Ever wondered what happens to your body if you stop working out for a month?
As a very fit person, exercise is part of my daily routine for many years. It’s hard to imagine life without it.
But sometimes life takes a different path beyond our control. Recently I traveled cross-county to help my elderly Dad move into an assisted living facility.
That meant emptying out the house my parents moved into during the 1980’s. I had a huge task ahead since it was just me sorting, selling, donating and throwing out stuff.
Here’s what happened to my body during the month I stopped working out.
Prior to traveling cross-country, I completed 2 months of 80 Day Obsession and was in great shape.
Week One of Not Working Out
The first week was exhausting since there was so much to do. I was thankful to be a fit person so I could handle the task ahead.
Every day was filled with a lot of physical and mental tasks. By 7 PM at night, I was so tired I could barely stay awake.
I still felt pretty good aside from that.
Week Two of No Exercise
I could tell that I was losing a tiny bit of weight in the second week of no exercise. I got excruciating headaches every night and continued to be exhausted.
I made sure I ate healthy foods to keep up my energy levels but it was tough to fight how tired I felt.
My body started feeling all jammed up. My back was feeling compressed in my lower spine and my posture was not as straight and sturdy.
My daughter noticed it too and reminded me to stand up straight.
Week Three of Not Working Out
By the third week of no exercise, my muscles started hurting. This was different then the soreness you might feel after a great workout.
I felt a different type of ache as I was losing muscle mass. My arms and back felt the worst and it was quite uncomfortable.
I started to worry about the state of my body. My back continue to feel compressed and my posture was not great unless I made a conscience effort to stand up straight.
Week Four of Not Working Out
After no working out for 30 days, I felt pretty awful. All my muscles hurt, my back hurt, I didn’t have my usual energy level and my head hurt.
I continued to eat healthy and drink plenty of water. Still, I was so uncomfortable that all I could think about was getting back to my fitness routine.
Week Five and a New Exercise Routine
When all the hard work in the house was finally complete and my Dad taken care of, I was excited to get back to my workout routine.
I knew I would have to ease back into it after a month of no exercise. I started out with a 30-minute yoga session followed by a slow 2-mile walk.
It felt amazing to get moving again and focus on me.
I also added in Beachbody’s Clean Week program. It’s perfect for beginners and was great for me to ease back into exercise.
Between the Yoga and Clean Week fitness program, my body started feeling better day by day.
I didn’t add weights to the routine that first week, I just wanted to go through the exercises and not add too much resistance.
It was the perfect combination of exercise to ease back in. I moved on to very light weights that I could do with good form.
Conclusion
There are many reasons why you might have stopped exercising for a period of time. You will definitely notice changes in your body. In this article, I shared what I experienced and how I eased back into exercising daily.
I am thankful for Beachbody On Demand as there are so many great exercise programs to choose from. Most of all, Yoga was a lifesaver for my back and posture.
You can check out Beachbody On Demand to get your best results whether you are just starting exercise or took a hiatus for awhile.
