing a little less for a few weeks, it makes sense that jumping straight back into exactly what you were doing before might feel like a bit of a shock.
Don't try to make up for lost time
I think this is where we can come unstuck.
We remember what we used to be able to do and assume that's where we should start again.
So we pick up the same weights, do the same number of repetitions, walk the same distance or throw ourselves straight back into the same classes.
And then wonder why everything hurts three days later!
Going from not very much to ALL THE THINGS is one of the easiest ways to end up with a niggle that stops you exercising altogether.
Your muscles, joints and connective tissues need a little time to get used to being loaded again.
The good news?
They will.
You just need to give them the chance.
Start where your body is TODAY
Not where it was in June.
And definitely not where it was when you were 25!
If you need to, use a slightly lighter weight.
Do fewer repetitions.
Walk for 20 minutes rather than deciding your first outing needs to be a two-hour hike.
Take the easier option in class.
Give yourself a little more recovery between sessions.
Then gradually build things back up.
This isn't going backwards.
It's actually a very sensible way of moving forwards.
And then… start paying attention to something else
Once you've settled back into your routine, I want you to stop thinking purely about doing exercise and start noticing whether it's actually changing anything.
Because there's a big difference between turning up and going through the motions…
…and giving your body enough of a challenge that it has a reason to adapt.
Ask yourself:
Can I lift a slightly heavier weight than I could a few months ago?
Can I manage another couple of good repetitions?
Can I control an exercise better?
Does something that used to feel really hard now feel surprisingly manageable?
Can I get out of a low chair more easily?
Carry heavy shopping without thinking about it?
Walk up a hill or flight of stairs without my legs complaining quite so much?
Because that's progress.
And those are the improvements that really matter.
Getting stronger isn't about becoming a gym bunny
This is particularly important as we get older.
We're not training so that we can lift the heaviest dumbbells in the room.
We're not trying to finish every workout in a sweaty heap on the floor.
We're building and maintaining enough strength, balance, mobility and fitness to make life easier.
To climb the stairs.
Carry the suitcase.
Get down onto the floor and back up.
Walk for miles on holiday.
Play with the grandchildren.
And keep saying yes to the things we want to do.
That's the bit I care about.
So if you've lost your exercise mojo over the summer…
Don't wait for the mythical Monday when you're suddenly going to feel enormously motivated.
And don't try to compensate for everything you haven't done.
Just start.
Do something small this week.
Then do it again.
And once your body starts remembering what it's capable of, begin challenging it a little more.
Because you haven't failed by having a break.
You just need to get going again.
Slowly. Consistently. And with enough challenge to give your body a reason to get stronger.
And I hate to mention the C word when we've only just packed away the sun cream…
…but the onslaught of Christmas is coming. 😲😂
So perhaps that's our next little goal:
Let's head into it feeling stronger than we do today. 💪
Alison xx 💚
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