6 min read
One day you’re consistently working out, loving your routine, and making progress in the gym and then the next something happens that stops you in your tracks. Most people experience a fitness pause at some point—whether it’s because of an injury, illness, or schedule conflict. But what happens to all that muscle you built up when you have to take a break?
With muscle, it’s a use-it-or-lose-it situation. “If you’re not using that tissue, then your body no longer needs to divert additional fuel sources and water at the same rate,” says Rachelle Reed, PhD, an exercise physiologist. In other words, if you go too long without strength training, your body stops devoting the resources it needs to maintain your muscles—and then they start to lose their strength and size.
No matter what is keeping you from your fitness journey, fear not: There are plenty of ways to protect your muscle gains. Here’s what experts say you should do if you’re going to be away from the weight room for a prolonged period of time.
Meet the experts: Rachelle Reed, PhD, ACSM-EP, is an exercise physiologist. Gabrielle Savary, CPT, is a personal trainer, the founder of Grow With Gab Fitness, and a member of the WH Strength in Diversity class of 2025.
How Fast You Lose Muscle Mass
The good news: Muscle loss doesn’t happen overnight. It actually happens at a consistent—and pretty slow—rate. Even if you’re on a fitness break for a couple of weeks, there’s nothing to worry about. You likely won’t start to see a difference in muscle mass until about six weeks of sedentary behavior, at the very earliest, Reed says.
Several studies have confirmed this. One 2024 study in The Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports found that even ten weeks of missed resistance training didn’t make much of an impact on muscle strength or size. Plus, although participants did experience some loss in muscle strength and mass by week 10, they regained it within the first couple of weeks of retraining.
You might feel weaker after a couple of weeks, though, Reed says. When you haven’t been working out, that neuromuscular connection—the link between your brain and your muscles—can feel a bit out of practice. Even if your arms are just as strong as before, your brain forgets that they have strength because you haven’t lifted in a while, as a sort of muscular amnesia.
Rest assured, though, even if you’ve been out of the gym for a couple of months, you’ll feel that strength come back after a few weeks of training. It’s simply muscle memory. “Muscle loss isn’t inevitable or irreversible. It has a remarkable capacity to regain size and strength once training resumes,” says Reed.
How to Slow Down Muscle Loss
In the case that you aren’t working out over the course of many weeks, there are things you can do to prevent a decline, according to experts.
1. Prioritize protein.
When it comes to taking a fitness break, preservation is the name of the game, says Gabrielle Savary, CPT, a personal trainer and founder of Grow With Gab Fitness. One of the biggest elements to that preservation is what you eat. “Protein is king. If you prioritize protein over everything else, you’ll keep your body in a good spot to maintain the muscle mass that you currently have, even if your training capacity has been reduced,” says Savary.
She recommends adopting a high-protein diet with about 25 to 40 grams per meal. While this might be more than the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of protein—0.36 grams per pound of total body weight—it’s worth turning your intake up a notch to ensure your muscles get the support they need. Try spreading out your protein throughout the day (there are lots of great high-protein snacks out there) to make it easier to hit your goal.
Get some delicious high-protein recipes in the WH+ Meal Prep Manual.
2. Take creatine.
Combining resistance training with creatine is the golden combination for building muscle mass—but it’s also worth using even if you’re not hitting the gym. Several studies on creatine usage in patients with limb immobilization (from an injury) found that those who used creatine maintained more muscle mass than those who didn’t, per a review in Nutrients. So even when you’re in a more sedentary era, creatine can—and should—be your go-to supplement, says Savary.
If you haven’t tried creatine before, a break from the gym can be a perfect opportunity to try it out. “The second you start training again, you’ll be in a better starting position,” says Savary.
Plus, creatine has been shown to improve brain health, boost reproductive health, and curb the effects of short-term sleep deprivation, per previous Women’s Health reporting. All that said, you’re going to want to touch base with your doctor or dietitian before starting any new supplement.
3. Don’t cut calories.
If you’re taking a gym break, you may be thinking, I’m working out less, so I should eat less too. That’s not the case if you’re hoping to maintain muscle. “Slashing calories will only progress you losing muscle mass as opposed to maintaining it. This whole phase is supposed to be about preservation over progression,” says Savary.
Calories are key to muscle maintenance. If your food intake gets low, your body will break down muscle tissue for energy. This is the last thing you want when you’re trying to preserve muscle mass. And if you are concerned about weight, consider choosing a protein-rich regimen to support your muscles.
4. Catch your Zzz’s.
Getting sleep—good sleep—is key in preventing muscle loss. One study of 19,770 people in BMC Health found that those who reported poor sleep quality experienced greater losses in skeletal muscle mass than those who reported good sleep quality. The study also found that the quality of sleep played a larger role in muscle mass prevention than sleep duration.
So even if you can’t get those eight hours in every night, make sure you’re following sleep hygiene best practices—like implementing a routine, cutting down on caffeine in the afternoon, and reducing sleep interruptions—to give your body the recharge it needs.
5. Keep your body moving whenever you can.
Although movement looks different for everyone on a gym break (especially if you’re injured) it’s important to try and get at least some exercise in if you’re able, even if it’s simply getting in your steps. “Going for a walk still puts some stress on the musculoskeletal system, which is important,” says Reed. Any kind of resistance causes your muscles to work harder than they would at rest, helping you to maintain strength and muscle mass.
You can also opt for low-impact machines at the gym, like a stationary bike, elliptical, or ski erg, Savary says. Little things like taking the stairs, carrying luggage, or just banging out some air squats all help your body maintain its fitness and strength while you’re on a break. Bonus points if you’re able to stretch.
“We’re doing something that tells the body, ‘hey, we’re moving in a strategic way and sending stimulus to the muscle fibers in general,’” says Savary. Any opportunity you have to be active, whether you’re in downward dog or ripping a 30-second plank, gives your body a reminder to keep those muscles strong. What exactly you decide to do is going to look different for everyone—and if you’re injured, then you should talk with your doctor or physical therapist to find out what’s safe.
Staying active in whatever way you can also allows you to reap the mental benefits of exercise, says Reed. And it’s not all about endorphins: Taking time out of your day to walk, stretch, or move your body helps you maintain the sanctity of your fitness time, even if your routine looks different right now. You’ll be back to the races eventually.
Halle Newman is a freelance journalist and copywriter based in New York City. When she’s not writing, she’s probably strolling through Central Park with a matcha or trying out a new dance class.