Is Missing a workout the wnd of the world?

Is Missing a Workout the End of the World?

We all have times when fitting in a workout is a struggle. I've had this issue recently when I was up at 5am most days and not home until 10pm which made getting to the gym hard. But being flexible, planning accordingly and having a backup plan if you can't make it will help you avoid some of that guilt you may feel.

Of course, it isn’t the end of the world if you miss a workout or two, but how does it affect your overall fitness?

Your level of fitness at the time of your break and the type of exercise you normally do are factors in what will happen should you stop training. For example, weight trainers have the greatest risk of losing strength over time as missing isometric training which doesn’t include high-intensity exercise, (classic weightlifting), can cause strength loss at a rate of 0.3 to 0.8% per week. However, those who have more of a cardio schedule typically keep their strength even when they take time off. Also, it is important to note that the more advanced you are, the more you have to lose, as those who are highly trained show a greater magnitude of strength loss compared to those untrained or moderately trained.

It's important to know that missing a workout here and there isn't going to derail you, unless you let it…

The following is a timeline of what can happen if you stop training:

From as soon as day two of not working out, the “feel good” chemicals produced by exercise — endorphins, adrenaline, etc. — drop, and so does your mood. Energy levels and productivity also begin to decline. The irony is that workouts are often skipped during the times we need them the most, such as busy or stressful periods in life. Those “feel good” chemicals mentioned above are also natural appetite suppressants. Therefore, decreasing physical activity sets your body up for craving bad foods and gaining fat.

By day three, your muscles may begin to stiffen. You probably won't notice any outward effects, but your body will start to make changes internally. It recognises that it needs to mediate the loss of muscle fibers and begins to make changes to preserve the muscle. You won't notice much, and you won't gain fat as long as your diet doesn't drastically change.

By the end the first week, your metabolism slows down because your body’s ability to use oxygen has already dropped 10%, and your body needs oxygen to burn calories.

Within two weeks, your body starts negative recomposition. This is when you lose muscle and gain fat at the same time. Those who do power workouts, e.g., HIIT, cardio, running won't lose strength and should be able to resume as if they'd never been gone. However, strength trainers, e.g., bodybuilders, will see losses in strength at this time.

By the third week, your body’s ability to use oxygen may have dropped by around 20%. The decrease in oxygen use also makes you more tired because you need oxygen to run your metabolism. In short, you aren’t producing as much energy as you used to so anaerobic performance during activities like sprinting or HIIT will be affected.

By the 25th day, you could have already lost 10-15% of your muscle mass. If your weight has been steady, this means that your muscle has been replaced with equal parts fat. At this point, you're going to notice that you might be a little out of breath when you get back to the gym.

At 6 weeks strength can still be maintained depending on activity, but you'll keep losing power, meaning you'll definitely feel more tired when you hit the gym again.

The good news is your muscle memory stays long after muscles have wasted away and those who have experience with training will build strength quickly should they return to training.

If you are injured or sick, you may have no choice but to rest for a prolonged period. However, for everyone else, rather than give up fitness altogether, you should be more consistent with your workout schedule so that your sleep, mood, metabolism and physique don’t take a hit.

How to maintain fitness at a reduced level

Do less. If you normally do three sets of the exercises in your workout but are pressed for time or too exhausted to maintain your normal activity, show up and complete only one set. You will feel better, and you will have stopped the negative changes in your body, outlined above. One set is not the same as three, but it’s definitely more than zero.

Start with 10 minutes.

If you’re fighting with yourself about whether to complete a workout, try telling yourself you can quit after 10 minutes if you want to. Chances are, once you get going you will start to feel great and will carry on!

There will always be stuff on your to-do list, emails which you need to reply to or chores to be done but if you wait for the rare day that you are 100 % caught up on tasks, you’ll workout four times a year. If you don’t make the time to take care of yourself now, you could regret it in later life.

Missing a workout isn't the end of the world but it can make you feel guilty

Perhaps you think you’re not going to reach your goals if you don’t stick to a strict routine. You may feel like days off make you weak or undisciplined.

The reality is the body needs rest to recuperate from exercise sessions. Recuperation is every bit as important as exercise itself. Overtraining can cause the body to break down and not heal. Sometimes you need to take an extra day to rest and recuperate. If you have an injury you may need to take more time. The key is to find the right amount of exercise for you.

Here are some tips to keep you on track:

Be consistent: Work at being consistent with your exercise. Over the course of a few months, skipping a workout here and there isn’t going to hurt you. Be consistent over the long run and your exercise will pay off. Identify the things that would keep you from being consistent and have a backup plan.

Manage your overall wellbeing: Nutrition, along with stretching, recuperation, sleep and stress can affect your wellbeing. Even if you make 100% of your workouts, these things can limit your progress if not managed. If you eat poorly, results from exercise are going to be limited. Your exercise will also suffer if you don’t recuperate from your workouts.

Listen to Your Body: Learn what your body needs. Experiment and try different things. It takes time to learn about our bodies and understand what’s needed to feel our best. We aren’t going to feel great all the time, but we can find a balance. If you feel overtired, take a day off. Or even two. There’s no need for guilt if you are overdoing it. Be aware of how your body feels throughout the day. Prepare for your workouts and plan on getting a good night’s sleep. Plan ahead and give your body the best chance at feeling great.

Remember It’s a lifestyle: It’s how you think and feel about yourself and the positive things a healthy lifestyle brings. If you take a long-term attitude about your health and fitness and give up the short-term anxieties, you enjoy your journey more, it’s not about getting it 100% right all the time.

LIFE happens.

How you handle these things makes all the difference. That doesn't necessarily mean buckling down and charging forward more intensely; it can also mean slowing down and letting yourself heal.

Returning to exercise after a forced break through injury or illness:

Take it slowly, and carefully when you're coming back from a long break. Don’t assume anything about your body or its capabilities.

Be open to feedback and listen to the messages that your body sends. Modify exercises, intensity, length, range of motion, etc. as you need to. It won't help to rush anything. I can help with returning to exercise after a prolonged break.

Personal training

As a personal trainer, I will keep you motivated. Your workouts will be tailored to you and your specific circumstances and personal goals. An added benefit is my app which gives you access to your fitness plan wherever you are and keeps you accountable to help keep you focussed.

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