Working out is probably one of the biggest challenges modern man has to face. How come, you would ask? Because we have made our lives so comfortable and our food so appetising, that if we were to live to satisfy immediate needs, we would just lay around in our cushy couches and eat delicious burgers, pizza, pasta, cake, and ice cream. Getting up and moving our bodies until our muscles are sore, deliberately sweating an hour away in a room filled with other people, is something much harder to do. And getting back in business is not only difficult for people who have never exercised before. It is just as hard for people who have been active in the past. But here are a few ways to get back.
7 Tips on How to Get Your Workout Rhythm Back
1. Acknowledge your real situation
Many people start working out, they lose some weight, are pleased with the way they look and they take a well-deserved breather. This means no more daily workout routines, no more careful calorie counting, and no more muscle cramps. After a week or two, they notice that their sculpted physique is starting to show signs of puffiness, that their muscles are no longer as well defined. Unfortunately, by now they have grown accustomed to the easy life of looking good, eating whatever and not having to go to the gym.
The sooner you realise this, the less you have to lose when you get back in action. Sure, your legs might still look good in a short dress, but you can see that muffin top starting to form again.
2. Don’t focus on the difficulty of it all, instead of on the results
Once the reality of having to get back to the gym and on a diet settles in, it’s the thought of how difficult everything was the first time around that keeps you from starting things sooner. When this happens, it is important to keep your eyes on the results you have registered the first time around. Also, it will not be quite as difficult as it was when you first started because, unlike then, you already have a routine to fall back on. Back then, you still had to figure out what works and what doesn’t. You will no longer waste time in testing and you can get back in shape faster than before.
3. Depending on how long it has been, either ease into it, or dive right in
Diving right in can be shocking for your body. Imagine forcing an untrained muscle to start working out as it did when you used to go to the gym several times a week. It’s torture and no wonder you keep putting it off. On the other hand, if too little time has passed since you’ve been active, it’s a waste of time to start settling in your routine all over again. Instead, take one step back for every inactive week. This means that if your final routine took 10 weeks to set in place and you did minor adjustments to make the workout more and more demanding, take out some of the later tweaks and make your routine more comfortable, without going all the way back to basics.
4. Rely on muscle memory
If throughout your lifetime you have been active more than inactive, then you have a very powerful ally on your side. It is called “muscle memory”. This means that your muscles will know what shape you are trying to get them back into and they will give you a hand. See? You are not alone in this one. Your body wants to be fit as well.
5. You will have to adapt to changes
Sure, you had a routine and it worked wonders. Now you might try the same thing and notice that things are not working out. You will expect it to be tough at first, try harder at it and only get more tired and frustrated. It will then be time to admit that your routine is not time-proof and that, while it worked a while back, it might not work now.
But don’t fret! While you will need to change things, you still have a starting point. Simply break down your former routine and test each part individually. Maybe some things will work and you will only have to make minor changes. And if you discover that you need to change everything, well, then that’s that!
6. Take into account your current situation
Sometimes, a break in your workout schedule is determined by something big. Moving to a different location, having a baby, changing your job, going through personal stuff, being ill, going on vacation, taking care of urgent business and so on, can be some of the reasons. All of them can imply changes that would normally affect a workout routine. Maybe you are physically and mentally tired and you should approach your workout from a gentler perspective. Or maybe you need to dive into some serious physical activity only to snap out of something. Do not try to apply a quick solution that no longer fits current needs.
7. Boredom really is a factor
If the reason you stopped working out in the first place is that you just got bored with everything, then you need to take action. If you slowly stopped going to the gym as often, if you got tired of having to sit out delicious meals because you were watching your weight and you just got bored with leading such a restricted life, then you need to make serious life-style changes, some that you can keep. A more relaxed workout schedule, tastier, yet healthy food, exciting activities that will keep you active even without having to “feel the burn”.
Sometimes, many of the things related to working out and physical activity sound like a threat. Everything is supposed to be painful, imply effort, make you cramp and be sore. You have to struggle to keep up gym hours and restrain from fattening food. It’s an effort, of course it is! No wonder you need to be talked into getting back to it. But if you take a different approach and ease your way back to a healthy life-style, then you will need less incentives.
