There are certain times when life gets in the way and you end up neglecting yourself. Whether it is because of the long hours spent at the office, having suffered an injury after an intense workout or just returning from a holiday, getting back into your workout routine is not an easy mission. Taking a break from keeping fit and skipping workout sessions takes its toll as once you start getting back into it, your muscles will feel either too tightened or too sluggish and you will struggle breathing properly throughout your workout routine. In an attempt to quickly regain the muscle you may have lost during the break period, you may be tempted to push your limits but mark our words: you’re better off taking things slowly. It is important you do things gradually and don’t shock your body with intense strength workouts as once you end up aching badly you might be tempted to give it up altogether.
Here are some tips on how to get back in shape without putting too much pressure on your body:
- Drink plenty of water
Despite what you may see advertised on the TV, there are no magical pills for weight loss or muscle gain. But there is one simple thing you can do to that can have unbelievable effects on your body and that is keeping hydrated. Recent research has revealed that drinking ice cold water will help you burn calories. To put it simply, the body puts in a lot of effort and energy to bring the ice cold water to a more suitable temperature to meet its needs. If we’re talking calories, you should know that the conversion process of one gallon of cold water will burn you just over 128 calories.
- Eat less but more often
If your goal is not only muscle gain but weight loss too, you must ensure you are not starving yourself. We all want quick results and we’re willing to do anything for it but starving yourself is not the answer. Not only will you gain back all that weight once you go back to your old eating habits, but you will lose muscle and we all know how hard it is to gain that back, especially if you’ve gone past the age of 30. Watch what you eat and try to get into a routine not only with your workout sessions but with your meals as well. You will achieve much better results if you eat small yet often meals. Have three main meals a day, with two snacks in between. If you’re wondering how often should you eat, it is recommended you have a meal/snack every three hours so you constantly feel satisfied, keep your energy levels up and feel in the mood for exercising.
- Exercising is of course the key to getting back into shape and whilst we recommend you take it easy to avoid injuries, tissue tears or failure, it is important you stick with your workout routines and don’t give up after just few sessions back at the gym. If your goal is muscle gain, opt for strength workout as this is will give your body the kick it needs to get where you want it to get. Commit to an enjoyable yet challenging strength routine and perform it three to five times a week for quick results.
- Don’t go back to being a couch potato
If you start getting bored with going to the gym, don’t just ditch your strength or HIIT routines for hours spent in front of the TV watching shows or playing games. Outdoors activity can help you get back into shape whilst becoming a hobby so try a new sport and learn how to play tennis or how to swim, if you haven’t already. Biking, hiking are also great for both body and mind so get you backpack ready and diversify your workout activities.
