The good news: you’re ready to get back to exercising. The bad news: you’ve taken a sabbatical and you’re feeling the lag that comes with getting out of your routine. Whether you took a break because of quarantine restrictions, simply fell off the fitness bandwagon or you were out trying to let an injury heal, a long break means you may have lost muscle tone. Just taking the stairs might have you feeling a little more winded than before. Even if you’re accustomed to working out in a gym but were doing at-home exercises to stay in shape during your leave of absence, it’s just not the same (and the thought of another pushup or jumping jack probably makes you want to punch a wall). Jumpstart your gains with this quick guide for getting muscle back with a solid exercise reentry routine.
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A Solid Exercise Reentry Routine
Plan Your Workload
Planning out your exercise routine will help you avoid overexertion and injury. Start with lower weight loads than what you were doing before your break, aiming for mid-level rep numbers to get started. Rather than start with a strong focus on one part of the body, you can do general exercises for the upper and lower body until you are ready to start targeting.
Space Your Set Rests
Your rest between sets could be anywhere from 30 seconds to 5 minutes during a normal exercise routine. As you ease back into your routine, shoot for the longer end of these rest periods. This will extend your routine, but it can give your body more of a chance to recover. Your initial exercises should be focused on easing your body back into the routine. Rather than sit, it might be ideal to hop on a treadmill for a fast-paced walk during your rests to keep your heart rate up without abusing your muscles. If you don’t have access to a treadmill, consider walking around the block in your neighborhood. Cardio may not be for everyone, but it will make your exercise more efficient and keep those muscles warmed up.
Warm-up And Cool Down
You should always have a warm-up and cool-down routine that involves stretching, but even more so right now. After taking a break, getting back into an exercise routine could land a quick injury if your body is shocked by the activity level. Stretching helps lengthen and loosen muscles so they aren’t too tight. If you plan to use weights, start with an easier set before increasing your intensity and speed.
Increase Your Water Intake
Your body uses a lot of water and staying hydrated is a key part of your recovery after exercise. Be sure to increase the amount of water you take in when starting your routine again. If you have trouble getting in enough water or simply get bored drinking it, don’t forget that fresh fruits and vegetables plus sports drinks and shakes also contain water and can count toward your daily hydration goals. Also carrying an insulated water bottle could help remind you to drink water.
Support Your Body With Nutrition
While your physical activity is important, so is what you are putting into your body1. Certain foods make it easier for your body to store fat. If your goal is to trim excess body fat and tone the muscle, you need to eat in a way that powers your body to do so. Reducing simple carbs (like white bread, pasta and french fries), sugar and sodium in your food, while focusing on quality carbs, protein, healthy fats and nutrients. A good protein drink that is low in sugar is a great way to support your muscles after a hard-hitting gym session. This will help you avoid those intense cravings that hit when your energy is tapped and your body wants to refuel. Planning ahead on healthy snacks will help you avoid those impulse eating decisions. Raw fruits and vegetables always make a healthy snack, but eggs, chicken, fish and tree nuts are also great snacks. Pairing a fruit or vegetable with a protein or fiber source like cheese, hummus or nuts is also a great snack combination.
Fuel Your Motivation
It’s so easy to fall into low activity ruts. If you are struggling to get back into an exercise routine, taking a pre-workout drink may give you that boost you need to get your head in the right place. If you are already amped to get back, then you may want to hold off a few weeks on the pre-workout drink so you don’t get over-ambitious with an energy spike and do too much too soon. But, if you’re stuck in a routine you want to break, a great pre-workout drink may provide the boost you need to get off the couch or office chair and into the gym or exercise routine.
Think Long-Term Gains
This is a marathon and not a sprint. The longer you took off, the longer you need to plan for your comeback. If you only took a few weeks off, the bounce back may not take as long. But if you took months (or years) off, then you need to give yourself more time to get back to where you were as you gain muscle and improve tone. The work you put in now is already making a difference, and you will likely start to feel stronger within the next few weeks—allowing you to gradually push harder. So, be patient enough not to rush it or get discouraged.
Setting up a plan will help you hit your exercise routine hard and keep coming back until you’re making those ideal gains.
