How Long Does It Take To Get Out Of Shape?
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Away on holiday, sooner or later, as I enjoy bite after bite of culinary indulgences I begin to miss home, and my workout regime in particular. Yes I know hotels have gyms too and there is no excuse for not working out- even when on a vacation. But as a creature of habit, I find my motivation and my temptations work together a lot better when I am supported by routine and the familiar encouragement of my fitness instructor. And therefore every time I pack for a holiday, while I teem with excitement and anticipation, part of me sighs at the tragic separation from my floor mat and workout schedule. More than putting on a few extra pounds while I am away, it is the loss of what I have worked so hard to achieve that dampens this moment. Coming back to my schedule can be a lot harder than it sounds, especially when I am away for weeks at a stretch. But just how long does our body take to get out of shape? The answer is a lot more heartening than you imagined, but it does depend on a number of factors such as the frequency of your workout and how long you have been exercising, what your exercise routine entails and just how you are assessing the results. As a rule of thumb- the younger you are, the easier it is to bounce back. But when assessed closely, things may not always be as straightforward. Broadly speaking you can measure just how much your time away has impacted your body in terms of 2 distinct parameters- strength loss and cardio loss.
Strength loss refers to the loss of muscle strength is slower than cardio loss in its occurrence and intensity when you stop working out. If you have been exercising regularly (i.e. atleast a couple of times a week for more than a year) or are an athlete, then this loss sets in only two and half to three weeks after you stop exercising. If you are still engaged in light exercises and an active lifestyle, then you can go for near four or five weeks without significant loss in muscle strength. Here’s the catch though- while general muscle strength is easier to retain, if you have been sweating at developing specific muscle sets and specialist strengths can begin to wane in as little as two weeks. Endurance and power athletes therefore cannot afford to be as relaxed with their breaks as it costs them the slow twitch or fast twitch muscle fibers they work so hard to develop. For exercise newbies who are still setting up a seasoned routine and are still in their first year of regular exercise, it gets even easier. Newbie gains are easier to retain and not really a source of concern when you do step away for a while. Infact a study showed that even 6 months after finishing a 4 month strength training program, participants retained up to 50 percent of their strength without any further exercise. Cardio losses are, in comparison to strength training, much faster to set in but equally faster to regain once you are back in the game. Athletes can lower their V02 max index by as much as 20% in just four weeks, while newbies can lose any gains made over the last two months in the same time period. But don’t think that these figures are a reason to never take a break from your workout routine. Exercise induces a stress on the body, and like all stresses can build up and do you more harm than good. Make sure to give your body adequate rest in between workouts, and even take a few days off some time. But if you are crossing the time barriers listed here the next time you are on holiday, make sure to stay moving and incorporate light exercise into your itinerary.