How to Stay Healthy When You Can’t Workout

The new year brings about new goals for many people. Usually at the top of the list is the desire to shed a few holiday pounds and get back into shape. The gyms are full of people ready to take their health back. However, what if you just can’t work out? Maybe you really don’t have the time, you have an injury or sickness or you just keep finding reasons not to show up. Many people wonder how they can stay healthy when they can’t workout. Whether you are a die hard gym rat or just enjoy getting physical routinely, being forced to take a break from your workout can seem frustrating.

There is something you can do if you find yourself in this situation. In fact, breaking up your routine can be beneficial to your mind and body. Instead of calling it a break, many people refer to this time as recovery. When you focus your time on recovery, it seems like a better way to handle the break in routine.

In all reality, no one is too busy for the gym. Most have long and extended hours, plus childcare and a plethora of other things to keep those excuses at bay. If you choose to spend time away from the weights and cardio machine, it means you should have a little extra time to yourself. This is a great time for reflection and discovery.

For instance, now is the time to create goals and have an action plan. It is easy to say that “I want to lose 15 pounds,”, but you must take it one step farther. When making a goal, consider describing the exact steps you plan to take to get there. Will it be adding an extra walk during the day so that you do something in the morning and evening or perhaps you want to cut out more sugar from your diet?

Whatever you choose, be sure to write it down. Journaling your goals can make them feel real and hold you to be more accountable. Set your goal, develop your action plan and make it happen.

No matter what, you must eat. You can take all the breaks you want from the gym, but maintaining a diet is necessary. During your recovery period, there are two things you can focus on at this time with regard to your diet.

The first thing you must do is change caloric intake during recovery. Since you will not be exerting as many calories as you would on a workout day, you must remember to not consume that many. By bringing it down a few hundred calories, you can be sure to keep the pounds from stacking up.

Next, you should spend a little bit of time researching your diet. Whether you are counting macros, calories or carbs, a break from your workout means you have a little more time to focus on your diet. Perhaps you want to start tracking your macros on a fitness app or you want to create a new board on Pinterest for recipes that fit your numbers. Either way, making a plan for your meals is essential to keeping in great shape with or without a workout.

Lastly, consider this time to begin meal prepping. Planning out most of your meals and having them ready to go is a wonderful way to stay on track. It takes the guesswork out of tracking your meals and gives you one less thing to worry about during the week.

Another approach to taking a break is to take a social media break. Part of having a healthy body means having a healthy mind. People can easily get carried away on social media and waste precious time scrolling and debating. Instead, take a trip to your local library or join a volleyball league. Find a better way to invest your time.

Most people take transportation for granted. We drive our cars everywhere without batting an eye. We choose the closest parking spot to the store and rarely consider walking to our next location. The reality is, most of us need to get walking a little more.

During your gym hiatus, consider more ways you incorporate walking into your daily routine. Choose that parking spot farther from the store or around the corner, take an extra lap while shopping or purposely walk to the store instead.

Taking a break from the gym or a workout routine doesn’t have to be the end of the world. In fact, a recovery period is great for your body and affords you the opportunity to look at other aspects of your diet and mental wellbeing. During your break, take advantage of the things you can do to make your next routine the best one yet.