Summer holidays are rounding up. The kids are resuming school, and you are probably also resuming your regular routine. It is usually difficult for most people to keep up with their regular routines when on holiday. For example if you normally visited the gym thrice a week, you may find yourself visiting once during holidays, or not at all. Depending on how long you have stayed off exercise, you may find it difficult getting back to exercising, or, you may discover upon your return that your fitness level has dropped significantly. This is perfectly normal as fitness cannot be stored. Exercise must be performed regularly to gain and maintain noticeable benefits. Once you stop exercising, the body begins to revert to its pre-trained state.
I see quite a number of people getting disappointed and sometimes giving up when they discover that they cannot exercise as effectively as they did before taking a break, or when they return from holidays with an additional pound or two. Do not be demotivated. Even professional athletes, after a long term injury, have to train to get back to their previous form. If you've taken more than a three weeks break from exercise, do not expect to resume exercising at your previous level of intensity or duration. Allow your body to gradually re-adapt to your regular workout routines. For example, if you were able to run on the treadmill for two hours, but now you struggle to run for thirty minutes. Start off with thirty minutes and then gradually progress to two hours. You could also start off with a low impact exercise like walking.
Do not be tempted into overworking the body. You could end up sore and probably have to take another break to recover. If your old routine does not seem to be working for you, then try something new. Perhaps your taste changed during the break, or your body wants something new. Remember exercise is a lifestyle, so patiently allow yourself to rediscover what works best for your body.
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