According to Garry Y. Itkin, returning to an exercise program after a long break can pose quite a challenge. This person may need to rediscover the intangibles such as motivation and inspiration in order to get back into the groove.
Garry Y. Itkin shares two ways to return to a fitness program after a long layoff.
Take it one step at a time.
A lot of people who’ve taken a long break are more than eager to jump right back into the thick of things. This is not the way to do it, Garry Y. Itkin says. Muscles lose mass and strength over periods without training. They need proper conditioning to get used to the old kind of intensity. When people are overwhelmed during their first few workout sessions back, they feel overwhelmed, and worse, even frustrated.
To remedy this, Garry Y. Itkin mentions that people start small, with low-intensity movements, lighter weights, and less reps.
Renew the old commitment.
Starting again is surprisingly hard. Ask Garry Y. Itkin. He’s done it multiple times. To overcome the initial mental hurdle, there needs to be a level of commitment that equals or even surpasses that of previous fitness and workout cycles. According to Garry Y. Itkin, people can begin with setting a schedule and planning it out. They need to keep their minds focused on their main goal and not be distracted by anything else along the way.
Garry Y. Itkin 