How Fast Do You Really Lose?


After Kelly Gillen completed JFK 50 Mile in November 2016, she deliberately prepared herself to stay on a two-month vacation, give or take. A long-distance runner, about twice the length of a marathon, has given a lot to a passionate runner, who thought he would be back in January. But the 38-year-old scientist, who lives in Brooklyn with her husband and dog, soon realized that there was a problem when she hit the road again after her suspension.


Gillen's first run in early 2017 was unexpectedly painful, leading him to seek medical help. Frequent visits to an orthopedic surgeon, along with two MRIs (magnetic resonance imaging scans), revealed that Gillen's knee discomfort was due to the loss of cartilage under the kneecaps. He had to spend months in physical therapy and strength training before he could run again.


Unintentional rest periods lead to loss of strength. For many years, he used running as a means of removing head and splitting. But after the injury, things were different. “I had to be very careful about every step,” says Gillen. He says: “I had to learn to run again.


He could not move fast or far, and he could not get out because he was too focused on keeping his form and not overusing it. Although Gillen was happy to be able to run again, it took months before the movement felt as natural and invigorating as it had been before.


Whether you stopped exercising due to injury or some other reason (perhaps the flu threw a wrench in your exercise program), fitness experts say Gillen's slow-moving and resilient approach to recovery and recovery is fine. And yes, no matter how long you have been on vacation, rehearsing it can make you feel as excited as Gillen did.


Kirk Campbell, MD, an assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at NYU Langone, says that losing weight is inevitable if you stop exercising for too long - no matter how strong you are. But how quickly you lose weight, and how much you lose, depends on both your personal circumstances and the type of strength you are talking about.


How Fast Do You Lose Heart?

Endurance athletes such as runners, cyclists, swimmers, and dancers develop cardiovascular fitness (also called aerobic fitness or endurance) through continuous, consistent cardiovascular training.


This type of stiffness will not disappear in a few days, but will decrease over time, according to Drs. Campbell. Typically, he says, the cardiovascular system begins to decline significantly after two weeks of sitting.


In a review of books published in Frontiers in Physiology in October 2020, the authors examined the available evidence of “disability,” or loss of strength. Although the results vary from one study to another, studies suggest that in endurance athletes, heart loss and endurance begin to occur after 12 days of inactivity.


There is not much evidence of how fitness continues to decline after a few weeks of complete inactivity, but those “in good cardiovascular condition will take a few months to completely lose [aerobic] health,” says Campbell, adding that the timeline. it has to do with the power of the individual.


And remember, unless someone is injured, regular resting does not mean complete inactivity. In the aforementioned literature review, the evidence shows that cardiovascular stiffness of regular exercisers begins to decrease significantly after about 35 days (five weeks) at regular intervals, light exercise. So, that means that if you exercise a lot and then significantly lower your intensity, you may also notice a decrease in cardiovascular fitness.


Are You Losing Your Weight?

Weight loss will be followed by fatigue and constant tiredness. ” Campbell. He points to a study published in May 2020 in the International Journal of Exercise Science in which researchers found that even three weeks of exercise did not reduce muscle mass, strength, or athletic performance in a cohort of 21 male athletes.


Older studies have suggested that age is a major factor when it comes to losing (or not losing) muscle strength. The researchers looked at the effects of strength training and reduction in adults in two age groups: 20- to 30-year-old (18 participants) and those aged 65 to 75 (23-year-old participants). After nine weeks of resistance training, all participants increased their maximum strength by one repetition (the small group by 34 percent, and the older group by 28 percent). After 31 weeks of training, young adults lost only 8 percent of their energy, while older adults lost 14 percent. According to research, weight loss occurs much faster as we grow older, although it slows down significantly more than cardiovascular fitness.


No matter how much you lose, how much training you can have

Even if you lose some strength during a break in training, rest periods are still important for the body - and the mind - especially after hard training sessions. "Recovery is important from a physical and mental point of view," says Campbell - allowing you to gain greater strength over time.


Runner-up coach Neely Gracey, who is a Lydiard Foundation-based and based in Denver, says he always takes a planned two-week break at the end of each marathon season. He encourages his athletes to do the same. “Some people want more time, others want less, but a period of inactivity that allows the body and mind to relax and reorganize is important,” says Gracey.

How Fast Do You Really Lose?


After Kelly Gillen completed JFK 50 Mile in November 2016, she deliberately prepared herself to stay on a two-month vacation, give or take. A long-distance runner, about twice the length of a marathon, has given a lot to a passionate runner, who thought he would be back in January. But the 38-year-old scientist, who lives in Brooklyn with her husband and dog, soon realized that there was a problem when she hit the road again after her suspension.


