USE IT OR LOSE IT: WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU STOP DOING CARDIO

So, they say…”use it, or lose it.” I didn’t realize how true that was until it happened to me.

My only job in Colorado was being a fitness instructor. I was teaching 4 classes a week and always would throw in 1 or 2 more of other instructors’ classes. I ate…A LOT, just to keep up with my calorie burn. Fast forward a month. I moved to Atlanta was working full time, temporarily living in a 2 bedroom apartment with no place to work out, and still eating A LOT. I went to a few classes but nothing was working. Still, I did quite a bit of yoga and a handful of treadmill classes. Somewhere along the way I ended up getting a hip injury. Not good. It put me out of commission in a big way. I couldn’t even walk for a workout.

Our first big shoot was coming up for REB3L, and I prayed my hip would hold out. I stayed off of it weeks before the shoot. I didn’t even begin to think my endurance would be an issue; it had only been 6 weeks since I had done REB3L Groove.

So, off I went to Colorado to do the shoot.

My absence from cardio hit me in a BIG way. (Well, that and the lack of oxygen after being at sea level for so long 😉 ) But, not having kept up with my cardio hurt me, badly. I never could have imagined how bad. Of course we were hitting it hard: three 7+ hour days in a row of non-stop REB3L Groove. I ended up getting sick, and the paramedics came. I went down on the shoot and was even out for two songs. The altitude hurt me a bit, but honestly I think it was the lack of cardio in my life the 6 weeks leading up to it.

So, being one of those who needs answers and needs to understand the “why,” I started doing a little research. Basically, it comes down to this: It only takes 7-14 days for you to start losing endurance associated with cardio. Strength takes a little longer–about 2-3 weeks–but you don’t want to lose that either!

This holiday season, take some time to shop and hang with the family. Just be sure to try to squeeze in a couple cardio sessions a week to keep up all the work that has already been invested. That way you won’t be back at square one when you get back into your routine.

Happy Holidays!

xo Ashleigh