Think back to the last time you were consistent in your fitness routine. You had more energy. Your sleep was deep and refreshing. And you just felt… better.
As you recall that feeling, it might be hard to recall why you ever stopped working out in the first place. But let’s be honest: Life happens. Schedules change, personal challenges pop up, aches and pains set us back.
No matter what caused you to step away from fitness, the first step is acknowledging that you didn’t fail by taking time off. The truth is, the only way you’ll fail is if you never start again. Recognize that choosing to restart is a huge win.
The key now is to commit to restarting your fitness routine by setting realistic goals and expectations, to ensure long-term success. Here’s a guide to getting started.
Seven Tips for Successfully Restarting Your Fitness Routine
1. Assess Your Current Fitness Level.
The first step might actually be the most frustrating, so let’s get it out of the way. The reality is, if you’ve taken a longer step back from a consistent workout plan, your fitness level might not be where it was when you left off. This is where the ego check comes in.
You have to start by recognizing what that level is today, and not trying to match your former paces, weights, PRs, etc. Ignoring this step can lead to injury or setbacks. So in essence, you need to check yourself before you wreck yourself.
This can be as simple as self-assessing how you feel with various weights (starting low and gradually increasing) or movements (determining whether you’re able to perform them with good form and technique). And don’t forget, your coaches are here to help! If you’re unsure about your readiness, ask for direction and guidance during (or before) classes.
2. Set Realistic Goals.
Setting realistic goals for your fitness routine will not only hold you accountable to what you want to achieve, but it will also allow you to celebrate the wins along the way.
Start with short-term, super-attainable goals. For example, ‘I will attend three classes per week.’ Then after one week, BOOM. Check that box. From there, build on the goal: ‘I will attend three classes per week for 60 days.’ (Note: Give yourself a check box for every week. We’ll get into the psychology of continually checking boxes in a later blog, but it’s massively beneficial).
In addition to the short-term goals, choose some that are longer-term. Examples include getting back to a weight you could lift previously. Or being able to do a high-skill gymnastics movement, like a pull-up or rope climb.
There are two key things to remember in setting your goals. First, consistency wins over intensity every time. And second, fixating on past performance only robs you of enjoying your training today.
3. Start Slowly and Build Gradually.
Have you ever heard the saying, “Your fitness journey is a marathon, not a sprint”? Realizing that this isn’t a short-term endeavor can save you from exasperation, injury and burnout.
Especially for those who were consistent with a previous workout routine, the urge to dive back in with intensity - or the need to “catch back up” - might quickly find themselves feeling a sense of failure.
Instead, scaling workouts as needed will actually help you progress faster. These modifications could mean using lighter weights, doing fewer reps or even choosing a different movement that provides the same stimulus. The most important thing is to listen to your body and adjust accordingly. You showed up, you moved, and you’re on the right track again.
4. Prioritize Recovery in Your Fitness Routine.
When you’re just getting started again in fitness, you’ll likely notice some soreness. First, note that soreness is normal, but pain is not. You might be uncomfortable from the workout, but there’s a significant difference between discomfort and pain.
Along with this soreness comes an increased need for rest and recovery. The good news is that sleep is one of the best ways to recover, so get some extra ZZZs when you can! Also, utilize tools like stretching, mobility work and foam rolling. Need help? Ask your coaches for some guidance and direction.
Lastly, active recovery days are an imperative part of your fitness routine. These are days away from the gym or training, spent either completely relaxing, or doing light activity like walking or yoga.
5. Rebuild Healthy Habits.
Just like with most things in life, there’s an easy way and a hard way to embark on your fitness journey. The hard way is to just “give it a whirl” and see how it goes.
On the other hand, the easy way is to build your journey on healthy habits. Habits can be small, like reserving your spot in the next day’s class every evening. Or they can be bigger, like doing 15 minutes of foam rolling in the morning or while you’re watching TV at night.
There are also complementary habits, like meal prepping and staying hydrated. The best part is that things like this become cyclical. The more you work out, the more your body will crave wholesome nutrition and more water. And the better you eat, the better your workouts will go. It all works together to set you up for success!
The key with this step is patience. Healthy habits take time to build or rebuild. And if you ever miss a day, remember the two-day rule from the incredible book Atomic Habits: “If you miss a habit or goal for one day, you should make sure to do it the next day.” NEVER MISS TWICE.
6. Focus on Mindset.
It wouldn’t be right to pretend that restarting a fitness routine is easy. There are some huge mental hurdles to overcome, like comparing your current performance to the past, or to that of others.
But above all, remember that progress is progress, no matter how small. So embrace a growth mindset, believing in yourself and your ability to get better over time. Even if it takes longer than you expected, the alternative is staying where you are.
And don’t forget to celebrate the small victories along the way. When you finish a hard workout, acknowledge the fact that YOU JUST DID THAT. When you check into your 100th class, look back on how easy it would’ve been to quit. But you didn’t. And when you hit that weight that you haven’t hit in ages, recognize your commitment to restarting, and the dedication it took to honor that commitment.
7. Seek Support and Community.
Check this out: According to research from the American Society of Training and Development, individuals have a 65% chance of completing a goal if they tell someone about it. But that chance jumps to a whopping 95% if they have a specific accountability partner to check in with regularly.
That’s the power of community. We use the term “gym family” quite often because at 10.40.10 Fitness, the members truly become like family. They all understand what that first day felt like because they were there once, too. They’ll motivate you, support you and encourage you all the way to the finish of every workout.
If you need additional support or advice, that’s what our coaching team is here for. We’re excited to surround you with everything you need to restart (and never again stop) your successful fitness routine.
In Summary: Restart Your Fitness Routine Successfully this Year.
Life happens. Somewhere along the way, your fitness journey didn’t go as planned. But the good news is, you’re choosing not to let that be the end of the story.
As you prepare to restart your fitness routine, the most important thing to remember is that it’s not about how fast and intense you come back, but how sustainably you rebuild. Start by taking one step today. Whether that’s attending a class, signing up for a membership or even just taking a walk, it’s time to get the ball rolling.
Utilize the seven tips above to help you along the way and remember this great quote from Henry Ford, “Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.”
