Exercise has many benefits. It can improve your health and fitness, help you to maintain a healthy weight, reduce your risks of illness and injury, and boost your confidence. It can even be a great way to meet new people and bring enjoyment to your life. But, to get the full benefits, you need to get into a routine. Going to the gym once, won’t change your life. But, going three times a week, sticking to a training plan and teaming your exercise regime with a healthy and balanced diet can.
Once you get into the right routine, you can quickly feel your body and mood changing. Your energy levels will increase, you’ll feel confident and happy, and you’ll look forward to your exercise sessions. Then, quite suddenly, something knocks you out of your routine. You get sick or hurt, or you need do to take a break for a vacation. Then, that’s it. Once you’ve had even a short break, you can find yourself making excuses to avoid the gym. Getting back into the swing of things can be tough, especially if injury or illness means that your fitness levels have dropped and exercise is much more difficult that it used to be. It can feel as though you have gone back to square one, which is demotivating in the extreme. Here are some tips to help you get back into exercise after a break.
Take Care of Your Body
If you’ve had a lengthy break, you won’t be able just to throw yourself back in and expect the same results that you used to get. Your fitness levels, your strength, and your stamina will have all dropped. Push yourself too hard, and you risk a big confidence knock, as well as injury.
Instead, look after your body. Get physiotherapy, listen to your body and take a break when it needs it. You’ll probably find that even if you need to reduce times, weights and speeds for a while, you’ll be able to build them up much faster than you did the first time, as your body starts to remember and recover.
Just Do It
After a break, it’s all too easy to start making excuses. You’re too busy. You haven’t got time. When this happens, you need to push yourself out of the front door and back into exercise. Even if you haven’t got time for a full workout, do anything you can.
Try Something New
A break can be a great chance to try something new. If an injury is stopping you from doing what you are used to, try something different that won’t put the same stress on your body. If you can’t motivate yourself to go to the gym, try dancing, swimming, running outdoors or team sports. Try to find something that’s fun, and you’ll be more likely to stick to it.
Take a Friend
Working out alone can be intimidating, especially in a gym or class filled with fit and healthy people that know each other. Take a friend for your first few times back, to make it easier and give yourself support.
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