How To Get Back In Shape When You’ve Let Yourself Go

For most of my life I’ve been in pretty good shape. At certain times I’ve been in excellent shape, and other times not so much. Well I must say that during the Pandemic it was by far the worst I’ve ever been. I normally hover around 190 pounds but when I was at my worst during the pandemic I went up to 207 pounds. This is the heaviest I’ve ever been. I’ve never even been over 200 pounds before. What was once a cheat meal here and there turned into a cheat meal almost every meal, plus more. I was feeling terrible.

I just wanted to note quickly that although I’m giving you my weights, by all means please do not compare. We’re all built differently and weights will vary from person to person. Don’t concentrate so much on weight but rather how you feel. I’m simply giving you weights so it’s easier to visualize.

When I was in my early 20’s it seemed very simple to stay in shape because I was a personal trainer. It was even easier when I was younger because I was always involved in sports and grew up outside. But as I’ve become older, I’ve found it to be a little harder to stay in shape. Of course, it’s a combination of many things like, getting older, working too much, feeling tired, among many other things.

But, that’s the excuse we all tell ourselves and there’s no need for it. Just because we get older doesn’t mean staying healthy has to go to the backburner. In fact, I would think it needs to be even more important as we get older.

Since I was a personal trainer before I’ve definitely learned some good skills on how to get back in shape again. I’m very thankful for them because it’s helped me greatly with getting back in shape and maintaining it.

Here’s some ways that can help you get back in shape:

1. Start slowly. When you’re getting back into shape you don’t need to go full throttle from the start. I find it much more manageable when you slowly start to put in more and more. You can start your first day back with just a simple warm up. Then the next day you can do the warm up with an extra 2 exercises on top of it. Then you can keep ramping up from there.

When I start back I usually begin with short workouts 3 times a week for two weeks. The following two weeks I ramp up my exercises from 30 mins to 45 mins and remain with 3 days a week. Then two weeks after that I go to 4 days of 45 minute workouts. Then two weeks after that I’m back to doing my normal 4 days of 1 hour workouts.

When you do this, you minimize the risk of losing interest or feeling like it’s “too hard”. As well, you’re not going to feel as sore as you would if you jump back in full throttle.

2. Have less cheat meals. As I mentioned earlier, during the pandemic it felt like I was having a cheat meal every meal. When I started to get back in shape, I was lowering the amount of cheat meals. Try to cut back bit by bit, and you’ll see how much easier it is to do it. Slow down on the amount of times you eat out or order in, and focus on cooking meals instead.

3. Declutter your cupboards. Go through those snack drawers and cupboards and just toss it. If those snacks are there, you’ll have more of an urge to grab them. Just get rid of all of the things you know are bad for you.

4. Get outside. Go outside for a nice walk rather than sitting inside when you get home from work. Most likely you’ll end up on the couch watching TV the whole night if you don’t. Think about how good you feel after a nice walk before you go. This helps a bit with motivation.

5. Go to the grocery store on a full belly. If you go to the grocery store while you’re hungry, you’re more likely to grab all those unhealthy snacks like chips, candies, and chocolate bars. If you go when you’re full, you’ll be able to pass by those items with ease. And don’t forget to make a list before you go. You’re much more likely to stay healthy if you make a list of good foods beforehand.

6. Drink water instead of anything else. Stay away from those sugary drinks and beer as much as you can. Drink water throughout the day and with every meal instead. This simple adjustment can make a huge change in your health, and even help you lose weight if that’s something you’re looking for.

7. Plan activities. Besides going into every weekend or evening not knowing what you’re going to do, instead plan things out so you’re committed. I commit myself to bringing my dog for a walk at the nature park every evening after dinner. And for weekends, I always have a hike planned, somewhere to go rollerblading, or golfing. Having these commitments will hold you accountable and help you get back into shape.

With these simple steps you’ll be able to find yourself back in shape in no time. They’ve certainly helped me turn things around and have me feeling much better. Just remember to take things slowly and build yourself up. Getting back into a healthy routine takes some time, but if you do it in steps you’ll find yourself enjoying it much more.

How do you get back in shape when you’ve fallen off the bandwagon?