importance of consistency in exercise
with the holidays quickly approaching, chances are that most of you will take a break from your regular workouts to squeeze in extra shopping, socializing, etc. but before you do that, you may want to think twice. it turns out that if you take a break, it will take you much more effort to return to where you were. the latest study in Medicine and Science Sports and Exercise suggests that those who stop exercising for an extended period of time have a much harder time losing the weight they gained during their break. so basically, you don’t resume where you left off. in fact, it will be much harder to reach your goal the second time around! as some of you already know, getting there the first time was hard enough - imagine having to do even more. hardly worth the break if you ask me.
so what should you do if you find you have less time these upcoming weeks to get your usual workout in? first of all, never take a complete break. you are much better off cutting back a bit until you can resume your normal routine. even if it’s just once a week, that’s much better than nothing at all. the consequences of your break increases the more you cut back and the longer you take off from exercise.
if the reason for your break is boredom, than find other ways to break a sweat. just don’t give up entirely. exercise is key in helping you reach your goals, there simply is no way around it. finding what works for you is important in order to avoid these breaks in the first place. so no matter what’s going on in your busy life, never quit (not even for a little while!).