You’ve been doing so great with your fitness program and then – life happened. You started skipping the gym and didn’t care about healthy nutrition anymore. You’ve changed your priorities in life and lost motivation along the way. Maybe something else prevented you from working out: perhaps you’ve been ill for a while, or got injured or became a parent. Whatever the cause may be, going back to exercising after a long break is a rocky path. Here are five steps to get you through.
Find Your Motivation and Form a Habit
When it comes to commitment to a healthy lifestyle, motivation should come from within. You shouldn’t compare yourself to others or exercise to cause envy with your improved physique. Exercise because you are capable of improving your lifestyle for the better. Studies have shown that it takes around two months to form a habit. Try incorporating your workouts daily: always exercise at the same time, so that your brain adopts this behavior as a habit.
Redefine Your Goals and Start Slow
One of the most common mistakes that happen right after you find your motivation is coming too hard with your exercises. You may feel like you’re pumped up and so ready to get back in shape, but you cannot expect your body to continue right where you paused with your workouts. Start with some light cardio and gradually build up your fitness with increasing the tempo and introducing strength training. The necessary time for you to bounce back from your break includes a lot of factors and varies widely. Pushing yourself over the top can be dangerous. You need to give yourself time, which isn’t easy. Luckily, patience is a skill that can be learned.
Get a Workout Buddy
Getting a workout buddy is a great way to get out of your fitness slump. The psychology behind this support system is interesting: you’ll feel obligated not to let your workout partner down, your motivation will double up, you’ll have more fun and start making exercise schedules. There are many benefits of having a workout buddy, and it has been proven that through this kind of socialization, you’re more likely to stick to your workouts.
Invest in Workout Gear and The Necessary Equipment
Buying new workout gear might be an excellent way to boost up your self-confidence and motivation. As you make progress with your fitness program, you’ll slowly begin to notice how your body changes and how the sports gear fits you better with every passing week. When it comes to workout equipment, ensure that you have everything you need for a safe and productive training. This is also important when it comes to choosing the right gym: make sure it has all the fitness equipment you need for a pleasant workout.
Think Outside of The Box
The gym may be the most frequent choice, but it’s not the only one. If your motivation for hitting the gym fizzled out the last time, try reconstructing why it happened. Maybe you’re not a type of person that enjoys spending time lifting weights indoors or running on a treadmill. There are many different ways for you to stay active: cycling, yoga, jogging, Zumba, swimming, etc. Maybe you don’t need to re-establish your old fitness routine. Instead, consider starting a new one you’ll enjoy, to make a winner comeback to the fitness world.
I totally needed to read this. I have a very stressful work patch coming up, which usually means long work hours, and less gym hours. I’ve learned to embrace taking the time away from the gym but getting back into it can be so, so hard. I will definitely have to redefine my goals! And be patient with myself!
Hey Nadine,
I’m glad the post helped! I always find a break from the gym – even if it’s forced – makes the return better, sometimes you need that time away to redefine your goals for where your at, and where you want to be.
Talk soon,
Ally