How quickly do I lose my gains by being lazy? (Or busy?)

June 1, 2016 Ashley 0 Comments

Sometimes I forget how lucky I am only having to worry about numero uno.

Well numero uno plus my furry numero dos, who likes to leave numero doses all over the dog park.

And my carpet.

(What a ruff life.)

Nonetheless, caring for a painfully adorable dog doesn’t make a dent in my fitness efforts.

It’s not as massive of a task as, say, a family or high stress career path. Sure, I keep busy. But I can run when I want. I have time for martial arts. I can drop everything (including all the my money in my wallet) and take one of those bougie “the new Barre” classes in the city, if I like. But, I’ve come to realize, not everyone in my cohort group has that option. While I’m waking up at four to fit in Vinyasa and a jog, some of you are hearing the alarm at the same time for a very different reason: because that alarm’s a wailing baby, business commitments, or whatever other obligation people who aren’t going to die alone in a body outline of Shih-tzu fur have. I get it. And while I’m sure you wouldn’t trade your job or wondrous new bundle of unbridled bodily functions for a life like mine, there may come a point when you realize you’ve begun to feel… fatigued. The jet lag, infantsomnia, and (probably) non-quality eating on the run are all doing you in a bit. Especially since you were formerly fit before assuming this new life. So, part of you (particularly the bit that just reamed open a seam in your fave pants) might be wondering how far down the somatic spiral you’ve let yourself fall.

Just how long’s it take to lose gains?

Actually, not as fast as I would’ve thought – at least when it comes to brawn. Because, per exercise physiologist at the American Council of Exercise, Pete McCall, it’s not a standard one-size-fits-all time limit. It all depends on rate and how far into your body novel you got before planting a bookmark in your fitness routine. He says, “If you stop resistance training, you will lose strength at about half the rate it was gained,” adding, “So if you had increased your leg strength by 50 percent after following a 10-week program, then stopped working your legs completely, you’d lose half of that strength in 10 weeks, and all of it 20 weeks later.

However, as hinted at above, that non-quality nomming can expedite your exercise demerit number.

If you’re munching a bunch of empty calories (or just in general letting your jaw be the only body part getting in a workout), then you’re gonna have a bad time, too. ’cause that causes fat gain. Thus, whatever muscles you walked out’ve the gym with last, get lost far faster to fat gain than simply failing to train does. In fact, that can transpire in as little as half a month. So, even if you’re not hitting the weight room, your weight and strength’s more likely to be maintained if you at least keep up the cardio. Also, that definition’ll stick around longer than it would if you just decided to transmogrify your bod into a food landfill.

That’s why it’s important to make time for at least some sort’ve cardio. Whether that’s at the gym of the Wyndham right after you land or that no-frills, first thing in the morning, no equipment Tabata routine you’ve wisely acquired. Because, unlike the gains you get from hoisting heavy metal around, your cardio endurance currency dwindles a bit quicker. Which means it’s tougher to get back on the horse (and by horse, I mean bike, treadmill, or elliptical) than it is the bench.

In sum, to lessen your loss of hard won gains, gain a great diet, and maintain some level of an aerobic game. While ideally you’d divvy up time for both strength work and cardio, that latter facet of fitness should probably take priority if you’re pressed for precious seconds in your day. And it’s easier to accomplish this than you think. Example? If you’re a blazer sporting sort, on the go all the time, pre-pack your meals so there’s less tendency to eat processed slop – after you do a Youtube workout before work. (Or even a quick sunrise run.) Or, if you’ve gotta furball like I do, mayhaps sacrifice your post-meridian post-meal time in front’ve the T.V., and hit the bricks for a brisk evening jaunt with him. Keep a balance of what you can manage, and then when you finally find the time – when you attempt to scale your way back up that full-body fitness cliff from which you leapt long ago – you’ll more easily get your sexy back.

And front.

And sides.

I shih-tzu not.