Gillen's first run in early 2017 was unexpectedly painful, leading him to seek medical help. Frequent visits to an orthopedic surgeon, along with two MRIs (magnetic resonance imaging scans), revealed that Gillen's knee discomfort was due to the loss of cartilage under the kneecaps. He had to spend months in physical therapy and strength training before he could run again.


Unintentional rest periods lead to loss of strength. For many years, he used running as a means of removing head and splitting. But after the injury, things were different. “I had to be very careful about every step,” says Gillen. He says: “I had to learn to run again.


He could not move fast or far, and he could not get out because he was too focused on keeping his form and not overusing it. Although Gillen was happy to be able to run again, it took months before the movement felt as natural and invigorating as it had been before.


Whether you stopped exercising due to injury or some other reason (perhaps the flu threw a wrench in your exercise program), fitness experts say Gillen's slow-moving and resilient approach to recovery and recovery is fine. And yes, no matter how long you have been on vacation, rehearsing it can make you feel as excited as Gillen did.


Kirk Campbell, MD, an assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at NYU Langone, says that losing weight is inevitable if you stop exercising for too long - no matter how strong you are. But how quickly you lose weight, and how much you lose, depends on both your personal circumstances and the type of strength you are talking about.


How Fast Do You Lose Heart?

Endurance athletes such as runners, cyclists, swimmers, and dancers develop cardiovascular fitness (also called aerobic fitness or endurance) through continuous, consistent cardiovascular training.


This type of stiffness will not disappear in a few days, but will decrease over time, according to Drs. Campbell. Typically, he says, the cardiovascular system begins to decline significantly after two weeks of sitting.


In a review of books published in Frontiers in Physiology in October 2020, the authors examined the available evidence of “disability,” or loss of strength. Although the results vary from one study to another, studies suggest that in endurance athletes, heart loss and endurance begin to occur after 12 days of inactivity.


There is not much evidence of how fitness continues to decline after a few weeks of complete inactivity, but those “in good cardiovascular condition will take a few months to completely lose [aerobic] health,” says Campbell, adding that the timeline. it has to do with the power of the individual.


And remember, unless someone is injured, regular resting does not mean complete inactivity. In the aforementioned literature review, the evidence shows that cardiovascular stiffness of regular exercisers begins to decrease significantly after about 35 days (five weeks) at regular intervals, light exercise. So, that means that if you exercise a lot and then significantly lower your intensity, you may also notice a decrease in cardiovascular fitness.


Are You Losing Your Weight?

Weight loss will be followed by fatigue and constant tiredness. ” Campbell. He points to a study published in May 2020 in the International Journal of Exercise Science in which researchers found that even three weeks of exercise did not reduce muscle mass, strength, or athletic performance in a cohort of 21 male athletes.


Older studies have suggested that age is a major factor when it comes to losing (or not losing) muscle strength. The researchers looked at the effects of strength training and reduction in adults in two age groups: 20- to 30-year-old (18 participants) and those aged 65 to 75 (23-year-old participants). After nine weeks of resistance training, all participants increased their maximum strength by one repetition (the small group by 34 percent, and the older group by 28 percent). After 31 weeks of training, young adults lost only 8 percent of their energy, while older adults lost 14 percent. According to research, weight loss occurs much faster as we grow older, although it slows down significantly more than cardiovascular fitness.


No matter how much you lose, how much training you can have

Even if you lose some strength during a break in training, rest periods are still important for the body - and the mind - especially after hard training sessions. "Recovery is important from a physical and mental point of view," says Campbell - allowing you to gain greater strength over time.


Runner-up coach Neely Gracey, who is a Lydiard Foundation-based and based in Denver, says he always takes a planned two-week break at the end of each marathon season. He encourages his athletes to do the same. “Some people want more time, others want less, but a period of inactivity that allows the body and mind to relax and reorganize is important,” says Gracey.The five-time Team USA competitor says time off helps athletes avoid injury from muscle overuse, and it also helps reduce burnout, a sentiment which Campbell echoes: “Taking a break from working out can be beneficial [to] avoid burnout.”


However, there’s a notable distinction between intentional time off (like following an endurance event) and unintentional breaks in exercise (where you have no plans of getting back into a routine). In other words, a short break can be beneficial to avoid burnout and injury, but taking time off shouldn’t become a long-term lifestyle choice.