If you follow me on social media, you may have seen that in the last month and a half, I’ve had two skin surgeries to remove melanoma from my thigh and my shoulder. You may have also seen that Kurt and I were recently able to take a short but long-awaited vacation to the island of Kauai in Hawaii for our ten-year anniversary.
Not great timing for one to follow the other but don’t worry, I was very careful with lots of sunscreen and covering up! And I did not come back with a tan but did come back refreshed and rested and with some great memories!
All this happening at once required me to take both unplanned and planned breaks from my normal workout routine. Part of this was tough for me—the skin surgeries were two weeks apart, so I had to take the better part of a month off, then once cleared, I left to travel. Even though I know better, I still got worried I would lose strength and endurance. I worried I would lose the momentum of the March workouts (see what I did there?), that my anxiety would skyrocket, and that I’d get behind in work.
If you’ve been following the March calendar, you’ve seen that I got creative with some special guest stars helping me out in workouts, as well as modifying for myself when needed. And as I return home this week, I’m feeling really excited to finally get moving again, no matter what that feels or looks like.
The question of taking time off comes up often, so let’s break it down. What really happens when we take a break from exercise?
The good news is, not much! Especially if you have been consistently working out. The other good news, breaks are needed for our body to recover and often we return to exercise with more energy to challenge ourselves. If you’re taking a normal week or two off due to vacation, a minor injury, or a particularly busy season of life, here’s what to expect:
- Muscle fiber hangs on! While studies vary, most research confirms that it takes weeks to months to begin losing muscular strength and mass.
- We lose some cardiovascular endurance but not much. Recent studies show that aerobic capacity starts to decline in about two weeks, so you may feel a little more winded when you return, but detraining effects are minimal.
- Your body may retain some fluids, making you feel a little less tight or strong, but you haven’t lost muscle and don’t look any different.
- Our bodies have a chance to rest and heal, so they come back with more energy and drive. Remember what I always tell you: Recovery is part of the process!
- We remember why we love movement in the first place! It’s true—my time off has made me realize even more how much my body craves movement, and how important it is to my mental health and energy levels. I always feel better after I move.
Even if you are unable to exercise for an extended period due to an injury or illness or life circumstance, you won’t come back starting from scratch! Muscle memory is strong, and while it will feel tougher and slower at first, know you can and will get back with a little time.
The bottom line is our bodies are incredible, and when we move consistently, our bodies know what to do even when we take a break. Time off can be incredibly beneficial to avoid burnout, avoid over-stressing our muscles, and getting adequate recovery, so use it wisely!
Can totally relate. Tore my meniscus early November and had to quit everything for months. Turns out there is also cartilage damage and arthritis. Finally feeling well enough to do some modified work outs and took one dance class today. I decided to once my knee and dropped the ice pack on my other foot, breaking my 4th toe. !!!! Can’t make this stuff up!
I am using your workout videos as a form of exercise during my 40 days of lent season. Day 1 was Ash Wednesday and Day 40 will be Easter.
Amy, I’ve really enjoyed meeting your guests. It mixes things up. And some of them even have bodies like mine lol. Thank you for everything you do. I love the kettlebell workouts so much. You’ve given me the confidence to use weights and try HIIT and even EMOM and Tabata (oy!). Yours, Natalie
Thank you Amy and this is good to know. I appreciate you & Vivian!
Hope all is well and you had a wonderful break! The triads of balancing our intellectual, physical and emotional health are important! Love your workouts and common sense approach to health!!
Thank you for this! I have been slacking the last 2 weeks because my family had back to back weekend trips, and I didn’t have a chance to clean up, unpack, get reorganized , go grocery shopping, meal prep, etc. Like you said, I don’t look and feel a whole lot different. I’m committed to getting back on track tomorrow. I’ve been so looking forward to the March workouts. I was planning to do 2x/day until I catch up because the workout titles look AWESOME! I decided I will see how it goes. With the weather in the NE on the cusp of breaking, I may just spend some more time outside and take some walks throughout the week.
