So you’re ready to hit the gym again after an exercise hiatus (and overindulging) during the holidays. After a break, your level of fitness won’t be what it once was and it can be frustrating to feel like you’re starting from scratch. These tips will help you get back in shape without feeling frustrated.

Work with your current level

Focus on where your fitness is at now, not what it was before you took the break from working out. Resist the urge to dive back into exercising at the intensity you were working at before. Scale back the weights you’re using by about 20% and allow yourself longer rest periods.

Start small

Take small steps towards recovering your fitness. Get your body ready by starting with flexibility routines, yoga, and light cardio such as a brisk walk. You can incorporate these things into your daily routine a few days before hitting the gym.

Keep it simple

Try not to do too much in your first week back. Start with a few compound movements such as squats, push-ups and deadlifts, and do a single set of each for your first workout.

Wait

While you recover your cardio and strength, it’s best to wait before tackling routines that are heavy on fast movements, plyometric moves, jumping and twisting. As your strength and stamina improve you can move on to these workouts.

Be realistic

Don’t expect to be as fit as you once were overnight. If you went a few weeks without working out, you’ll notice only a mild reduction in your cardio conditioning and next to no loss in strength. After a few months, your cardio really takes a hit and you’ll lose strength. It will take time to get back what you’ve lost, so be patient with yourself.

Sources: Shape, Lifehacker, Daily Burn