Life throws a lot of things at us. We might be flying high one minute, and in the dumps the next. Just when everything seems to be going great at work, at home, and in the gym, something will arise in one of these areas which will suddenly limit our abilities. When life tosses you a curveball, all you can do is swing at that curveball with everything you’ve got, and knock that ball out of the park. When you are given a set of problems, you often have to place everything else on hold and tackle the tasks at hand. That can mean suspending your gym attendance for a short time, giving you more time to devote to the problems (or opportunities) in which you’ve been presented.

Don’t End With a Whimper…
End with a bang! If you foresee a major series of events in your life which will preclude you from training for a bit of time, then you should prime yourself for this break by training like a madman until the very end! Ramp up your training so that you peak on lifts such as squat, bench press, and deadlift, then enjoy the break your joints and muscles will be craving from there.

Keep Your Diet Steady, with Fewer Calories
Your naturally attained levels of muscle mass will remain constant for some time, provided you keep your protein intake steady. Reduce your daily caloric consumption by 500, however, if you wish to keep your body fat levels in check.

Continue Stretching On A Daily Basis
The last thing you want to do when you finally do return to the gym is sustain a major training injury. Don’t increase the likelihood of this by losing some of your hard-earned flexibility during your break. It doesn’t take a lot of time, thought, or energy to swing your arms around or stretching your legs in the morning – but it will go a long way to keeping your muscles flexible so you’re in a better position when you do finally return to the gym.

Grow Your Brain
Use this spare gym/driving time to your advantage. Pick up a book or three on nutrition. Learn more about the nutrients you should be consuming, and when they are most effective. Remember that somewhere out there, a bodybuilder with the same genetics, strength, and work ethic as you is making twice the gains because he times his nutrient consumption better. Learn about what foods work best when, so that when you do return to the gym, you’ll see a series of new gains.

Keep An Eye On The Bigger Picture
The resources you dedicate to solving the problem that has arisen – in your career, family, school, relationship, or whatever – will result in a better quality of life down the road. Keep that in mind, and realize that weightlifting is only one of many tools we use to improve our quality of life. You can always pause it and place it on the shelf. Muscle memory will ensure that when you do return to the gym, your gains will be back before you know it.

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