My friend's adorable daughter Hannah steps across a formidable obstacle © Kristina Wollan
Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step. ~Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Mindful Eater, I just got back from vacation in the Middle East so I have been a bit delinquent in writing. The other thing I've been delinquent about is exercising. I love to run when I travel, but this time I deferred to the advice of friends who told me that running in the streets would be considered extremely odd. So I ate a lot and walked instead.
16 exercise-free days passed. And now I'm out of shape. My last run was 26 miles, and yesterday I could barely run more than two slow miles. I'm also more tired and less energetic than I used to be.
If you stop your regular exercise routine, your cardio fitness will decline after a week. Strength-training lasts longer, so it will take a couple more exercise-free weeks for you to lose strength fitness.
Of course, the best thing is to not take a break from exercise. But sometimes it happens (or maybe you're just starting to exercise for the first time). It's not the end of the world - don't panic! I might be out of shape now, but I know that I can get back on track in a couple weeks. And so can you. Slide into your exercise routine slowly - you want to make it a permanent habit instead of burning yourself out - then it'll take even LONGER to get back in shape.
What to do - (Re)Start Your Exercise Routine
- Make a commitment to start exercising again, and stick to it. I got home Tuesday night, and went on a little run Wednesday morning. It was tough (I wanted to sleep in), but I was really glad I did it.
- Create a little plan and start slow. Your muscles tear and then repair themselves to get stronger when you exercise. If you push it too hard, you can be setting yourself up for injury and burn out. You're not in a race to get fit - you're in it for the long haul. I jogged a slow two miles on Wednesday, then did some easly lifting on Thursday. If you're working out for the first time, start walking!
- Note the progress that you are making after a week. You might not be where you want to be (and where you will be), but you've made serious progress. Be proud of your accomplishment.
- Stick to your plan! You may feel exhausted for the first few days, but then before you know it, you'll be brimming with energy and sleeping better.
Want to read more?
- Why you should exercise and how to get started
- Excuses for not exercising
- SparkPeople article on starting exercise slowly
What I ate: hemp milk, Barbara's Bakery Oat cereal, 1 hard boiled egg, Brown Cow Cream top yogurt + ground flaxseeds + Sarabeth's peach-strawberry jam, macadamia nuts, dried apricots, Cosi: 1/2 Signature Salad, small tomato basil soup, 3 squares dark chocolate, brown rice, steamed brocolli + tofu + soy sauce + sesame oil, hot chocolate
Exercise: Jogged 2 miles
