| Why is it so hard to get back into an exercise program after quarantine? The answer is simple: you were too sedentary for too long. Is this really a problem? Actually, not really. We’re going through something that the world hasn’t seen in over a 100 years, so it’s ok that worrying about life, your job, and your future is making you a little too distracted to try and exercise on a daily basis. Let’s be real, it’s hard to even keep the house clean and eat enough throughout the day sometimes. In a study done by Fitbit, they saw a 12% decrease in daily steps compared to 2019 in the United States and over 20% in a few of the European countries, the worst being Italy at 38%. (1). So it wasn’t just you, most people shut down their lives and watched Tiger King. So, what should you focus on now that things are slowly opening up and you can get back into the gym? First: Don’t even think about your old numbers in the big compound lifts (Squat, Deadlift, Bench press) or any lifts for that matter. Taking 2-3 months off from doing any heavy lifting will see a huge drop in ability to move heavy weight. It only take about 3 weeks to start losing strength and power (2). So, start slowly and go easy on yourself. Start with some tempo work in the 4-6 rep range or some hypertrophy work in the 8-12 rep range. I wouldn’t use percentage work from old maxes; instead, I would suggest you go by feel – think a 6 or 7 RPE (Rate Of Perceived Exertion) (3). This goes for cardio as well – don’t worry about that old 5 or 10 K time and your old average Km/mile pace. Start slow and easy and build your paces back up over time. Second: Make sure you are drinking enough water throughout the day. If you were like me during quarantine, your water consumption went down and your coffee and alcohol consumption went up…… a LOT. So, start drinking more water. Aim for at least 2 litres a day and if you consider yourself an athlete, you should aim more towards 3 litres a day for women and 4 litres a day for men. Here is a handy calculator you can use to help figure out how much you should drink based on your weight and activity level: https://www.slenderkitchen.com/article/how-to-calculate-how-much-water-you-should-drink-a-day Third: Get your food intake up to healthy!! Throw away the chips and candy, or at least hide them so you forget they are in your house. Start getting in more vegetables (5 + servings a day) and lean protein (aim for .6 to .8 grams per pound of body weight on average) in your diet. Start slowly and don’t make drastic changes all at once – that’s just a recipe for disaster and you will fail maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but more then likely within a month. Make small changes weekly or monthly and only add new things as changes become easier. Work at having a good relationship with food and don’t expect miracles. Change takes time and it’s worth it in the long run. Use this handy guide to help you make better choices: https://www.precisionnutrition.com/what-should-i-eat-infographic Fourth (and maybe most important): Don’t be too hard on yourself! Your strength, endurance, and athletic ability is still there, just give yourself a month or two to get it back. If you go too hard and too fast you will injure yourself and/or burn yourself out. Then you’ll end up spending even more time on the couch, and with summer finally here, that’s the last place you should want to be! If you have already crashed and burned with an exercise program, don’t freak out and say, “I will just start in the fall” or “ I will start in the New Year.” Start again and cut way back on intensity and volume and only add things as you become more comfortable with the basics. If you have no idea where to start, feel free to contact STRIDE and we will help you pick an option to help you – whether it’s group classes or some one on one personal training. The worst thing you can do is is quit and stop moving! Find something you enjoy and get at it one step at a time! – Greg Strength & Conditioning Coach STRIDE Physio & Performance 1- https://blog.fitbit.com/covid-19-global-activity/ 2- https://globalnews.ca/news/5653575/how-long-does-it-take-to-lose-muscle-mass/ 3- https://runningmagazine.ca/sections/training/rpe-can-use-training/#:~:text=RPE%20refers%20to%20your%20rating,working%20at%20any%20given%20time. |
