Getting Back into Fitness After a Break

Getting back into fitness can be tough after a break. With the best will in the world, few of us are entirely consistent with our fitness and activity levels. I’m a personal trainer, and even I have dips and troughs. I get bored and demotivated. Injury gets to me, as does fatigue, and sometimes life events simply take up too much of my attention.

It can be hard to keep my eyes on the ball. I never fully lapse – I’m always doing something, even if it’s just a spot of yoga and daily walks – but I know plenty of people who do.

If you’re in recovery from addiction, there is a chance that you may have experienced a lapse. There is a good chance that circumstance or need have caused you to put your fitness on hold and take a break.

Of course, this is fine. It can even be healthy - if it is learned from. Priorities change as we go through life and nobody can do everything.

However, many of us feel a need to find our way back into the world of fitness again at some point. This is where motivation and making a start is everything.

This can be easier said than done. It can be hard to getting back into fitness. Finding the will can be a challenge. It can be disheartening to see how out of condition you are, especially if you used to stay on top of things. And, let’s be honest, getting into fitness can be intimidating at the very least.

However, it needn’t be too hard – anyone can all get back into fitness after a break, no matter the circumstances. You will benefit from bearing a few things in mind that will help you on your way.

Getting back into fitness after a break

The following tips are designed to help you to get back into fitness after having a break:

1. Start small

It doesn’t matter how fit you used to be. It doesn’t matter how driven you once were. If you’re getting back into fitness after a break, you won’t be able to do what you used to. If you try, you’ll likely injure yourself. You’ll also find yourself succumbing to DOMS (delayed onset of muscular soreness) in quite a profound way, and you’ll likely be disappointed with how out of condition and achy you are.

So, start small. Make the most of the easy gains that come at the beginning of any training routine.

If you’re used to being immobile a 15-20 minutes walk a day can make the world of difference, to your mood and to your fitness.

Your lungs won’t be what they once were, so start off with something easy and attainable. Simple steady cardio will be better for you in the first month or so as you start to regain your mobility.

If you haven’t taken part in resistance training for a while, lift lightly, swim slowly, make the most of easier movements. Relearn the movement patterns you used to know before you really push it. Learn to enjoy the benefits of exercise rather than pushing yourself to the limit. You are far more likely to progress and stick with it if you feel some immediate benefits, even if its a simple as having a clearer head an admiring the view whilst you walk.

Most of all, be kind to yourself.

2. Figure yourself out

Your body may be in worse shape than it ever has been, but you have a much better advantage now – age and wisdom. You will likely know yourself better than you ever did before. This is one of the many benefits that recovery brings.

Use this. Figure out what motivates you – what do you enjoy, what do you want to get out of your fitness regime, and what do you need to bear in mind as you go about it?

Finding motivation is one of the biggest factors in determining success. If you don’t want a beach body, that’s fine! (It’s also fine if you do – its helpful to know what you want!) Ask yourself why you are training. Use the answers to both tailor your regime and keep yourself in the fitness game.

3. Supplement (and eat) well whilst getting back into fitness

With age comes an increasing need to supplement intelligently. This is never so true as when you’re first getting back into fitness after a break.

I would suggest protein for anyone and everyone. Whey or soya are both decent. They will help you to recover more effectively. Omega 3 and/or cod liver oil are also fantastic supplements. They will keep your joints supple and your immune system firing on all cylinders.

I would also heartily recommend magnesium. It can go a long way to mitigating the effects of DOMS, which, as above, will hit you quite hard when you first come back to fitness

Also, if you can, eat a healthy, clean, balanced diet. You will want plenty of lean protein, healthy fats, fruits and veg. Drink lots of water and make sure your weight is doing what you want it to do.

4. Look for variety

It important to keep things varies and interesting. There are so many different types of exercise to benefit from now: Yoga for mobility, core strength, and balance and coordination; powerlifting for full body strength and muscle mass; walking for peace of mind and aerobic health; HIIT for improved explosivity, endurance and body composition.

This doesn’t mean you want to throw yourself into everything. Far from it – as above, take it slowly at first, especially when you’re first getting back into fitness after a break.

However, try to keep things varied. Walk every day. Hit the gym a couple of times per week. Try out a few classes and find out what works for you. If nothing else, it will stop things from getting stale and boring. It will keep your motivation up even as you get to reap the benefits to be gained from several different exercise styles.

If you’re not quite ready to return to the gym, you can start off your exercise regime at home. Recoverlution’s Wellness hub offers an abundance of professional led classes including yoga and various workouts. All can be done at home and within your own time. Furthermore, our Wellness hub looks after your mind, body and your spirit, with nutrition, mindfulness, breath work and mindset coaching.

Author - James