How Long Can You Skip Your Workout without Consequences?

It happens to all of us: For one reason or another, we just don’t make it to the gym when we mean to. Life happens, right? But how many days in a row can you skip before you start to lose the progress you’ve made?

Skipping your regular exercise for a few days—or even a week—won’t make you backslide a lot. In fact, your body may need the break. In fact, if you exercise four to six times a week, a few days off can give you the opportunity to recover and refresh your mind and body.

The biggest risk in taking a short break? You may not start up again—or may lack motivation when you do.

After two weeks of inactivity, however, you’ll start to lose aerobic conditioning. If you lift weights, you may notice a decline in your strength level when you resume, depending on how vigorously you had been training.

The bottom line? A little exercise is better than none at all. If you find yourself challenged for time, try to fit in a few short, high-intensity workouts when you can. This can help you compensate and bounce back faster when you get back to your regular schedule.