Though you might make every effort to be consistent, at some point you could find yourself in a situation where you can’t train for a certain length of time, whether it’s due to injury, work, school, family commitments, or any other reason.
If you’re in this boat, it’s natural to worry about losing the progress you’ve made. And while you will inevitably lose muscle mass if you stop working out, it takes a little longer than you think.
Keep reading and we’ll explain how long it typically takes to start losing muscle, and how to avoid losing your gains if you’re forced to take a break from the gym.
How Long Does It Take For You To Lose Muscle If You Stop Working Out?
It typically takes around 2-4 weeks without training before you start losing muscle (as well as strength, cardio or other fitness markers).
Studies have shown that we can maintain around the same amount of muscle size, strength and power after 3 weeks off training.
Muscle protein synthesis can decline in as little as 4 days of inactivity (however this doesn’t necessarily translate immediately to a decline in muscle size/strength).
Different Factors Influencing Muscle Loss
The length of time it takes to start losing muscle, as well as the rate at which you lose it, will vary for different people, depending on a variety of factors.
Let’s look at these factors now.
Activity Level
Probably the biggest factor is how active you are during your downtime.
If you’re completely inactive – confined to your bed, for example – you’re more likely to lose muscle mass faster.
Yet the more you’re able to move around and remain active in some form, the better your chances of retaining muscle throughout your break.
Fitness
People with a higher fitness level generally lose a little less muscle over periods of detraining, and take a little longer before muscle loss kicks in.
Age
Both strength and muscle mass declines at a faster rate in older people.
One study found this decline can be from 16.6% to 40.9% higher in adults aged over 40 versus less than 40.
Another study, testing fitness decline during detraining for adults aged between 60 and 86 years old, found that those in the 74-86 age group declined faster than those aged between 60 and 73.
Gender
Both men and women are at risk of losing muscle mass and fitness during periods of inactivity.
One study found that muscle loss as a result of disuse was higher in females, while muscle loss as a result of aging or disease was higher in males.
Diet
Finally, how you eat will also play a part in how much muscle you lose, and how fast you lose it. If your calorie and protein intake drops significantly, you’re more likely to see muscle decline at a faster rate.
Losing Cardio & Endurance
Aside from muscle mass and strength, your cardio and endurance capacity start to decline after some time not exercising.
Studies indicate that aerobic fitness declines faster than muscle strength and size. One study found that participants’ endurance declined by 4 to 25 percent after 3 to 4 weeks without training, while another found significant reductions in VO2 max within 2 to 4 weeks of detraining.
Will You Lose All Progress If You Stop Working Out?
No – it’s unlikely that you’ll go right back to square one if you’re unable to work out for a few weeks.
Most studies find that we retain muscle mass, strength and power for at least 2-3 weeks of no training.
After this time, the decline happens gradually, not all at once. Most research seems to indicate that after a short break, you can get back to your prior fitness level, even if some loss of mass and strength has occurred.
How to Minimize Muscle & Strength Loss While Not Exercising
You don’t need to stress too much about losing all your progress if you can’t make it to the gym for one or two weeks – say if you come down with a cold, or the gym’s closed for the holidays, for example.
If you’re off training for a little while longer, you still may be able to retain most (if not all) of your gains. It’ll help your chances if you maintain good habits during your downtime.
Let’s look at a few things you can do to minimize your losses.
Maintain Some Level of Activity (If Possible)
Even if you can’t work out like you usually do, if you can do some kind of activity, you should lose muscle at a slower rate.
Of course, if you’re dealing with a very serious illness or injury, you may have no choice in the matter. But if you’re able to move around, make sure you’re not totally sedentary.
If you have a lower body injury, you may be able to work out just the upper body. If it’s the other way around, try some lower body workouts, or regular walks to keep the blood pumping.
Keep Your Protein Intake High
Most importantly, make sure you eat enough protein (and to a lesser extent, calories).
Giving the body a steady supply of protein will help keep the muscle building (or at least maintenance) process going for a little while, and ensure your body has the building blocks it needs to rebuild any lost muscle once you start working out again.
And though you may not need as many calories as when you’re going to the gym everyday, if your calorie intake drops off completely, your body may start consuming muscle for energy.
This is important to note if you have to stop working out because you’re sick. The body needs a lot of energy while your immune system is working overdrive, so don’t forget to keep up a full diet.
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Don’t Fall Into Less Healthy Habits
Try to maintain other good habits to do with fitness and health, even if you’re not able to work out.
Don’t let your sleep schedule go, or start eating junk food, or start going out and drinking every night. If you let yourself fall into bad habits, you’ll lose fitness at a faster rate, and have a harder time getting back to where you were when you’re able to exercise again.
Get Back To the Gym When You Can
The longer you’re off, the harder it will be to start again.
A break of a few weeks likely won’t have too much of an impact. But once it gets into the realm of months, rather than weeks, you might find it’s much harder to regain the same strength and consistency you had before your break.
Again, this might not be in your control, but try to get back in the gym as soon as possible. Even if you’re not able to get back to your full schedule straight away, one or two workouts per week will be better than none.
