How often do you exercise?

mandietippets

I have been exercising 6 days a week for around 45 minutes. My body is exhausted! How often do you exercise to keep up the weight loss? I know I need to listen to my body and take a break but it's hard because I'm so scared of gaining the weight back.

TeaBea

I treat exercise just like any other lifestyle change. My diet is the most important factor for weight loss. Exercise is for fitness and will give me a little wiggle room during maintenance. You won't gain weight during rest days, unless you are eating too much.

mommazach

6 days a week, but I change types of exercise. I Jog 1 day, video series the next. I change up my routine as it was stressing my knees too much to run daily.

no_day_but_2day

I hate taking rest days too. You're not going to gain weight back in a single day unless you pig out on 5000 calories or something. I recommend active rest days. Walking, swimming, or just simple biking but not to your maximum effort. It will feel like a workout but you will be giving your body the rest it needs. I workout every day too but I do it because I love it. I don't plan to take rest days because I'm always afraid I'll take a rest day on Wednesday and then something will come up on Thursday to where I can't work out and then I'll feel terrible because that's two days in a row. I have a slight addiction though.

TavistockToad

I don't exercise to lose weight, that's what my calorie deficit is for.

cwolfman13

5-6 days a week...for fitness, not for weight loss.

Helloidentitycrisis

I go to the gym for around 2 hours (40-45 minutes rowing, 60-80 minutes lifting with a lot of that being rest time) M, T, T, F. Wed/Sat I'm usually pretty pooped, then on Sunday I'm usually active but don't officially workout.

californiagirl2012

Exercise is to build your lean body mass, it takes conditioning. I exercise every day because I enjoy it and it feels good and it empowers my life.

Fat loss and body fat control is all about food intake. Fat loss happens very slowly and the body weight scale is very limiting and won't tell you the whole story. If you are in a big fat loss phase then you will have bigger changes, then it will slow down. It's mostly only good to look at the scale every month or so and look at the trend over time. Once you get down to the last 1-15 pounds the scale is mostly useless.

ScoobaChick

I Zumba almost every day but my body is so used to it that I don't feel sore afterwards. I lift three times per week but need 1-2 days rest between each session. It all depends on what you are doing and how long you have been doing it.

You need to start slow though and take rest days at the beginning and build up your exercise schedule. A lot of people on here have been working out for years and so are probably not the best comparison. Don't do anything that hurts.

What type of exercise are you doing?

Helloidentitycrisis

ScoobaChick wrote: »

I Zumba almost every day but my body is so used to it that I don't feel sore afterwards. I lift three times per week but need 1-2 days rest between each session. It all depends on what you are doing and how long you have been doing it.

You need to start slow though and take rest days at the beginning and build up your exercise schedule. A lot of people on here have been working out for years and so are probably not the best comparison. Don't do anything that hurts.

What type of exercise are you doing?

I'm not saying this is bad advice but I just want to edit this slightly:

Don't do anything that hurts excessively.

If I don't hurt, I probably didn't work out - whether I went to the gym or not, haha!

ScoobaChick

Helloidentitycrisis wrote: »

Don't do anything that hurts excessively.

Well there is a huge difference between the discomfort of DOMS or pushing your lifting limit and actual tearing pain. Nothing should ever be painful (uncomfortable yes but not painful).

If the pain is sharp you are doing something wrong!

drachfit

12x per week. Row and run 60km/week, 2 lifting sessions, 2 climbing gym sessions, and one all-day outing on the weekend rock or ice climbing.

jtolman619

I exercise every day for 30 minutes, although Sunday I do yoga so it's kind of a rest day for me.

mandietippets

ScoobaChick wrote: »

I Zumba almost every day but my body is so used to it that I don't feel sore afterwards. I lift three times per week but need 1-2 days rest between each session. It all depends on what you are doing and how long you have been doing it.

You need to start slow though and take rest days at the beginning and build up your exercise schedule. A lot of people on here have been working out for years and so are probably not the best comparison. Don't do anything that hurts.

What type of exercise are you doing?

I've mostly been using the elliptical and doing some strength training. I have degenerative disk disease and several herniated disks. The exercise makes me feel great (usually) but I worked out pretty hard yesterday and am having pretty significant back and sciatic pain. I'm thinking I it's just my body telling me I need a break. Eating very clean too which is probably the main reason I'm losing weight.

treehopper1987

Exercise really isn't a way to "lose weight". It's more to look better, and be stronger. Diet is your main source of losing weight, since you need to be in a calorie deficit. You should not gain weight simply from taking a break, your body actually needs rest from work outs. Gained weight is from eating too much, or simply water weight, not that you should reduce your water intake. Your body can naturally fluctuate about 2-5 lbs.

furmickc

Run 6 days a week, cross train (boot-camp style class) 2 days a week. One rest day a week. But as everyone above says, exercise has not been why I've lost weight. Diet is. 100%

Burger2066

I do strength training and cardio 6 days a week with an active rest day, so that I can get in hockey shape. I watch what I eat so I can weigh what I want to.

liftsalltheweights

I lift 5 days a week (shooting for 7 every other week) and do cardio 4 days a week, sometimes 5 if I decide to throw in a treadmill walk on the weekend.

janicelo1971

I use to go to crossfit 3-4 days a week and tennis 2x a week, but broke my ankle 3 weeks ago....no fitness at all right now and feeling like a blob....nice recovery break though! may start up some arm weights this week and praying for no weight gain! however I'm afraid i will lose muscle so it will all even out..."skinny/fat"..yuck!

beamie2687

I exercise anywhere between 3-5 days a week. I find that it makes me feel calm and accomplished and that I've been sleeping better. I do cardio every day that I work out, and lift at least 3 days a week. I almost always take an entire weekend day off, and the other day I'll adjust based on how I feel - yoga or more cardio.

