Taking Time Off from the Gym? Here’s What You Need to Know

You’re enjoying the freedom of retirement or entering a new chapter of life after 50, and you’ve made your health and wellbeing a priority. But what happens when it's time to take that long-awaited holiday, visit the grandkids, or embark on that dream cruise? You might be thinking, or even a bit worried, that taking a break from the gym will undo all your hard-earned progress. The unfortunate reality is, you’ll probably lose some of the progress you’ve made so far.

But there’s good news! A break doesn’t have to mean a total setback. In fact, with the right mindset, time away can actually benefit your body and motivation. Let’s look at why taking a break from the gym won’t necessarily set you back to square one, what not to do while you’re on a break, and how to embrace your vacation away from the gym without guilt!

Losing Progress

Life happens, and sometimes that means taking an unplanned or scheduled break from your workout routine. And yes, this might mean some loss in progress. But hitting pause doesn’t mean starting over. Research on people taking time away from routine exercise shows that even after 10 weeks off from strength training, people bounced back to their previous strength and muscle size within half of that time, thanks to a thing called muscle memory. Studies also show muscle strength can stay pretty steady during a more short term break of a few weeks, and recovers fast once you’re back at it.

Cardio fitness on the other hand is a bit less forgiving. Peak fitness and aerobic endurance can dip noticeably after only a couple of weeks away from doing some sort of higher intensity or maintained cardio. But similar to muscle strength, fitness levels can also be regained in a relatively short amount of time after returning to the gym.

Even Light Activity Helps

Holidays don’t have to mean hitting a total pause on your fitness goals. Staying generally active while away from the gym goes a long way in preserving your hard-earned progress. Whether it’s going for walks, swimming at the beach, or joining a spontaneous game of backyard cricket, general physical activity helps maintain muscle engagement and reduce the rate of progress loss from the gym. Even low-intensity movement like keeping on top of housework during breaks can help sustain muscle health and metabolic rate, making it easier to bounce back into your regular routine post-holiday. Just doing some sort of movement is enough to hold onto some of your progress and keep the momentum going.

Don’t Completely Stop Moving

One of the biggest mistakes you can make during a break from the gym, especially while on holiday, is to stop moving altogether. While rest is healthy and even necessary, complete inactivity can lead to a surprisingly rapid loss of strength and fitness, especially in older adults. Studies show that after just one to two weeks of total inactivity, adults can begin to lose muscle mass and cardiovascular fitness, with faster rates of loss the older someone is. In fact, people over 50 can lose up to 1–3% of muscle strength per day during periods of complete bed rest or immobility. Remember, you don’t need structured workouts to maintain your progress. Going for walks, swimming, lifting and keeping up with the grandkids can help keep your body engaged and protect your body from losing your progress while away from the gym.

Enjoy the Time Off and Come Back Refreshed

Taking a break from the gym for a holiday or family time should never come with guilt. Time off is inevitable, and is important for overall wellbeing. Giving yourself permission to take a break from the gym is not only okay, it’s smart. A short break won’t erase your progress, and it can even be great for your mental outlook, motivation, and overall wellbeing. Instead of stressing about missed workouts, focus on enjoying your time on holidays or spending time with family. After all, why make your health and fitness a priority if you don’t take the time to enjoy your life?

This blog is brought to you by Community Fit Over 50s. If you’re over 50 or an older adult and want to start exercising for your health and wellbeing, read about our exercise programs by following the link below.