The Unbelievable Things That Happen When You Stop Working Out

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Have you ever thought about simply taking some time off from the gym? Seriously, everyone does it now and then. You think, “What would happen if I just took off one week from exercising? It couldn’t be that bad, could it?”

Or perhaps you were the victim of an unfortunate injury, accident, or illness. Sometimes, you are forced to stop working out whether you want to or not.

Other times, something like a visit from your mother-in-law or other relatives means that you need to skip the gym for a day .. or two .. or a week.

Unfortunately, sometimes that day or week turns into two weeks, then three weeks. Before you know it, you’ve fallen off the exercise wagon.

The American College of Sports Medicine states that between 25 and 35 percent of all adults will quit working out within two to five months after beginning an exercise program.

Have you ever wondered what would happen if you decided to (or were forced to) skip exercising for a week? The answer depends on your fitness level, of course, but some of the things that happen are quite shocking.

Keep reading and find out what really happens when you stop exercising.

1. Your Strength Will decrease Within Two Weeks

Within days after you stop training, your muscle strength begin to lessen. When muscles do not get challenged regularly, they begin to lose protein, which is excreted via urine. Small losses in muscle protein can occur in as little as 72 hours. You will have noticeable chances when attempting to lift your usual amount of weight within two weeks. Like cardiovascular fitness, those who are long-term exercisers will have slower and smaller muscle loss than those who are fairly new to exercise.

2. Fitness Levels Decrease Faster If You Are Sick

When someone who is healthy decides to take a break from exercise, the loss of muscle mass and their cardiovascular fitness falls down at a slower rate than someone who must pause exercising due to illness or injury. In fact, if you become sick or injured, you actually lose fitness levels twice as quickly as someone who is simply taking a break. It’s the stress of an injury or illness that takes a greater toll on your body. It doesn’t really matter if you are a professional athlete or just a person who exercises regularly; if you take several weeks off from the gym, your level of conditioning will be much lower. Those who must recover from surgery or a fracture can take up to 12 months to fully recover.

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