WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU STOP TRAINING?

Isn’t it an amazing feeling to be back in the gym, working on your fitness goals again? For many of us, the process of returning to our pre-quarantine workout routines is well underway. In my previous blog post, I discussed how to structure your training after a break. Now, I want to guide you through the nutritional aspect of “bouncing back.” In the following sections, I’ll outline three approaches to reestablishing your nutrition after a hiatus, helping you regain your shape as efficiently as possible.

When you take time off from your training and dietary regimen, your physique can undergo one of three transformations. As you read through these possibilities, consider which one aligns best with your situation.

Possibility #1: Anti-Recomposition

This is perhaps the most common scenario when individuals cease lifting. In this state, you experience muscle loss while gaining fat, which is the opposite of the typical body recomposition goal. It often occurs when you completely stop training or reduce your training intensity while simultaneously consuming excess calories.

If you find yourself in this category, you’ve likely noticed how challenging it is to maintain your dietary discipline without the gym as a driving force behind your eating habits. Often, when one aspect declines, the other follows suit.

Possibility #2: Pure Muscle Loss

In this scenario, you lose muscle mass while your body fat levels remain relatively constant. This tends to affect individuals who are often referred to as “hardgainers.” If you’re naturally lean and have difficulty building muscle, you’re more likely to experience “pure muscle loss” when you take a break from lifting.

For instance, consider Matt, a client of Cliff Wilson, whose muscle loss journey was featured in a video and a previous blog post. Matt lost 35 pounds of pure muscle mass after spending two months in the hospital. The coaching strategy employed by Cliff to help Matt rapidly regain his muscle was truly enlightening. (We’ll delve into that shortly.)

Possibility #3: Fat Gain Without Muscle Loss

This outcome is common when your training hiatus hasn’t been long enough to result in significant muscle loss, but your diet has been off track. As a result, you may have accumulated unwanted fat, leading to a softer and less muscular appearance.

Now that you have a grasp of the three potential outcomes that can occur to your physique following a training break, you should be able to identify which category you fall into.

From here, let’s explore each possibility individually, enabling you to determine the most suitable dietary approach to quickly return to your peak shape and surpass your previous achievements.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, your return to the gym marks an exciting phase in your fitness journey. After a break, it’s crucial to address the nutrition component to help you achieve your fitness goals as swiftly as possible. As we’ve explored, there are three potential outcomes for your physique when you take time off from training and dieting.

Identifying which category you belong to—anti-recomposition, pure muscle loss, or fat gain without muscle loss—provides the key to tailoring your dietary approach effectively.

Remember, setbacks are a part of any fitness journey, and how you bounce back from them is what truly matters. With the right nutrition strategy in place, you can expedite your progress and surpass your previous fitness achievements. Embrace the challenge, stay committed, and soon enough, you’ll be back on track towards your peak shape and beyond.