Gulf News

Accept that…the holiday. Is. Over.

A strong will and a steady plan can help you return to your fitter days — just be patient

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e all have to take breaks. Even athletes aren’t athletes the whole year round. Quality periodical respite is beneficial to the mind and the body. It’s an opportunit­y to regroup, rethink and gather or, perhaps, pick ourselves up after serving arduous time training or competing.

Breaks can sometimes be long and one downside to having one is losing momentum. Somewhere you have to find the balance so that when you do get back to regular programmin­g, you aren’t in too deep, too lazy or too fat.

So, what happens if you suddenly realise you’ll have to claw your way back? Where do you even start after halting progress? Here are tips you can apply to help you regain and rebuild.

You have to get your mind back in the game quickly. You can do this by dropping all residues from your break. Yeah, the food was terrific, the hotel room was awesome — now forget about them. Stop daydreamin­g about how nice the sandy beach was, and think that your feet are already on the pavement ready to run. It’s a rude awakening, but the sooner you let this sink in, the sooner you’ll be on your way.

Make a conscious effort to be mentally strong

When deep in training, this comes naturally. It’s a different case when starting over again. Physically, you’re nowhere near performanc­e level. This is where you need your mind to overcome your body. Every morning when you awaken you have to decide to get up and train. The first week is crucial because you’re sluggish. You will have to force yourself until training slowly transition­s back into a routine.

Ease back into your training

It’s a common tendency to overcompen­sate for something. So, don’t make the mistake of pushing too hard, too soon to make up for weeks of inactivity. It will blow up in your face if you get injured. You simply cannot afford any type of setback at this time. Take it slow the first few days, let your body experience the sensations of training again. Hit it hard only when you’re back in the groove.

Stay the course Consistenc­y is key, so train often and keep a pace. It’s so tempting to rest on your laurels especially if you’re seeing a bit of progress. You’ve already had plenty of time to relax. Maintain laser-vision focus during

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Photos by Getty Images
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