{"id":55316,"date":"2017-01-13T07:15:15","date_gmt":"2017-01-13T12:15:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=55316"},"modified":"2021-11-18T07:11:05","modified_gmt":"2021-11-18T12:11:05","slug":"how-to-get-back-in-shape-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/how-to-get-back-in-shape-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"Haven\u2019t Worked Out in Forever? Here\u2019s Where to Start"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"How
Photo: Twenty20<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We’ve all taken a few weeks \u2014 even months \u2014 off from the gym. But what if it has been a few years <\/em>since you\u2019ve had a legit workout habit<\/a>?<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t worry. These extended breaks<\/a> can happen to the fittest of us. We get caught up with family, work and other responsibilities, or just fall out of our regular workout rhythm following an injury<\/a> or illness. One skipped workout turns into a dozen and, before you know it, your workout pants turn into hack-around-the-house pants.<\/p>\n

Trouble is, getting back into your workout routine<\/a> isn\u2019t as easy as picking up where you left off. That\u2019s why we\u2019ve tapped the experts for five\u00a0simple strategies that will help you get back into the groove \u2014 and stay in it for good.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>15 Tricks to Actually Stick to Your Workouts<\/a><\/p>\n

How to Get Back in Shape, and Stay There<\/h2>\n

1.\u00a0Consider why you took your hiatus in the first place.<\/h3>\n

To make this go at fitness a lifelong habit, you first have to figure out what derailed your last attempt, says Nancy Fudacz, NASM certified trainer and master performance training coach at the East Bank Club<\/a> in Chicago. Did you get burned out with your routine? Did you hate the vibe \u2014 or even feel judged \u2014 at your gym?<\/p>\n

Once you decide why you really (like, deep down) threw in the towel on your fitness all of those years ago, it\u2019s your job not to let history repeat itself, says NYC-based psychologist Paul Hokemeyer<\/a>, PhD. For instance, if you didn\u2019t feel like you had the support<\/a> you needed, it might be worth considering signing up for a regular group fitness class. If you always hated exercise because you viewed it as punishment for calories consumed, it\u2019s time to start thinking of exercise as a form of self-care<\/a>, he says. Dig deep, people!<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> 19 Reasons to Work Out (Beyond the Perfect Body)<\/a><\/p>\n

2. Focus on\u00a0where you were a week ago, not a year ago.<\/h3>\n

\u201cWe all have peaks and valleys, and simply being more active than you were last week is progress.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The harsh reality is that, if you aren\u2019t training, you\u2019re de<\/em>training, says Fudacz. So you aren\u2019t going to be in the same shape you were when you first took your fitness hiatus, and you may very well have to \u201cstart over\u201d again. That can flat-out suck. After all, if you used to crank out push-ups<\/a> like crazy \u2014 and can now barely get through 10 without dropping to the floor \u2014 it can be easy to get down on yourself.<\/p>\n

To minimize the frustrations and negative self-talk<\/a>, it\u2019s important to think about your progress in terms of where you were during your hiatus, not where you during high school or the peak of your fitness, Fudacz says. \u201cProgress isn\u2019t linear,\u201d she says. \u201cWe all have peaks and valleys, and simply being more active than you were last week is progress. You should be proud of that progress.\u201d<\/p>\n

3. Go\u00a0back to the basics.<\/h3>\n

Similarly, whatever workouts become part of your fitness comeback, it\u2019s important that you approach them with a slow-and steady pace, says Erica Suter<\/a>, MS, CSCS, a Maryland-based trainer and strength coach. Pushing too hard or fast in the gym can contribute to frustrations, burnout, otherwise-avoidable exercise injuries and, in the end, another break from the gym.<\/p>\n

Consider what feels doable \u2014 or even exciting \u2014 to you right now. \u201cTraining two to three days a week<\/a> is an excellent start for the body to be able to smoothly adapt to a new program, while also avoiding any overtraining and fatigue,\u201d Suter says. \u201cStart with basic movement patterns<\/a> that serve as the foundation for myriad exercises.\u201d For instance, if you like strength training workouts<\/a>, focus on mastering foundational bodyweight moves<\/a> like squats and lunges before taking on more complicated variations.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnce you’re in the meat and potatoes of your new workout program, really listen to your body and ask yourself if you are able to progress to more challenging movements or loads,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>Is It Better to Do Cardio or Strength Training First?<\/a><\/p>\n

4. Experiment with\u00a0new workouts.<\/h3>\n

When you return to the gym after some time off, it\u2019s natural to hop back into the same workouts you did before. Instead, consider trying something new. That way, you will be less apt to compare your current exercise performance with that from years past. (Remember that whole \u201cstarting over\u201d conundrum we talked about?)<\/p>\n

Plus, when most people take an extended break from the gym, it has at least something<\/em> to do with their workout. Maybe your old workout routine didn\u2019t really motivate or give you the stress relief<\/a> you needed. Even if you aren\u2019t able to put your finger on the exact issue, trying out new workouts can be a great way of branching out and discovering fresh, fun ways to get moving.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>275 Exercises to Shake Up Your Workout Routine<\/a><\/p>\n

5. Find\u00a0your fitness tribe.<\/h3>\n

Not everyone\u2019s a solo exerciser. And studies show there\u2019s strength in numbers. For instance, in one Indiana University<\/a> study, people who joined the gym solo had a 43 percent dropout rate over the course of the year. Meanwhile, those who went to the gym in pairs only had a 6.3 percent dropout rate. Surrounding yourself with folks with similar interests and goals will not only get you in the gym, it will help you get more out of your workouts, too, Fudacz says.<\/p>\n

Try out some of the introductory exercise classes at your gym, research local running (or walking<\/a>!) groups, or find a friendly yoga or Pilates<\/a> studio in your \u2019hood. Or, if you prefer to keep your workouts right at home, you can still benefit from plenty of virtual support. A warm, supportive fitness tribe<\/a>, like the one at Daily Burn 365<\/a>, will keep you motivated to break a sweat even when the couch is calling.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Taking weeks, months or even years away from the gym is more common than you\u2019d think. Here\u2019s how to reboot \u2014 and stay there for good. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":57,"featured_media":55321,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[21,24,6,14],"tags":[266,288,289,103,108,281,341,343],"class_list":["post-55316","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cardio","category-exercise","category-fitness","category-strength-training","tag-beginner","tag-cardio","tag-exercise","tag-motivation","tag-running","tag-strength-training","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2exercise"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55316","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/57"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=55316"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55316\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/55321"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=55316"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=55316"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=55316"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}