Thank you Amy 😊 currently laying in bed feeling under the weather and thinking omg I am going to miss a Monday. Thank you for this good read. So glad you were able to go away 😉
Thank you for this! I work 3-4 nights in a row every month and I can’t keep up with exercise during that week. I always feel guilty and push myself and it literally doesn’t work! I always exercise the day I start nights and the day after I rested one whole night at home… sometimes I do an old class you have for the office!!! And I try to take the stairs at the hospital instead of the elevators… but it is not the same 🙁
Now I will feel better because per your article it is not that detrimental to skip almost a week per month!
Thank you!
Thank You for this information! I have been looking for a trusted article with facts about taking time off from working out and this is it. Now I don’t have to stress, worry and beat myself up for needing time off! I always worry I will lose strength and endurance if I take a week off or forget how to workout and not make it back. But I love to workout and that just isn’t true. I’m glad you published this article.
This has never come at a better time. I’ve been doing Bodyfit by Amy workouts for the last year and a half postpartum and got to a place I was so comfortable with. Then I got pregnant and knew I’d continue a fit pregnancy only to be told by the Dr no workout until past the first trimester. It’s been very had going from 6 day/week workouts to none at all, but this is very encouraging and reminds me it’s only for a short period of time. Thanks again and keep posting. When I’m finally cleared I will join in all the challenges I’ve missed!
Thank you Amy for inspiring me since 2016 as I am living partly in Belgium and partly in Turkey I tried to keep the momentum since years and saw the difference. Recently I motivated my friend to follow your exercises and she is really grateful. Your article soothe my worries as we are going on holidays for 10 days. Keep going to inspire us with your new exercise videos and I would really appreciate if you shoot some videos a little elderly people 🙂
Thank you – this came at a really good time! I have been feeling sore/ exhausted – could be menopause, but also I do about one to hours exercise a day and NOT seeing any benefits. I think this is over training, and I am now going to take a break for 2 weeks (aside from dog walking!). – and won’t worry about too much loss of fitness now.
I had to take a break last week since I was diagnosed with kidney stones 😫and although I tried to do some of the workouts I feel like I was not ready.. I still have not passed them fully as I’m still cramping but I am dying to go hack to Match workouts ☺️!!everyone’s tells me not to even workout cause I can make it worse please if anyone knows the answer to this help this sister out lol
This has been a very meaningful discussion. I’ve been very down on myself since I tore my rotator cuff. (Same side as previous mastectomy) I’m very grateful to Amy & the Body Fit Community. Today I will work out. My fist since October. Until I have surgery I will be where I am today
Thank you so much for this week’s topic! I really needed to hear everything on this topic as I’ve been feeling very anxious about what I’m losing being down. So happy you and Kurt were able to get some time together 🙂 Happy Anniversary!
Happens to all of us, I suddenly was experiencing great heel pain from sudden onset of planter factitious in November and haven’t been able to work out until recently. I too worried about lack of exercising and the negative effects it would have on my body, though my mind suffered the most. working out is such a stress relief. I found some gentle yoga to do Mornings and evenings and that help tremendously!
I’m slowly getting back on the exercise train, but this time with an eye on keeping my body safe.
Be well, and thank you for all you do. Love your workouts! (well, at least I did until my foot!)
Thank you, Amy! This is so helpful and came at just the right time. This particular week is hectic and I thought I would give myself 15 min. of exercise per day, IF anything.
Thank you for the great pep talk and for letting us all know it’s not anything to be frustrated with ourselves about. Btw, I love all your videos and because of you I became a kettle-bell fan!
This is SO true. I have been working out every single day for the past 4 years. I had a major foot surgery, 7 procedures done at once, in October 2022. I had to take time off because I literally could not stand. Once I could stand, about a week after, I started working out again. I could not do all of the movements but I modified. I gave myself grace knowing that one day I would be able to do the full workouts again. My foot is still healing but I am able to FINALLY run after a couple of years of foot pain. I never thought I would be able to run!!
Thank you Amy, I having been doing your workouts for I think 5 years now and love them! As an oncology nurse I am so happy that you caught your melanoma’s early and had them removed. What an excellent reason to take a break from exercise. I hope recovery continues to go well and thanks for making exercise fun.
Absolutely agree. Health problems put me at a dead movement stop for about 8 months. I am back to it, but not at the same level. I missed it; my body missed it. Thank you, Amy.