# Lapses are normal > A missed session is a slip, not a failure, and slips are a normal part of changing a habit. Carry on with your next planned activity rather than starting over. After a longer break, restart small: about 10 minutes at an easy effort. - Type: Guide - Topic: Habits & Motivation › Coming Back After a Break - Status: test content, not reviewed yet - URL: https://twikka.com/learn/lapses-are-normal - Updated: 2026-10-21 - **A lapse is one slip, not a return to the old pattern.** Slips are a normal part of changing behaviour [1]. - **Confidence is the thing to protect.** Feeling able to cope with setbacks is linked with fewer lapses [2]. - **Restart small.** Begin with about 10 minutes at an easy effort, based on what you can do now rather than what you used to do [3]. - **Add time before anything else.** Do a little more each day, up to 30 minutes, before changing pace or distance [3]. ## How do you prevent a lapse becoming a relapse? A lapse becomes a relapse when one slip turns into a return to the old pattern, so the aim is to treat a slip as one slip. Going back to old habits after a change is common [1], so the goal isn't never to slip. It is to make carrying on easy. Confidence is the factor most consistently linked with whether a lapse leads to relapse in physical activity [2]. Feeling able to cope with problems is also linked with lower odds of missing exercise [4]. How you handle a tricky moment may shape what follows: coping well tends to build confidence and make a later relapse less likely, while coping that fails tends to lower it [1]. One practical step is to link a backup plan to a barrier you expect [1]. Think of one thing likely to get in the way, such as a busy week or a tired day, and decide in advance what you will do instead. Keep it simple. Planning for every possible problem can be frustrating and can leave you with plans that never get finished [5]. One small backup plan is enough. If you miss a session, treat it as one slip. Carry on with your next planned activity rather than starting over. > **Try this:** Pick one thing likely to get in your way this week. Write down one small thing you will do instead, such as a shorter version of your usual activity. ## How do you get going again after missing sessions or stopping? Restart small, and base it on what you can do now rather than what you used to do [3]. Begin at low intensity for about 10 minutes on the first day, and build up at a pace that feels safe and manageable [3]. Building up gradually makes changes more likely to become a lasting part of your lifestyle [3]. - **Change one thing at a time.** Time is a good place to start: do a little more each day, building up to 30 minutes [3]. - **Do a little less than you think you can.** Doing too much too soon is a common way to get injured [3]. - **Put it in the diary.** Scheduling time and planning a few small tasks for the coming week helps prevent putting it off and last-minute cancellations [3]. - **Use short bouts.** Five minutes of gardening, a walk to the shops or a mindful stretch can add up when you do a few through the day [3]. Intending to be active doesn't always lead to action. Across the people analysed, 36% intended to be active and didn't follow through, and 42% intended to and did [6]. So a plan helps, and so does the reason behind it. Feeling capable and doing an activity for its own sake are both linked with taking part in exercise [7]. Choose activities you enjoy, or that matter to you for your health, how well you function and your quality of life [7]. Exercising mainly out of guilt, shame or pressure may come at some cost to your psychological health [7]. ## When to check with a health professional If you're starting exercise after a long break, it's always a good idea to see your doctor first. For an injury or a health condition, see a health professional, such as your doctor or a physio. If a muscle or joint is sore, stop or ease off, and get advice from a doctor or other health professional if it persists or gets worse. Soreness a day or two after new activity is normal and fades over a few days. Call your local emergency number for chest pain or pressure (or pain spreading to the arm, neck, jaw or back, especially with sweating or feeling sick), severe breathlessness, fainting or collapse, signs of a stroke, a serious injury, or someone who isn't safe. ## Quick answers ### Does missing one session mean I've failed? No. Missing a session is a slip, and slips are a normal part of changing a habit. You don't need to start over. Pick your next planned activity, even a short one, and do that. One missed session is a small event, and what you do next matters more. ### Can short walks still count if I can't manage a full session? Yes. Activity of any length counts towards your weekly amounts, and there is no minimum of 10 minutes at a time. A few minutes of walking, gardening or stretching, repeated through the day, can add up. On a busy or tired day, a short version is better than nothing. ### Why do I keep stopping after a few weeks? Stopping after a good start is common. Feeling capable and choosing activities you enjoy, or that matter to you, are linked with taking part. One small backup plan for busy or tired days can also make a slip easier to recover from, so you carry on instead of giving up. ## Sources 1. Kwasnicka D, Dombrowski SU, White M, Sniehotta F (2016). Theoretical explanations for maintenance of behaviour change: a systematic review of behaviour theories. Health Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1080/17437199.2016.1151372 2. Roordink EM, Steenhuis IHM, Kroeze W, Schoonmade LJ, Sniehotta FF, van Stralen MM (2023). Predictors of lapse and relapse in physical activity and dietary behaviour: a systematic search and review on prospective studies. Psychology & Health. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08870446.2021.1981900 3. INTO EXERCISE. Getting Back into Exercise. https://www.getactive.vic.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Getting-Back-into-Exercise.pdf 4. Roordink EM, Joosten MMJ, Steenhuis IHM, Kroeze W, Hoekstra T, Jacobs N, van Stralen MM (2026). Affective and cognitive predictors of lapse in exercise and dietary behavior: an ecological momentary assessment study amongst Dutch adults trying to lose weight. Psychology & Health. https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2025.2509070 5. Wee ZQC, Dillon D (2022). Increasing Physical Exercise through Action and Coping Planning. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8997544/ 6. Rhodes RE, de Bruijn G-J (2013). How big is the physical activity intention-behaviour gap? A meta-analysis using the action control framework. British Journal of Health Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjhp.12032 7. Teixeira PJ, Carraça EV, Markland D, Silva MN, Ryan RM (2012). Exercise, physical activity, and self-determination theory: a systematic review. The International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. https://doi.org/10.1186/1479-5868-9-78 --- Source: Twikka (https://twikka.com/learn/lapses-are-normal). General information about physical activity, not medical advice.