Strength Techniques and Strategies How to Stay Fit During Breaks and Holidays By Elizabeth Quinn Elizabeth Quinn Elizabeth Quinn is an exercise physiologist, sports medicine writer, and fitness consultant for corporate wellness and rehabilitation clinics. Learn about our editorial process Updated on April 26, 2021 Reviewed Verywell Fit articles are reviewed by nutrition and exercise professionals. Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Tara Laferrara, CPT Reviewed by Tara Laferrara, CPT Tara Laferrara is a certified NASM personal trainer, yoga teacher, and fitness coach. She also created her own online training program, the TL Method. Learn about our Review Board Print Getty Images Everyone will experience an interruption in their exercise and workout schedule from time to time. Holidays, weddings, vacations, injury and even illness can all force you to take some time off no matter how dedicated you are to your training. So, how can you keep exercise a priority when your schedule changes? And how little (or how much) exercise can you get away with and still maintain your fitness? While there isn't one right answer for everyone, most experts agree that it all depends upon your goals and your current level of fitness. If your main goal is to maintain your fitness level during a few weeks of reduced training, then some moderate exercise for 30 minutes every other day is all you need. If your current level of fitness is high and you want to keep it that way, you will need to adjust your exercise time, type and intensity accordingly. You'll start deconditioning (losing fitness) in about two weeks if you stop exercise altogether. It takes nearly three times as long to recondition as it took to detrain. Maintain Fitness With Short, High-Intensity Exercise If you need to reduce your training time for a couple of weeks, don't worry. You'll get back to your current fitness level pretty quickly when your schedule returns to normal. Just don't stop exercising altogether. Studies have shown that you can prevent declines in cardiovascular fitness for up to three weeks simply by doing higher intensity exercise (70-75 percent of maximum heart rate) for as little as two days per week. Top Ways to Maintain Fitness During Breaks At a minimum, perform two high-quality, high-intensity, 30-minute training sessions each week for up to three weeks and you should be able to maintain your fitness level until you can resume your usual program. Add 30-second sprint training twice a week. Add interval training routines twice a week. Add short, high-intensity workouts in order to burn more calories in less time. Use the days when you can't exercise for rest and recovery. Keep the high-intensity days 2 to 4 days apart for maximum benefit and allows plenty of time for rest, which is essential if you are doing high-intensity workouts. Don't skip exercise for more than about three weeks or you will see an overall decline in fitness that will take some effort to regain. Maintain Your Exercise Routine During Breaks and Holidays Instead of detraining and reconditioning, you may be able to keep up your exercise routine after all. Exercise in the morning and you are far more likely to do it! Use the S.M.A.R.T. principle and set some real goals for your routine and your motivation. Schedule exercise and put it on your calendar. Ask your family or friends for support. Make exercise a family activity. Use the same tips that beginners use for getting started and sticking with exercise. Exercise at home or in a hotel with a no equipment body weight workout. Review the top 10 fitness equipment ideas for travelers. Maintain a balanced attitude and enjoy the variety of shorter workouts. Use the time off to rest, cross train or as a way to combat overtraining. How to Start Running Again After a Break Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Get exercise tips to make your workouts less work and more fun. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit 0 Sources Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Burgomaster KA, Cermak NM, Phillips SM, Benton CR, Bonen A, Gibala MJ. Divergent response of metabolite transport proteins in human skeletal muscle after sprint interval training and detraining. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2007 Feb 15; Lemmer, J. T., et al. Age and gender responses to strength training and detraining, Medicine and Science in Sports & Exercise, 32(8):1505-1512, August 2000. Mujika I, Padilla S. Cardiorespiratory and metabolic characteristics of detraining in humans. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2001 Mar;33(3):413-21. Review. Toraman NF., Short term and long term detraining: is there any difference between young-old and old people? Br J Sports Med. 2005 Aug;39(8):561-4.