What to Expect when Returning to the Gym
The ups and downs of getting back to your fitness regimen
Blame it on the new year if you like, but no matter when you return to the gym, there are things you need to be aware of. Whether you are going to a public gym or working out from the comfort of your own home, the intensity and frequency of starting your workout routine again or for the first time, will take its toll if you're not careful. Here are 6 tips and suggestions I have found useful when starting my workout routine back up:
1. Your body will be sore!
Even if it's just 30 minutes on the treadmill or the elliptical your body will react. It may not be an intense soreness, but, you are working muscles that haven't been used in this way before or haven't been used like this in a long time. High intensity workouts with weightlifting and full body exercise will have you almost unable to sit down and once you do sit down, it's difficult to stand back up. Any time I take a significant amount of time off from the gym, I'm talking 3 months to 3 years, my body feels like it's been hit by a freight train. There is no requirement to push yourself this hard but it's what I do unintentionally, every single time. I think I can just start where I left off and everything will be okay, and it will be, but its important to get past the first few days.
2. Water!
You have to make sure you are staying hydrated. It doesn't matter where you get your water, a bottle from the store, tap water or filtered water from your home, it doesn't matter, just drink. Take water with you to the gym, drink a glass when you wake up and before you go to bed, before and after each meal. I have heard so many different things over the years, the one that stuck with me is, you need to drink half your body weight in ounces of water. (My childhood friends', younger sister was a figure skater, this was the advice given to her and the results were amazing paired with diet and exercise.) Add lemon, cucumber, lime and mint, to mix things up. This will help trick your taste buds and your stomach in to thinking it's getting something other than just water.
3. Make it past the 3rd day!
It takes 30 days to build a habit that will become part of your routine. If you have ever tried to start a new diet or workout, you know that by day 3 it's the hardest to push past. You're exhausted, in pain, and all you want to do is give up and order that pizza or not show up and get to work. Once you push past that 3rd day, day 4 and 5 and every day after that become so much easier. Keep in mind, every day of this new lifestyle is not going to be a breeze, some days it's 15 minutes of cardio and done for the day. Other days it's 2 hours of weights, crunches, running, squatting, jumping, repeat. My suggestion is to not give yourself a day off until day 6 or 7 because if you stop too soon, you may not go back. Some people don't take days off, they go every day and sometimes more than once a day. Do what you are comfortable with and what you have time for, the effort you put in will show.
4. Don't give in to simple carbs and sugars!
It's so tempting when you start working out to say to yourself, I went to the gym today, I can justify eating this cheeseburger and fries or this pizza. Don't do it! You will wake up feeling like you've undone everything you did the day before. If you have a sweet tooth, dark chocolate or a bowl of your favorite fruit is a natural sugar your body will thank you for. You can grab a potato and some green beans from the produce section and some chicken and make a meal that will last you anywhere between 3-6 days (dependent on size and quantity of all items) for the same amount as that frozen pizza. I fall prey to pizza almost every time. Go grocery shopping before you start going back to the gym, research or set up a diet/meal plan for yourself so that you can set yourself up for success.
5. (For Women) Timing!!!
Men, if talking about a women's time of the month bothers you, please skip over this section. You don't have to read anything that will make you uncomfortable or gross you out. If you are a woman and you still get your period, starting back up at the gym a week before you normally start is going to have effects. Bloating and fatigue will feel even more intensified. Push past it. If you are like me and you keep track of your period, you have a rough idea of when you will start, you can time your return to the gym to be the week before, 2 weeks, or just after you're done. You're period itself will be affected, some women notice that their periods are less painful and less bleeding occurs when they change their workout regimen. I used to have random months a few years back where I would hardly be bleeding at all and then all of a sudden it felt like I was peeing my pants, so much blood. After spending a consistant 6 months at the gym in 2019, my period completely changed, that was the only consistant thing in my life that changed so I have to thank the gym for that.
6. Give it time!
You are not going to see results over night. The first few days and weeks your muscles are adjusting to the new movements you are doing. If you are a woman trying to lose weight and fat you're goals and self image will likely be different than a man or a woman trying to bulk up and gain muscle. Find someone you can go to the gym with to help motivate you and push you to keep going. Having a partner to workout makes working out more fun and it's nice to have someone else to hold you accountable if and when you find it hard to hold yourself accountable. I just said your body won't change over night, but you will wake up one morning and finally start noticing your results. I just meant that it's not instantaneous. The time, effort, and energy you put into yourself and your workouts will begin to show. Pair your exercise with a health conscious diet and you will see results more quickly.
Below I will link some diets and sources of information that I have tried myself that work and other diets and information that have been known to work for others.
About the Creator
Keep reading
More stories from Shasta Scott and writers in Longevity and other communities.
Vitamins and Supplements
Vitamins and supplements are good alternatives to making sure you're body has what it needs to be strong and healthy. When I think of vitamins and supplements I think of holistic healing. In an article found on Roger Williams University, holistic healing or holistic medicine, considers five aspects when it comes to a persons' overall health; "physical, emotional, social, spiritual, and intellectual." When I think of holistic healing and medicine, I think of nature, which leads me back to vitamins and supplements. Most vitamins are products of nature that have been scientifically altered. You can take vitamins like Cranberry Extract for UTI's, Elderberry and Vitamin C for immune health, Melatonin for a more restful sleep. According to the FDA's website, "dietary supplements, in general, are not FDA-approved. Under the law (Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994), dietary supplement firms do not need FDA approval prior to marketing their products. It is the company’s responsibility to make sure its products are safe and that any claims are true."
By Shasta Scott3 years ago in Longevity
Miniature Mind Musings #8:
Recently, I spoke with a family member who I struggled to catch up with for a longer timespan than I would’ve liked and what struck me was how societal templates filled in on successive days routinely suck our time into a vacuum of seemingly infernal deficiency.
By The Dani Writer4 days ago in Longevity
Capturing Time How Instagram Story Saver Preserves Memories
In the fast-paced digital world, moments come and go in the blink of an eye. Social media platforms like Instagram have revolutionized the way we share our lives, allowing us to capture fleeting moments and share them with the world. Instagram Stories, in particular, have become a popular way to share snippets of our daily lives, but what happens when those stories disappear after 24 hours? This is where story saver comes into play, offering a solution to preserve these cherished memories. In this inclusive guide, we will delve into the significance of Instagram Story Saver in capturing time and preserving memories.
By Igstorysaver7 days ago in Longevity
One of the Crazy Things Rich People Do That's Scary To Think About
They impress us, and sometimes they scare us, but the ultra-rich are always interesting. Some of their famous activities include buying yachts too big to move through channels, buying ridiculously priced cars that could feed the homeless of New York for weeks, and their expensive tastes in sex workers.
By Jason Ray Morton 4 days ago in FYI
Comments
There are no comments for this story
Be the first to respond and start the conversation.