Whether you stayed at home, headed to family or friends, or escaped for some winter sun this Christmas, one thing’s for sure: your usual routine has probably taken a back seat. And that’s no bad thing. In fact, a proper break (both physical and mental) is sometimes exactly what we need.
And if you’re wondering whether taking a few days, or even a whole week, off will derail your fitness, the short answer is: nope. Although research doesn’t have a definitive answer for exactly how long it takes for detraining to occur (it varies depending on age, gender and usual training load), general scientific consensus says that it takes around two weeks for any noticeable decline in your cardio fitness, with other research indicating it takes four weeks to lose muscle mass.
