Taking A Break From The Gym Without Going Crazy

Taking a break from the gym or any form of fitness is hard. Even more so when it is a forced break. I knew going into my hip surgery that I would have to take serious time off to heal from the operation. Even then I knew once I was able to get back in the gym it would be several weeks before I could workout the way I wanted.

What I've found most difficult about this particular recovery is how good I feel. Compared to before the surgery, I'm now pain free. I just can't walk yet due to weakness. I'm thankful for that otherwise I'd be hitting it hard probably risking injury. That's just how I am. At least something's holding me back.

To be honest, taking a break from the gym for that week and half was the worse sentence of my life. I'd much rather be in the gym doing something rather than laying around doing nothing. Unfortunately, when you have an injury or medical procedure rest is the name of the game.

Here's some tips to keep you sane while you're body heals.

Taking A Break From The Gym Without Going Crazy

View Rest As Training

Surgery or recovery from an injury is like a marathon. Your body needs time to recovery and repair. I tried looking at that week and half of rest as a way for my body to fully recovery from a major event {aka surgery}. Well trained athletes work a full rest week into their training cycles to allow their bodies full recovery and to prevent injury. No matter what you're recovering from, you want your body to heal properly so you don't get hurt. As I type these words, I'm crossing my fingers this won't be me.

Ditch the Fitness & Food Trackers

Seeing no numbers on my Fitbit literally crushed me so I simply stopped wearing it and I stopped tracking what I ate. When you're recovering from something, the last thing you need is the added pressure of a fitness tracker.

Instead, I allowed my body tell me when it wanted to move and when it was hungry. This was a very different experience for me. I'm very structured with my eating and trainings, but I tried to use this downtime as a way for me to connect with my body. It forced me to listen to my inner hunger cues to tell me when to eat.

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Since my 80 pound weight loss, this has been something that's really hard to do, which is why sticking to a routine is easier for me. Awhile back I wrote how I DO NOT believe intuitive eating is possible until after weight loss especially for those who have binge eating tendencies like me, and I still believe this to be true.

I used my time away from fitness as a way to break from that eating routine to see how my body feels. You know what happened? Nothing. I didn't gain weight and I didn't go nuts.

Put Your Energy Into Something Else

Use your downtime to do something productive that you never seem to have time to do. Maybe it's finishing a project you started awhile back or starting a new one. I prepared myself to be in too much pain to do anything and found myself figuring out a new project to do on the fly. P.S. I'm planning to launch a program for later this year so stay tuned!

Text A Friend

Bored? Text a friend and catch up! Chances are its been awhile since you've talked. Maybe they'll even offer to take you out and entertain you! I, on the other hand, chose to drown myself in the never ending abyss of social media. Oh, Instagram why do you have to have such pretty food pictures?

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Fuel Your Body

If there's anything you do while taking a break from the gym, it's focusing on fueling your body the right way. Think about it. Your body is repairing itself. To assist in that, you need antioxidants, minerals, vitamins and protein. I can't stress the protein one enough. Most people are not getting enough protein in their diet and it's so cruicial to get amino acids in your body to rebuild structures otherwise recovery will take longer. If you need help with this, check out my health coaching.

What You Can, When You Can

Focus on what you can do, not what you cannot do. Taking time away from the gym, doesn't have to mean doing nothing. More times than not you can be doing something whether it be swimming, strength training, PT exercises or even foam rolling. Something is better than nothing.

I, for instance, had a PT person at my house the day after surgery. Doing simple strength exercises may sound redundant and boring, but I'll tell you what. They help. I couldn't do a simple clam or side leg raise two weeks ago and now I'm doing them like it's nobody's business. Those are things your body needs to get back on your feet so the more consistent you are about it, the easier it is to bounce back. I say this as I'm wondering when the last time was I did a clam. Oops...not my favorite exercise, but you get my point.

The Big Picture

Remember it's about the big picture. Small things over a long period of time make a huge difference in your health or recovery. It's important to take the appropriate time to rest and recover. Know it's normal to feel anxious and sad you're not able to do what you want to do. But remember, you are doing what's right for you in this moment. The gym will always be there for you when you're ready, and as long as you're consistent you have nothing to worry about.

About Megan

Megan is a certified nutrition practitioner, author, freelance food photographer and fitness instructor living in Phoenix, Arizona. On her blog, Skinny Fitalicious she shares EASY, gluten free recipes for weight loss. Follow Megan on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates.