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Aug 14

Any Gym-Goer Can Learn From Julianne Hough’s Fitness Break – SELF

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Even if you've got a steady, consistent workout grind going, there's no doubt that life can get in the way, either for a day, a week, or even a month. And even the fittest among us know the feeling. Julianne Hough recently posted an Instagram on Tuesday marking the end of her four-week gym hiatus, and it's a reminder that it's completely OK to take breaks from an intense workout schedule.

"Back at it and it feels soooo good! But also really hard after taking a month off," she wrote in the caption of the photo, which shows her on the way to the gym. "I'm so grateful that I made this part of my everyday lifestyle. Staying active and working out is now a must for me. It's hard to get started (especially after indulging guiltlessly on your honeymoon) and to keep going sometimes, but I always find if I can give it three weeks of hard work and discipline, something in my body and mind switches and it becomes so much fun," she continued.

From the sounds of it, Hough isn't stressing about taking a step back from her six-days-a-week workout routine, which usually includes a combination of high-intensity cardio and resistance training at fitness hotspots like the Tracy Anderson Method and Body By Simone. It's all about appreciating the time off (in Hough's case, with African safaris and tropical beaches on her honeymoon), and then getting back into your routine.

Rhere's something to be said for these types of breaks: Many experts agree that stepping back from a consistent workout schedule can help keep you on-track long term, too.

"You not only can take time offyou should," exercise physiologist Tom Holland, C.S.C.S., tells SELF. While rest days are crucial for seeing physical results (because muscles rebuild stronger while you're resting, not while you're exercising), longer rest periods are designed to keep you mentally in the game.

"It's about rejuvenating and recharging your batteries," says Holland. Even if you truly do love your workouts, you can have too much of a good thing. If you're sticking with the same workouts, people tend to burn out (and may quit for longer periods of time), Holland says. And while mixing up your workouts is sound advice for combatting fitness boredom, "a huge part of mixing it up is taking time off, especially if you are consistent," he adds.

In addition, if you're not really into your workouts, taking a break can help reset your perspective, says Mike T. Nelson, Ph.D., C.S.C.S., an adjunct professor at The Carrick Institute. "Taking a break can benefit your outlook," he tells SELF. "When you come back, I would look to do something that you enjoy morenot all of it has to be super fun, but overall you need to learn to enjoy the process to stay with it long term."

Nelson recommends limiting rest periods to a week, while Holland says up to two weeks is fine for some people. "If you're taking two weeks off every three months, that might work really well for you," Holland says. And hey, sometimes, that might get stretched into three or four weeks (like Hough)it happens. But the key is not letting it get so long that you won't jump back into a routine. You know yourself best, so trust what you know works for you.

Hough's right, thoughit can be hard to get started again. Physically, you may notice that you can't lift quite as much weight, put as much power into indoor cycling, or run for as long. Research shows it takes about two weeks for your cardio capabilities to start to diminish. Muscle mass takes much longer to decrease, so you might notice that you can lift about the same amount after a break, but you have a harder time with cardio. Know that this is completely normal, and your body will rebound quickly. (Here's exactly what happens to your body when you take a break from working out.)

It might sound scary, but don't sweat itwhile the fitter you were going into a break, the faster you'll likely bounce back, Holland stresses that anyone can get back to their pre-break capabilities. It takes more time for some people than others, depending on your starting point and how long the break was, but not working out for a month doesn't reduce you to a level that feels like you've never worked out before, Holland says.

Nelson suggests easing back into your workout routine slowly after taking time off. To avoid over-doing it, take three to four weeks to get back to what you were doing rather than rushing in. Holland says this can mean lower intensity, shorter workouts.

It's also important not to judge yourself based on where you were before, says Hollandas an endurance athlete, if he's taken a break, he won't wear a timing watch at first. "Don't get down on yourself, and know that something is better than nothing," Holland says. "If it challenges you, it's changing you, as the old clich goes."

Aside from the physical changes, it can be tough to get back into a routine mentally, too. For Hough, she finds that three weeks of consistency is what it takes for her to get back in the zone. However, the age-old idea of taking 21 days to make or break a habit doesn't hold true for everyoneresearch shows that everyone's sweet spot is different (one study found that it took participants anywhere from 18 to 254 days, while the average was 66 days). It's entirely individual, so do what works for you.

One mantra that helps Hough stay disciplined when she's getting started again? She writes in her Instagram caption, "there is a battle of two wolves inside us, the one that wins, is the one you feed. All we need is within us, now! Stay strong, fight the fight, and then enjoy!" Amen to that.

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Any Gym-Goer Can Learn From Julianne Hough's Fitness Break - SELF

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