RunnersLament

Every Dang Day (unless life gets in the way)! But aim for variety... I do a combination of strength, boxing, treadmill, and exercise bike workouts... and hopefully soon back to running outdoors (if my mean old physio will let me )

MommyMeggo

6 days / week average
Walk for 1hr 3-4miles depending on how much effort I give M-F
(sometimes on weekends but usually not purposeful exercise)
Lift 4 evenings per week.

Lesley2603

Monday treadmill, between 30 and 45 mins, Tuesday 1 hr with trainer, Wednesday Pilates class, Thursday, 1 hr with trainer, Friday dog walking about 2.5 - 3 miles. Mon to Thurs I walk around three miles to and from work, may be more if my husband can't give me lift to train

BrianSharpe

Depending on what you're doing (impact, intensity, adaptation) there's no reason not to be active 7 days a week.

Personally I do something every day (most days twice) but I alternate running with non-running days, don't lift weights on consecutive days etc and usually one day a week will be an active recovery way where I walk or snowshoe.

What type of exercises are you doing and how long have you been going at it? How big a calorie deficit are you maintaining?

45 minutes a day (unless it's something insanely intense) shouldn't be leaving you exhausted unless you're fairly new to your fitness program and it might just be a matter of your body becoming more efficient at storing glycogen and your mitochondrial density hasn't gone up yet (your body undergoes a lot of adaptations when becoming active again) or it could be that you're simply not getting enough fuel.

mlcollins89

I GO to the gym 5-6 days a week but on "off" days I try to hike, walk, snowshoe, etc.

jacqueline0821

I have just started working out again and I am going to the gym everyday for 30 minutes.

nordlead2005

I exercise 3x/week, sometimes 4x. Once the ground is dry and the sun stays out a bit later I will play Ultimate 1x/week, and I think I just finished up skiing (1x/week) for the year.

However, none of that is for weight loss. I lost weight at the same rate exercising 2x/week as I did 4x/week because I regulate my food intake based on how active I was. If you are burnt out in the gym, take a day off and reduce your calorie intake by the appropriate amount (for example, 45 minutes of running would be ~400-500 calories for me).

mandietippets

BrianSharpe wrote: »

Depending on what you're doing (impact, intensity, adaptation) there's no reason not to be active 7 days a week.

Personally I do something every day (most days twice) but I alternate running with non-running days, don't lift weights on consecutive days etc and usually one day a week will be an active recovery way where I walk or snowshoe.

What type of exercises are you doing and how long have you been going at it? How big a calorie deficit are you maintaining?

45 minutes a day (unless it's something insanely intense) shouldn't be leaving you exhausted unless you're fairly new to your fitness program and it might just be a matter of your body becoming more efficient at storing glycogen and your mitochondrial density hasn't gone up yet (your body undergoes a lot of adaptations when becoming active again) or it could be that you're simply not getting enough fuel.

I'm pretty active all day at work, I work at a large hospital so it's not like I'm ever just sitting around. Even on my days off I'm chasing my son and taking the dogs for walks, etc. I think I may be coming down with a little bug because my body is beat but I also don't think I'm eating enough calories. I'm typically around 1100 while I'm burning about 600+ calories with exercise. I need to try and incorporate more protein in my diet as well.

xLyric

mandietippets wrote: »

BrianSharpe wrote: »

Depending on what you're doing (impact, intensity, adaptation) there's no reason not to be active 7 days a week.

Personally I do something every day (most days twice) but I alternate running with non-running days, don't lift weights on consecutive days etc and usually one day a week will be an active recovery way where I walk or snowshoe.

What type of exercises are you doing and how long have you been going at it? How big a calorie deficit are you maintaining?

45 minutes a day (unless it's something insanely intense) shouldn't be leaving you exhausted unless you're fairly new to your fitness program and it might just be a matter of your body becoming more efficient at storing glycogen and your mitochondrial density hasn't gone up yet (your body undergoes a lot of adaptations when becoming active again) or it could be that you're simply not getting enough fuel.

I'm pretty active all day at work, I work at a large hospital so it's not like I'm ever just sitting around. Even on my days off I'm chasing my son and taking the dogs for walks, etc. I think I may be coming down with a little bug because my body is beat but I also don't think I'm eating enough calories. I'm typically around 1100 while I'm burning about 600+ calories with exercise. I need to try and incorporate more protein in my diet as well.

Yeah, you should eat at least some of the exercise calories. You'll probably feel a bit better.

I walk 4 days a week to get 10k steps a day at an easy-brisk pace, and 'run' (C25K) 3 days a week, plus whatever else I need for the step total. I don't do anything else yet because I'm focusing on weight loss rather than muscle. I eventually want to run for 45min to an hour 4 days a week or so, with walking on the days off.

I understand the 'fitness isn't for weight loss' mentality, but right now I exercise just so I can eat more and still lose weight. I think in that way I am doing it for weight loss, but I realize it's the deficit that enables the loss.

NaturalNancy

I think if you are exhausted then take a break and do something you truly enjoy.
Then when you hit the gym again you will feel even more motivated and refreshed!
It's ok to take a rest, I think it's good for the body and mind to rest when you are exhausted.
I usually exercise 4 to 5 times a week.

coreyreichle

TavistockToad wrote: »

I don't exercise to lose weight, that's what my calorie deficit is for.

Came here to say this.

To the OP: If you want to exercise daily, you have to work up to it, and then structure in a cross training program.