What happens when you stop working out?

First things first, don't beat yourself up for taking a break. Taking time off from exercise every once in a while can actually be great for your mental and physical health, giving your body time to recover and renew your motivation to start again.

However, too much time off can impede your overall fitness progress, making starting again feel daunting. So, how long of a break is too long and what can you do about it?

A break from exercise affects the body differently depending on the type. For example, it takes less time to lose your cardio endurance than to lose muscle mass. After just a few days, you may begin to notice a decrease in your running performance for example. While on the other hand, you won’t notice any significant loss in muscle until after about a 3-4 week break from strength training.

Luckily, maintaining even a minimal level of activity in your daily life can prevent a considerable drop in your fitness. Here's what you can do:

Tip #1: Get started

An obvious place to begin, but always the hardest part! Getting up and moving your body truly is the best remedy for feeling sluggish.

Break the ice with a 20 minute power walk, or try a quick 7 minute workout to get your blood flowing. After a period of inactivity, moving your body can boost your mood and help you feel like yourself again.

Tip #2: Don't neglect your warm-up

Warming up is an essential part of your workout routine, especially when your muscles aren't used to working out. It prepares your muscles, reduces the risk of injury and helps you get into the right mindset for exercise.

Not sure where to start? Don't miss these top tips for an effective warm-up.

Tip #3: Short HIIT bodyweight workouts

Not ready to hit the gym yet? You can develop and maintain your fitness right from your living room. In fact, doing a 7 to 10 minute high-intensity workout with bodyweight training each day can give you about 80% of the benefits of working out everyday.

Seven offers tons of high intensity bodyweight workouts for all fitness levels that you can do anytime, no equipment needed. Just pick a focus area or your main workout goal and find a workout that’s perfect for you.

Most importantly, go easy on yourself up if you let your fitness routine slip! Ups and downs are a natural part of any fitness journey, but Seven has your back so you can dust yourself off and get back in the game.

Time to get back into your workout routine? We're ready when you are!