For many people, September feels like a fresh start. The holidays are over, the children are back at school, and your diary is gradually regaining some structure. It’s also time to get your exercise routine back on track.
Perhaps you’ve been exercising a bit less over the summer. Perhaps your training has taken a back seat for a while due to a busy schedule, a holiday or an injury. Or perhaps… you’re simply ready for a fresh start with exercise!
September is the perfect time to make a fresh start. Not by going full steam ahead straight away, but by rebuilding a good routine step by step.
Start gently and give your body time
After a long break from exercise, it’s tempting to jump straight back to the level you used to train at. However, it’s wiser to build up your fitness gradually.
Start with manageable workouts and gradually increase the duration and intensity. This will give your body time to get used to the exertion again, helping you to avoid missing out due to injuries.
Having a fixed schedule can be a huge help here. For example, make sure you book your exercise sessions into your diary in advance. You’re less likely to put off something that’s already scheduled
And above all: don’t expect to be back to your old level after just one or two training sessions. Building up an exercise routine takes time. Consistency is more important than perfection.
The right food at the right time
People who are taking up exercise again often focus solely on the training itself. People often forget that the preparation and cool-down phases of a training session are also essential. Consider, for example, checking the weather forecast if you’re exercising outdoors. But also think about choosing the right sports kit, warming up and stretching your muscles, and, last but not least, what you eat and drink before, during and after exercise.
The right sports nutritions doesn't have to be complicated at all. The most important thing is to choose something that suits the stage of your workout and that you actually enjoy, so that you’re sure to replenish your energy and fluids adequately.
Before and during exercise: replenish your energy
During longer or more intense training sessions, carbohydrates are an important source of energy. Depending on the duration and intensity of your training, you can opt for a sports drink in addition to a energy bar or gel.
Haven’t eaten anything yet before exercising? If so, have an energy bar, for example, 15 to 30 minutes before exercising, or a fruit bar 10 minutes before you start.
In particular, bear in mind the type of training you’re doing. For a short, gentle session, a isotonic drankpowder or hypotone a drink and a carbohydrate-rich meal beforehand… For longer sessions, it becomes more important to think in advance about what you should take with you. Your carbohydrate requirements depend on your metabolic rate as well as the intensity and duration of the session. On a cycle ride in the Ardennes, you’ll need extra carbohydrates sooner than on a 10km run at a slow pace on a flat track.
In short:
- A short, gentle training session: make sure you drink plenty of fluids and consume carbohydrates beforehand.
- Longer training sessions and/or high-intensity exercise: replenish carbohydrates during exercise by consuming drinks, bars and/or gels.
If you don’t get enough carbohydrates, you might well hit the wall. That can really put you off starting your next training session.
After exercising: don’t forget to recover
After a workout, it’s tempting to jump in the shower quickly and get on with your day. However, this is a good time to give your diet the attention it deserves.
Proteins are important building blocks for the body. A protein-rich shake is therefore ideal for consumption after exercise. To get the most out of recovery products, it is best to consume them within half an hour of finishing your workout.
Our Concap Protein Recup Bars are easy to carry around and make a handy, protein-rich post-workout snack. Prefer a shake? Then you can choose our Concap Recup Shake.
So, even when you’re out and about, post-workout nutrition doesn’t have to be a faff: a shake in your sports bag, a bar in your cycle bag or back pocket, and you’re all set.
Haven’t you been active for quite a while?
Have you had a long break from exercise, or are you returning after a period when you were unable to exercise as much? If so, it’s particularly important to build up your fitness gradually.
As well as a balanced diet, an amino acid supplement can be a valuable addition to your fitness routine. Concap offers Max BCAA, Amino A and Amino O in the assortment.
You should use these products primarily as a supplement to your recovery routine. A balanced diet, rest and a gradual build-up of training, combined with amino acids, are the key components of a good fitness routine.
How do you stay motivated?
Starting an exercise routine is one thing. Sticking to it is often the biggest challenge.
A few simple strategies can help.
1. Exercise together
Arrange to meet up with a friend, colleague or training partner. When someone is counting on you, you’re less likely to just skip your training session.
What’s more, exercising together is often simply more fun.
2. Sign up for a class or a club
A sports class that you sign up for or pay for gives you that extra bit of motivation to actually go.
Whether it’s spinning, fitness, swimming, running, dancing, boxing or any other sport: make it a regular fixture in your schedule.
3. Plan your training sessions
Put your sporting activities literally in your diary. Treat them just like any other appointment.
4. Set small goals
You don’t have to set yourself a marathon, a gran fondo or a full Hyrox as your goal straight away.
Start small. Do 30 minutes of exercise today. Two sessions next week. Then perhaps a third, or two one-hour sessions. Small goals that you actually achieve often provide more motivation than one big goal that’s still a long way off.
5. Give yourself time
Missing a training session doesn’t mean your routine has failed.
Had a busy week? No problem. Missed a session? Just start again with the next one. The aim isn’t to never miss a session. The aim is to get back into your routine time and time again.
A new exercise routine in 4 steps
Want to keep it simple? Then bear these four moments in mind:
BEFORE THE TRAINING SESSION
Make sure you have a good basic diet and tailor your meals to the training you’re going to do.
DURING THE TRAINING
Make sure you drink enough and use a sport drink, during longer training sessions in combination with a gel or energy bar.
AFTER THE TRAINING SESSION
Prepare a protein-rich meal or make life easy for yourself and use a Concap Protein Recup Bar or Recup Shake. Don’t forget your amino acids either.
BETWEEN TRAINING SESSIONS
Make sure you give your body plenty of rest and build up your training sessions gradually.
Ready to discover your new, fitter self?
A new exercise routine doesn’t have to be complicated. Start gently, plan your workouts, find someone to exercise with, and make sure your diet is tailored to your level of activity.
What’s more, with the right preparation, it becomes much easier to have your sports nutrition to hand at just the right moment.
Are you unsure exactly what you need?
Ask our in-store coaches for advice and they’ll be more than happy to help you.
You can also request personalised advice at any time via our online form. Fill in the questions and receive a personalised email suggesting the best use for your specific goal and sport.