Returning to the gym
October 29, 2021
Getting back on the Exercise Horse
When Auckland went into lockdown in August 2021 it seemed like we would be away for a few weeks and then things would open back up and off we go. After all, we knew the deal and could use this time to recover and maybe even do a bit of cardio.
Roll on to November 2021 and the re-opening of gyms is looking likely, so how do we go back and not feel defeated by the heavyweights and treadmills that move way faster than they used to.
Well as that opening day gets close we plan. Here are my 4 steps to getting back on the exercise horse.
- Get back into the routine:
Use the time now to gradually increase your exercise and rebuild your foundation. Whatever your exercise mode is try and start off doing a similar routine using bodyweight. It’s not so much about lifting weights or running, but about getting your mind and body ready for a workout routine.
Pre - lockdown you trained 3 times a week, for 45 minutes
Pre - opening start to get back into the routine of packing your gear, going for a walk/run, or a bodyweight workout.
- Nutrition:
Don’t be surprised if your lack of activity over this time apart from eating has resulted in a change in your size, and not for the better. So in line with getting back into an exercise routine, you may need to address those nutrition habits that are not helping. We know the deal, eat minimally processed food, high protein, vegetables, good carbs, and good fats that are low sugar and low salt. Find it hard to keep on track? Maybe a food tracking app is for you? One of the ones I have been using recently is the Macrofactor app by Stronger by Science. If anything its made me think about what I am eating and how my weight is trending. There are lots of options out there so check them out and see which best fits your needs.
- Do what you enjoy:
Need we say more if you don’t enjoy it you aren’t going to do itPick the style of training that works for you and you are more likely to stick with it. It seems obvious but I often see people train, not because they enjoy it, but because someone has told them it’s way more effective than doing another style of training. That may be true, but if you don’t keep it up then ist not very effective. The key thing with any training is to ensure you are constantly challenging the body.
- Track:
There is nothing more satisfying than seeing progress and the best way to do that is to track your training. It can show you an increase in weights lifted, weight loss, resting heart rate, exercising heart rate, and a whole range of metrics that will help you keep on track. As with any tracking tool, it’s the trend you should be looking at. If you focus on one part in isolation it can become easy to see the negative, rather than the overall change.As an example resting heart rate can be affected by fitness but also by illness, medicines you take, time of the month, and so on.Weight can be affected by an increase in muscle, the scales you weigh yourself on, time of the day, activity levels, the food you have eaten, time of the month, and so on.There are some excellent tracking apps, many are free with paid upgrades check them out and see what works for you.