Despite the advertisements of fitness centers and Apps, which promise miracles in a few weeks, it is very difficult to say how long it takes to get back in shape. Not impossible, because there are some parameters that can give a fairly exact forecast in terms of weeks, but numerous factors must be taken into account.
How long does it take to get back in shape
The first factor that must be taken into account to know how long it takes to get back in shape is how out of shape you are: only sedentary or also overweight? How overweight and how long have you been sedentary?
The second aspect is the goals that we set ourselves: lose weight? Tone your muscles? Get stronger? Or more resistant?
Then what you need to have clear in mind what does it mean to get back in shape: something measurable with objective parameters and tests or simply the feeling of feeling better?
Last but not least, how much time you can, or are willing to devote to physical activity to get back in shape. And what kind of activity you can or want to practice.
Let’s see everything in detail.
Getting fit or feeling fit?
The first good news is that it is already enough to do a little activity to feel fitter than before even without being really fit. Walk regularly and at a good intensity, run, ride a bicycle, swim, go to the gym, do bodyweight exercises at home: it doesn’t matter much the type of activity but just “start moving” with regularity and constancy to “already feel better” even if there is no objective data to say that one is actually in better shape.
This was demonstrated by a study by the University of Wisconsin La Crosse, published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research in which a group of 25 sedentary men underwent 6 training sessions per week for 6 weeks, 3 of the cardiovascular type and 3 of high-intensity strength. After 6 weeks, objective fitness data – body fat percentage, VO2Max or push-up test – were almost unchanged, physical appearance was perceived unchanged by both subjects and researchers, yet the 25 men felt better. And this is an important first step in really getting back in shape: feeling that the commitment pays off in some way, before you even see it.
Improve strength and endurance
Let’s take the two simplest parameters to evaluate: how long does it take to improve strength and endurance?
Obviously, for a sedentary who starts running, the necessary time depends a lot on the goal: one thing is wanting to run 5 km, or 10 km, another the half marathon or a full marathon.
However there are tables and programs for which in 8 / 10 weeks or even less you can easily run 5 km with a commitment of 3 times a week, more or less double to run 10 km literally starting from the sofa (the Couch to 10K program can be found here).
If you have in mind instead for a real 42km marathon you need to expect 9 to 12 months (a runner already trained on shorter distances could take 6 months).
To have a scientific parameter: in a 2007 study published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology a group of untrained adults subjected to a training program for the half marathon and the marathon after 9 months had increased their cardiovascular fitness – VO2 max – by 24%.
I strength-specific results take about the same amount of time. Then if you already have a good cardio condition and want to increase strength with weights, the times can be shortened to 3 months before having measurable results and if you want to change your body composition by reducing fat mass and increasing lean mass for a toned and muscular at least 1 year of constant commitment must be taken into account (including attention to nutrition).
How hard you need to work to get back in shape
Finally, there is one aspect to consider, and it is how hard you need to work to get back in shape. The premise is that a constant and regular commitment is needed. And by constant and regular we mean at least every other day, or at least 3 times a week.
That said, commitment is above all else the intensity with which you perform your exercises or train.
The good news is that for those who are sedentary and/or overweight, initial improvements are faster, almost exponential. The bad news is that those who are sedentary and/or overweight will find it more difficult to train at high intensity. And intensity is an exponential parameter when it comes to getting back in shape.
In a 2007 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, a group of sedentary, overweight or obese women were divided into three groups and trained at 50%, 100% or 150% of the level. of recommended energy expenditure.
Women who trained at the highest intensity level recorded a 8% improvement in their cardiovascular fitness after 6 months. Those who trained at the lowest intensity level saw a 4 percent increase in fitness.
An 8% increase in fitness may not sound like much, but when you start with an established inactivity and/or overweight condition it’s a huge accomplishment.
Obviously increasing the intensity even more, you will get even faster results.
However you also have to emphasize that everyone should train at the level of physical effort they feel comfortable with, under penalty of the risk of accidents which would nullify the commitment, even definitively. That is, the important thing is to find your balance knowing that health and fitness are not a competition but a lifestyle.
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