How Long Does It Take to Get “Out of Shape”?

Time away from a fitness routine is bound to happen. Here’s what you need to know to get your workouts back on track — and why it matters to your health.

Even if you’re dedicated to an active lifestyle, things come up that throw you off your game. Maybe you get sick and have to press pause on your workouts. Or you go on vacation and that disrupts your routine.  

Sometimes life just gets kind of crazy and fitness falls to the bottom of your to-do list. When that happens, have you ever wondered just how long you can take a break without getting out of shape?  

You’ll be happy to hear that you won’t lose all your fitness progress if you skip working out for a few days — or even a week. In fact, a brief break can be a good thing: Your body needs rest just as much as it needs exercise. 

But back off from working out for much longer than that and it will affect your body and your health.   

“When a person stops exercising, it takes two to three weeks to see a substantial difference in their fitness level,” says John Gardner, a National Academy of Sports Medicine–certified personal trainer and the cofounder of Kickoff, a personal training service.  

Let’s take a look at what happens physically when you take an exercise break. We’re also sharing Gardner’s tips for how to get back in the swing of things if you’ve been away for a while.     

Get and stay fit with SilverSneakers! Choose from dozens of different Community classes, visit a participating fitness location, or join one of our 20+ SilverSneakers LIVE online classes. Check your eligibility here.  

1. You May Start to Feel a Little Weaker

Losing strength happens by small degrees, day by day, according to Gardner. “Let’s say a person doesn’t work out for a couple of days. They’ll already feel a decline in their endurance. It won’t be drastic, but the heart will need to pump more oxygen to reach the muscles, leading to a person feeling more fatigue,” he explains.   

Everyone is different, of course, and a lot depends on how fit and strong you were before your break. Your overall level of day-to-day activity matters, too — not formal exercise, necessarily, but just generally being active and moving around. The more you use your muscles for everyday life on your “off” days, the less muscle mass you’ll lose, he says.    

2. Your Endurance May Go Down

One of the most important reasons to exercise is to maintain a healthy heart and lungs — the main components of your cardiovascular system. Getting your heart rate up on a regular basis lowers your risk of heart attack and stroke. 

Stop doing that for more than two or three weeks, and your “cardiovascular endurance is likely reduced,” says Gardner. He says you’ll notice as your cardio fitness diminishes, because you’ll get out of breath more easily and tire more quickly.   

Some research suggests that one of the most common measures of cardio fitness, VO2 max, diminishes fairly quickly. (VO2  is the maximum amount of oxygen the body can use during exercise.) A study published in The Journal of Applied Physiology that looked at endurance athletes saw their VO2 max diminished by 7 percent within three weeks of inactivity.  

3. Your Risk for Diabetes May Go Up

When you stop working out, you may see a change in your insulin sensitivity, says Gardner. The American Diabetes Association notes that “physical activity can lower your blood sugar up to 24 hours or more after your workout by making your body more sensitive to insulin.” This is a big help in reducing your risk of diabetes.  

The good news is that something as simple as taking a walk after meals can help keep blood sugar in check, even when you’re taking a break from more strenuous exercising, according to research published in Diabetes Care. 

Recommended reading: The Incredible Power of a Post-Meal Walk  

5 Tips to Get Your Fitness Routine Back on Track 

If you’ve drifted away from your fitness routine long enough to feel a little out of shape, it’s nothing to feel bad about.  

To be safe as you ramp your activity level back up, check in with your doctor about your break, how you’ve been feeling, and your plan to ease back into it. Then use these tips from Gardner:  

Tip #1: Start slow. “Take baby steps,” Gardner advises. He recommends scheduling short workout periods at first.   

Also, focus on sticking to a regular schedule. It’s better to do a 15-minute walk every day than tell yourself you’re going to walk for 30 minutes and then feel too daunted to keep it up.   

If you’re returning to a practice like yoga or Pilates, go back to basics with some beginner classes to refresh your memory and gauge your current ability.   

SilverSneakers LIVE Express online classes are a great way to ease back into a routine. There are a variety of 15-minute classes to choose from, including: 

• Cardio & Strength  
• Cardio Intervals 
• Gentle Stretch 
• Lower Body Strength 
• Mindfulness & Meditation 
• Seated Strength 
• Upper Body Strength 
• Walk Strong 

Check your eligibility, view the current schedule, and RSVP here.    

Tip #2: Don’t try to pick up right where you left off. If you were lifting 10-pound weights before your break, you might want to reach for 5 pounds or 8 pounds when you are getting back into it.   

It’s even a good idea to use just your body weight at first to rebuild your strength, Gardner says. He’s also a fan of low-impact exercises like walking or swimming for your re-entry.   

“Always go easy on yourself when you’re re-entering into fitness to avoid putting too much pressure on your body and setting yourself up for injury,” he says.   

Tip #3: Remember to warm up. No matter how motivated you are to get to the meat-and-potatoes of your workout, it’s crucial to take the time to warm up slowly before you do more intense exercise.   

“Warming up exercise increases your range of motion without putting you at risk of getting injured,” Gardner says. “Add some dynamic stretches to your workout or focus on exercises that will pump up the heart and relax the muscles you’ll be working out.” 

Try these 7 Quick Moves to Do Before Every Strength Workout.   

Tip #4: Cool down after every session. After a workout, it’s a good idea to slowly bring your heart rate down with a gentle cool-down. Gentle movement — instead of just stopping altogether­ — helps the body circulate blood to the heart and brain. Keeping the blood flowing also allows your muscles to feel less sore.  

Try the 6-Minute Post-Workout Stretch   

Tip #5: Schedule recovery days. While clearly, you don’t want to take a fitness break for weeks at a time, you do need to let your body rest in order to get the most benefit from your workouts, Gardner says.   

“Your recovery days are just as important as your active days. This gives your body a chance to heal, rebuild the muscles and grow back your strength,” he says.   

A good rule of thumb is to give your body one or two days “off” each week. On those days, you can still go for an easy walk to take in the fresh air or do some gentle stretches — the idea is to lay off your more intense workouts. Fitness experts call this an “active recovery day.”  

Recommended reading: Not Motivated to Exercise? Do This   

Take Your Favorite SilverSneakers Classes Online! 

SilverSneakers members can access live fitness classes and wellness workshops through SilverSneakers LIVE. See the latest schedule and RSVP for classes here. 

Not a member? If you have a Medicare Plan, it may include SilverSneakers—at no additional cost. Check your eligibility instantly here. 

Not eligible for SilverSneakers? You can still get 200+ free SilverSneakers On-Demand videos and stay in touch with us by creating your online account.