There are many reasons why one might fall “out of shape.” Whether it be due to injuries or a lack of motivation, fluctuations in fitness levels are common. The good news is that regardless of whether you were once an athlete or struggled to stick to a workout routine, there are proven methods to help you regain your fitness.
What does “being fit” really mean?
From a physiological perspective, being physically fit involves looking at several factors holistically: cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength, mobility (including flexibility and range of motion), and neuromuscular control (such as balance and agility), as explained by Heather Milton, a board-certified clinical exercise physiologist at NYU Langone’s Sports Performance Center.
Subjectively, being physically fit may look and feel different for each individual, but it often involves having good energy, feeling strong, being able to perform daily tasks without pain, experiencing mental clarity, and overall, feeling healthy and happy.
Due to this subjectivity, regaining fitness will involve different goals for different people. According to Jacqueline Crockford, an ACE-certified personal trainer, understanding your motivation will help you sustain the necessary motivation to achieve your goals in the long term.
Fortunately, there are steps that most people can take to enhance their overall fitness levels. Here’s what you can expect.
How quickly can you lose fitness?
To effectively regain fitness, it’s important to understand how quickly your initial progress can diminish. According to Milton, you can experience a decrease in cardio endurance and muscle strength after just two weeks of complete rest. While you won’t lose all your progress in two weeks, this is when the decline typically begins. Generally, cardio endurance declines at a slower rate than muscular strength and endurance, which can diminish rapidly when you stop training, as noted by Crockford.
A decline in physical fitness can lead to an increase in blood pressure, decreased blood oxygen levels, diminished neural-muscular efficiency and heart strength, reduced lung capacity, and even a change in your resting heart rate, as explained by Milton.
Age is also a crucial factor to consider, according to Crockford. Maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), muscle strength and mass, and flexibility naturally decrease with age, while total body mass and fat mass increase, as outlined in a 2009 study published in the European Review of Aging and Physical Activity.
How fast can you get fit again?
By strictly adhering to an evidence-based, well-designed fitness program, you can anticipate regaining your fitness within 16 weeks, according to Milton. Muscular strength may start to improve within four to six weeks, with noticeable results in 12 weeks. Progress in cardiovascular health follows a linear pattern, with gradual improvements over time, she notes.
However, this timeline does not factor in lifestyle elements such as weight changes, diet modifications, health conditions, or hydration, all of which can significantly impact how long it takes to regain fitness, Milton adds.
According to Crockford, the rate at which individuals regain their fitness levels, both in terms of muscular and cardiorespiratory measures, depends on various factors such as programming, previous fitness levels, exercise experience, and age. The duration of time spent away from exercise also plays a role, with a few weeks or months off being different from several years. As Milton explains, returning to exercise after less than a year means starting at around 50% of your previous level and gradually building up from there.
How to get fit again after a break
The first step is to establish a clear and ideally measurable goal. Simply stating that you want to “get back in shape” can lead to a disorganized approach to training, potentially prolonging the time needed to achieve your objectives, or causing frustration and abandonment along the way, Milton advises.
When returning to a workout routine, it is crucial to pace yourself, especially if you have been largely inactive, recovering from an injury, or are older, as emphasized by Milton. While older adults may have more training experience and be wiser about easing into a new routine, they should also be cautious about replicating the intense workouts of their younger years. Bodies change over time, and it is okay for your definition of fitness to evolve as you age, Milton says.
A gradual progression in intensity will help you remain on track while minimizing the risk of injury or burnout, Milton suggests. Increasing cardio exercise involves boosting the total volume of training, such as extending the time spent on activities each week. Similarly, progressing in strength-based training can mean more reps with the same weight or using heavier weights with the same number of reps. Max-rep bodyweight tests, like determining how many push-ups you can do in a minute, are an effective universal strength-building technique. Ultimately, regaining fitness takes time and consistent effort. Small, strategic steps over time will lead to the desired results, so patience is key.
More on working out:
