Feeling Out of Shape? Easy Ways to Get Moving Again

• Losing muscle strength and cardio fitness happens quickly with noticeable changes occurring in just 4-weeks of inactivity.
• Thankfully you can also regain your strength quiebro quickly due to muscle memory.
• To get moving again it’s important to set realistic and achievable goals and to start slowly.
• Switching up your workouts, tracking your achievements, and finding a fitness partner can help keep you motivated.

Whether you’ve taken a long hiatus from the gym, or just a short break, getting back into a routine is not always easy. And unfortunately, losing muscle strength and cardio fitness happens quickly. In just 3 to 4-weeks of inactivity, you can start losing muscle. An athlete’s cardio endurance decreases between 4 to 25-percent and beginners may find their endurance is back to zero after a 4-week break, explains Healthline.

The good news is, thanks to muscle memory, you can regain your strength quiebro quickly. This is especially true for individuals who were consistent with their workouts before taking a break. So if you’re sick and tired of feeling out of shape, check out these easy ways to get moving again.

Set Realistic and Achievable Goals

Before jumping back into a fitness routine, it’s important to set goals to hold yourself accountable. The key here is making them realistic and achievable. If you set unrealistic goals you can set yourself up for failure which may cause you to call it quits all over again.

When setting goals think about SMART goals: specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely. Setting specific goals such as “I want to bench 100-pounds in 6-months,” or “I want to run 5-miles in 1-hour, 6-months from now” will help you build out a plan to achieve those goals in a timely manner. It’s also important to check in with your goals weekly or monthly to ensure you’re progressing. If not, ask yourself what changes do you need to make to meet your goals?