Returning after my first unplanned layoff

[never2late]

My wife took a turn for the worst in late April. I kept working out in the beginning, but she required a lot of daily care including bed pans and sponge baths. She was in a lot of pain, and it drove me nearly insane to have to see her like that 24 hours a day -- and not be able to help her or get ride of the pain.

I stopped working out.

Her operation was successful (spinal fusion), and she is now doing very well. She's walking and moving well. She started back in our home gym on Monday (just stretching and stationary recumbant slow cycling).

So now -- after many years of faithfully hitting my gym without fail -- I'm ready to head back too.

I always had a weight problem, and man did it come back with a vengence. I think I gained close to 20 pounds -- which is incredible, but seems to be my lot in life with managing weight.

My last workout session was the beginning of May, so I'm going on two months now.

Any suggestions on how to proceed would be greatly appreciated. Anything that might stop any type of early burnout by doing too much too soon again.

At 50 years old, what are the things that I need to look out for -- to minimize early overtraining and/or injury after the layoff?

Good to be back. :-)

[dbx]

Good to see you back my friend. While I was disheartened to learn of the illness your wife endured, I'm very happy for you both that it appears to be over, and that she is well again. Welcome back.

You know all the routines. The only advice I could offer would be to take it slowly. Take 20-30lbs off what you were doing before just to get safely back in the groove. 2 months isn't a life time, although I'm sure it seemed like it under the circumstances. You should be back to your best in that same amount of time, if it even takes that long. Heck, you'll probably have a great growth spurt from the "rest".

Just ease into it slow as I'm sure you already know to do.

Again, welcome back.

[never2late]

Thanks dbx. There were threads of spider webs on some of the equipment up in the attic on monday, so that didn't help mentally. The weights (and poundages) were as I left them, so that is somewhat depressing too -- to know that much will have to come off.

But the good news is that it is all still there -- as if it were a friend waiting for me to come "home" again.

Part of my routine will always have to be weight management (both dietary and expenditures). But I am fortunate that I respond in a positive way to it.

One thing I've noticed is that -- perhaps due to my age of 50 -- things go downhill incredibly fast once a routine is broken. It's like the body just waits to fall apart at the first opportunity. In such a short time, I just look like every other 50 year old out there.

Hopefully, it's all just hiding inside waiting to be brought out again.

I do feel rushed to get back to my previous level. I need to be REAL careful here.

[phikappa]

You'll bounce back quickly. Take it easy in the beginning, tho. Glad to hear your wife is doing better.

Good luck!

[jacktheblack]

Glad to hear your wife is doing better, and take it slow and steady as you get back into the swing. The last thing you want is to get to gung ho and have to take more time off becuase you hurt yourself.

[JustLost]

Nothing to add, but I'll echo the advice you've already gotten. Ive been in the same position. Start out easy and light, paying more attention to form than anything. I've come back from long layoffs and just done my usual layoff weights the first workout, just to get back into it. Injuries suck, especially for us, er, grownups. ;)

[joed]

Good to see you back NTL. Make those clean food meals & you & the Mrs. will be on track soon enough.

[ChocoChick]

Welcome back, N2L. Glad to hear your wife is better. Now, get crackin'!

[30-A rider]

One thing I've noticed is that -- perhaps due to my age of 50 -- things go downhill incredibly fast once a routine is broken. It's like the body just waits to fall apart at the first opportunity. In such a short time, I just look like every other 50 year old out there.

.


Dont be so hard on yourself asuming that you fell into poor shape so quickly just because of a layoff! Consider the facts that not only were you not training, not only did your diet go to sh*t ( I would be assuming); but you had an incredible amount of stress! Stress can be worse than not dieting and training, as far as its effects on ones health and physique. I was reading Mr. Someday's training journal from a show he did about a year ago (lots of Reading!) and I remeber a statement he made that I have heard, and experienced myself...He was referring to the stress at his job when he said something like " The stress I expereince on a daily basis at work is more taxing and tiresome than anything I could ever do in the gym with training"

I beleive this is so very true, and definatrely applies in your case. Chances are the time you took off wouldnt have been 1/2 as bad with regards to physique loss and weight gain, if there wasnt the significance of your wife's illness creating that STRESS.

Determination and persistence... and you will be back much sooner than you think..good luck.

[never2late]

Thanks everyone. Looking forward to brushing off the cobwebs . . . slowly and carefully.

I've been faithful to my lifting regimen since 1999 -- taking only my usual 2 week breaks after each 12 week stretch. But this time around I let it slip. I worked out during the beginning, but as she continued to go into more pain and become immobile, it just killed me feeling so helpless and not being able to do anything to take her pain away. (I've been with her since dating in high school, 30 years already). The agony that she had with me just lifting her to a bed pan -- for weeks -- was enough to tear a heart out watching.

It was the first health crisis for either of us. She's back stretching and indoor cycling as of monday, and I'll be starting off with a few rounds of boxing tomorrow. Probably go the circuit training route for 6 to 8 weeks, I guess: a nice combo of weights and cardio. I missed the group! This has been like a second home to me for so long now.