Will You Lose Muscle If You Don’t Work Out for a Month?

Despite dedication and consistency, there may be times when you have to take a break from your workout routine or maybe a little gap due to a lack of motivation or time. And you might be worried that that will cost you all the progress and you would have to start again from scratch. This is a valid fear of every fitness enthusiast every time they think about taking a break. While taking a few days off from the gym is beneficial for your progress, a break too long can potentially cost your fitness and muscles. But if you take a month off from working out, will you lose muscle strength? Let's explore the truth. 

Understanding Muscle Loss

It's fine to take a break from your fitness journey once in a while. Generally, an individual loses 0.3% of muscle mass every day if they stay inactive. So if you stop working out completely for a month, you'd lose approximately 1.2 pounds and this can depend on several factors. However, for athletes who have been training a few times a week for more than a year, it will take them at least 3 weeks to start losing muscle strength and mass. On the other hand, for non-athletes, this process of muscle loss will begin sooner and they will lose more muscle mass than the former. 

Factors Affecting Muscle Loss 

When you start losing muscle mass and strength depends on various factors including your fitness level, previous workout frequency, age, diet etc. Maintaining your muscles is a crucial aspect of retaining your fitness and strength because you will lose muscle mass if you don't use them for a long time. 

• Fitness Level

Your fitness level is an important factor shaping your muscle loss over inactivity. The more fit you are, the less muscle mass you will lose in a month. 

• Workout Frequency 

Based on your previous workout frequency, the muscle loss will be affected. For instance, if you work out 3 to 4 days a week, you'll lose more muscle mass in a month than someone who trains for 5 to 6 days a week. 

• Diet 

Your diet during the break period has much to do with your muscle loss. If most of your food is low in calories, then your body will lose muscle mass and use it as fuel to perform basic functions. 

• Age

Age is another crucial factor in this regard. A 50-year-old man will lose muscle mass faster over a month of inactivity than someone half their age. 

Maintaining Muscle Mass While Resting

Muscle loss is inevitable if you take a break for a long time, but you can indeed slow down this process if you stay active through simple physical activities like cardio or yoga over the rest period. This will help you maintain muscle mass even when you are not working out regularly. And don't forget to wear proper activewear like a sports bra for gym and workout shorts even for low-impact exercises. Another important aspect of maintaining your muscles is calorie intake. Eating zero or low-calorie food during this time will boost the muscle loss process, therefore consider increasing your calorie intake during the rest period if you don't want to lose a big pound of muscle that you have built. 

Returning to Exercise After A Break 

After a break, returning to a workout routine may be difficult sometimes as you can lose motivation during the rest period. If you are struggling to get back on your fitness track after a break, you may try breaking sweat with your fitness buddies by joining a workout group or being a member of fitness groups on social media, all these can help boost your motivation to restart working for your workout goals. 

Conclusion 

Take a break from the workout journey if you need but focus on getting back on the fitness track as soon as you can. The longer you will stay inactive, the harder it will be to come back and continue. Keeping up your motivation and muscle mass can be easy by practising simple exercises like cardio or other physical activity regularly. Don't just let your body to go full relax mode for very long. Enjoy your rest period the way you want and start rocking your fitness runway soon.