Really basic fitness question

kateowp

Conventional wisdom says that to maintain weight you need to find and eat a set number of calories- aka maintenance calories (assuming lifestyle stays consistent and ignoring the long term aging process). Is it possible to have a set level of exercise to maintain fitness? I have heard repeatedly that your body adapts to consistent exercise- it becomes more efficient and that over time you need to "do more" to get the same results. Is this correct? If I run 3 miles a day at the same speed for five years will my body become so efficient at this that I begin to loose some of the cardiovascular fitness I gained? If I lift the same amount of weights on a set schedule for five years will my body become so efficient that I actually loose some amount of muscle mass after a while? Or do bodies maintain fitness (like they do weight) with a set amount?

RoxieDawn

Short answer is yes you can exercise "plateau". If you want to avoid adaption change it.. is when what you are doing stops working for an extended period of time its time to change it. People that are religious in their fitness and exercise, avoid this from happening. I can't imagine a person wanting to even do the exact same exercise, lifting, etc. routines over and over again getting the same results over and over again and moreover getting bored with it.

LazSommer

Why? Are you running 3 miles a day the next 10 years? It has more to do with exercise being less taxing the more fit you are vs being so efficient it's useless. You won't "lose" fitness but you will stop improving eventually.

rainbowbow

I typed out a whole huge thing on another post, so i'm going to copy and paste it here. I hope it helps you!

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There is something called the general adaptation syndrome and it looks something like this-

• Alarm reaction phase- This is the bodies initial response to a stressor. Commonly called the fight or flight mechanism. During this phase the body will rapidly heal itself and make adaptations to avoid injury. A common symptom during this period would be Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness.
• Resistance phase- In this phase the greatest number of adaptations are made to keep up with increased physiological demand.
• Exhaustion phase- In this phase the body has depleted it's resources and is no longer able to keep up with the demand placed on it. Injury, fatigue, and the inability to adapt begins.

This process takes between 4 and 6 weeks when performing the SAME movements/routine every single week. This is why it's generally recommended that training be periodized and be kept within the first two phases of adaptation. In other words, if you've been going in the gym doing the same routine for months, not resting enough, or overusing these muscles it is only a matter of time before you have one of these "overuse" type of injuries.


There's something called the cumulative injury cycle as well. By continuing without adequate rest, release of trigger points or adhesions, changing the volume or type of training, etc.

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So, to answer your specific question.... You will maintain a certain level of cardiovascular fitness and muscle mass, however, by continuing to perform the same exercise without "periodized" and "purposeful" training, you are more likely to injure yourself and your "results" will be less impressive overtime as the body adapts accordingly.

For general cardiovascular health only a minimum amount of effort is required (30 minutes low intensity 5 x a week, or 20 minutes high intensity 3 x a week). For strong bones and retention of muscle mass an adequate level of protein, consistent resistance training (body weight exercise, strength training, sports, etc.), are all that's required.

Lisa_Ookoo

I've wondered the same thing. Is it necessary to keep increasing the exercise to stay at the same level of fitness?

kateowp

LazSommer wrote: »

Why? Are you running 3 miles a day the next 10 years? It has more to do with exercise being less taxing the more fit you are vs being so efficient it's useless. You won't "lose" fitness but you will stop improving eventually.

I'm asking because the idea that I need to regularly increase my exercise (weights or cardio) in order to get the same benefit (maintain fitness) doesn't make sense to me and I am trying to understand. The idea that you need to do more to improve & do the same to stay the same makes more sense to me.

Lynnmi07

I don't know the science behind anything, however, I will offer this. My neighbor runs 3 miles (no more, no less) a day everyday (seriously hasn't missed 1 day in 2 years). She used to be 300lbs. She maintains her weight....

ninerbuff

rainbowbow wrote: »

I typed out a whole huge thing on another post, so i'm going to copy and paste it here. I hope it helps you!

---

There is something called the general adaptation syndrome and it looks something like this-

• Alarm reaction phase- This is the bodies initial response to a stressor. Commonly called the fight or flight mechanism. During this phase the body will rapidly heal itself and make adaptations to avoid injury. A common symptom during this period would be Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness.
• Resistance phase- In this phase the greatest number of adaptations are made to keep up with increased physiological demand.
• Exhaustion phase- In this phase the body has depleted it's resources and is no longer able to keep up with the demand placed on it. Injury, fatigue, and the inability to adapt begins.

This process takes between 4 and 6 weeks when performing the SAME movements/routine every single week. This is why it's generally recommended that training be periodized and be kept within the first two phases of adaptation. In other words, if you've been going in the gym doing the same routine for months, not resting enough, or overusing these muscles it is only a matter of time before you have one of these "overuse" type of injuries.


There's something called the cumulative injury cycle as well. By continuing without adequate rest, release of trigger points or adhesions, changing the volume or type of training, etc.

---

So, to answer your specific question.... You will maintain a certain level of cardiovascular fitness and muscle mass, however, by continuing to perform the same exercise without "periodized" and "purposeful" training, you are more likely to injure yourself and your "results" will be less impressive overtime as the body adapts accordingly.

For general cardiovascular health only a minimum amount of effort is required (30 minutes low intensity 5 x a week, or 20 minutes high intensity 3 x a week). For strong bones and retention of muscle mass an adequate level of protein, consistent resistance training (body weight exercise, strength training, sports, etc.), are all that's required.

Great post rainbowbow.


A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition