HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET OUT OF SHAPE?

I have been taking it easy for the past week. I pulled a groin muscle and I have forced myself to stay away from exertion. No elliptical workouts. No treadmill workouts. Not even a walk in the park. I have not felt too much discomfort for the past day or so, but I am not in a hurry to re-injure myself - so I am going to continue to abstain from exercising for a few days more. I will be setting a dubious personal record with my fitbit this week - an amazingly anemic number of steps. Whatever this new record turns out to be, I am hopeful that I never break it. With all this resting going on, a new question (worry) presents itself:

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET OUT OF SHAPE?

I found an article from SELF MAGAZINE written by Samantha Lefave which addressed this question.  The first fact that the author imparts is that hard-earned muscles will not disappear quickly. Apparently the rate at which one's leg strength would decline following a 10 week program, one would lose 50% of that additional strength in 10 weeks, and all of it after 20 weeks.  Cardio fitness (for example, elliptical, treadmill) tends to dissipate even quicker. The bottom line, is that if one steps away from for exercising for approximately 4 months - the loss in muscle definition and cardio endurance could set you back to the beginner level.  My 'vacation' (recovery) from my workouts hopefully will end within a week or two. 

I think it will take longer for me to grow a pony tail than it will for me to be as out-of-shape as the Comic Book Guy from the Simpsons. I have no intention of doing either.

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Your Food Diary For:

Thursday, April 7, 2016

BREAKFAST	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
Quaker - Cinnamon & Spice Instant Oatmeal	640	128	8	16	840	44
KELLOGGS - RAISIN BRAN (dry cereal, no milk)	380	92	2	10	420	36
	1,020	220	10	26	1,260	80
L U N C H
Banana - Medium 6", 2 Banana	180	46	1	2	4	24
Weight Watcher's Recipe - Homemade Cabbage Soup	100	10	0	2	79	6
	280	56	1	4	83	30
D I N N E R
Trident - Alaskan Salmon Burgers, 1 patty	170	2	9	20	330	0
Earthbound ORGANIC BABY SPINACH, 170 g (approx 3 oz, two cups)	40	0	0	4	130	0
Campbell's Chunky - Manhattan Clam Chowder, 2 cup	240	36	6	10	1,600	6
	450	38	15	34	2,060	6
Totals	1,750	314	26	64	3,403	116
Your Daily Goal	1,959	245	65	98	2,300	73
Remaining	209	-69	38	33	-1,102	-42
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
	*You've earned 29 extra calories from exercise today

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Your Exercise Diary for:

Thursday, April 7, 2016

NOT APPLICABLE - NO EXERCISE

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calories consumed 1750 calories

total calories burned (from additional exercise) 0 calories

net 1750 calories

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 fitbit day 218

4357 steps

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