More exercise isn't necessarily better

ninerbuff

I work out practically every day of the week. One body part a day mixed in with some cardio of some sort. Sounds like a lot, but my sessions are about 35 minutes long and that's it.

I've gotten a lot of PM's from people working out 2-3 hours consecutive on a daily basis. Now if one is training with enough intensity, and isn't working out to compete for an athletic event, most of the time this will be overkill if weight loss is the goal.
Remember that calorie in/out is more important than trying to out exercising the calories you've consumed.

Also the goal should be to adhere to an exercising program that one can do for life and not just for the short term (again not discounting competitions or athletic events).

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

KBjimAZ

I hate to see when people (mostly new to exercising) fall into the trap of "that's what person x does, so that must be what I need to do in order to see results". We are all as different as our fingerprints.

Meggles63

I appreciate you posting this, as I have many, many friends who are always burning hundreds of calories doing hours of exercise, and here I am toddling along at 40-45 mins. daily, lol. I'm basically a lazy person, so if I can get results (and I have been!) doing "less" I'm happy!

NaomiJFoster

I can't imagine exercising for two solid hours. 30-45 minutes is my happy zone, maybe an hour if I spend a long time stretching afterward. I get bored. I get tired. I get hot. I get sweaty. I get just *done*. I admire people who have the attention span to go that long, but I honestly don't have that much focus, nor do I want to. Not my goal. Get in, get out, get finished.

cwolfman13

Agreed...I just kind of shake my head when I see people exercising for hours on a daily basis or posting that they now feel guilty because they are hold up in bed with diarrhea and vomiting and can't get to the gym...

It is just as important to cultivate a healthy relationship with fitness as it is with food. Sometimes I get the distinct impression that people don't understand that the vast majority of their calorie "burn" comes from just being alive...sometimes I think that people think that they need to actually exercise every calorie they consume or they're doing it wrong.

Exercise just like diet has to be sustainable...unsustainable practices are really the primary reason so many people yo-yo with their weight.

Even when I'm training for an event like a Century or something....I really only workout about an hour daily tops with only one day per week being a long ride and having to spend a few hours in the saddle...but for the most part, even when I'm actually training I'm really only training 60 - 90 minutes per day and I have days dispersed throughout the week that are just at a recovery intensity and nothing more. So many people just over-kill.

ldula88

TBH, I have respect for people who can get a workout in every day, since I don't at all :P But I agree many people go overboard because they think they're doing themselves a favor, when really they aren't at all. And anyways, you don't really burn as many calories as you think you do on cardio, ellipticals/treadmills/HRM definitely overestimate calories burned. It's great to get 45 minutes in every day to stay healthy, but people who go for 2-3 hours are nuts. I've been losing weight just fine with no cardio at all. That being said, I do enjoy strength training and I am on my feet 30-40 hours a week at my job. If I had a desk job I'd definitely have to get that cardio in once in a while But I agree that overdoing it on cardio is a bit silly when weight loss is the goal instead of an athletic goal like a marathon, etc.

DavPul

But if I don't do 2 hours on the elliptical each day while eating 1200 calories how will everyone know that I'm serious this time?

Mainebikerchick

But if I don't do 2 hours on the elliptical each day while eating 1200 calories how will everyone know that I'm serious this time?

*snort*

:laugh:

brandonzeciri

I see overweight people at the gym everyday. They're there for 2 hours sometimes, walking, sitting on the lazy man bike that reclines, on the elliptical crawling along.

They see me hop on the treadmill and bust out 2 or 3 miles as fast as I can.
Get about 20 minutes of lifting in and I'm done.

While I'm getting ready to leave I see them rolling their eyes at me all the time, as if I don't know what I'm doing.

If you're not pushing your body to the limit it's not going to get much results... at least that's how my body works.

Mia_RagazzaTosta

But if I don't do 2 hours on the elliptical each day while eating 1200 calories how will everyone know that I'm serious this time?

You can still post it on Facebook. Duh.

Allterrain_Lady

But if I don't do 2 hours on the elliptical each day while eating 1200 calories how will everyone know that I'm serious this time?

LMFAO!!

saschka7

But if I don't do 2 hours on the elliptical each day while eating 1200 calories how will everyone know that I'm serious this time?

*snort*

:laugh:

:drinker: I can only do 2 hours on the elliptical if I'm standing still. And I have better things to do with 2 hours. :laugh:

Mr_Knight

But if I don't do 2 hours on the elliptical each day while eating 1200 calories how will everyone know that I'm serious this time?

And that's 1200 carb-less calories, donchaknow?

vjohn04

Agree, and great post! Most of my workouts while I was recomping were limited to 30 minutes per day 5 days per week.

Topsking2010

Amen!!!

happysherri

Most of the people i know that exercise for hours are trying to burn 1000 or more calories so they can eat Mc Donalds.

stillnot2late

THANK YOU - - A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer


At my age I still try to do 90 minutes a day - I will do 45 lite cardio and 45 of a DVD with light weights. Thats too much. Howz about I just do an hour of something a day, or whatever day I do something, that sounds better cause my butt has gotten old.

shutyourpieholeandsquat

But if I don't do 2 hours on the elliptical each day while eating 1200 calories how will everyone know that I'm serious this time?

*snort*

:laugh:

hehe you snorted

shutyourpieholeandsquat

I work out practically every day of the week. One body part a day mixed in with some cardio of some sort. Sounds like a lot, but my sessions are about 35 minutes long and that's it.

I've gotten a lot of PM's from people working out 2-3 hours consecutive on a daily basis. Now if one is training with enough intensity, and isn't working out to compete for an athletic event, most of the time this will be overkill if weight loss is the goal.
Remember that calorie in/out is more important than trying to out exercising the calories you've consumed.

Also the goal should be to adhere to an exercising program that one can do for life and not just for the short term (again not discounting competitions or athletic events).

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Thank you!

Lleldiranne

I aim for two hours.




A week, that is.

About two hours total over the week. I'd like to get it a bit higher (my gym sessions tend to be 45-60 minutes, and I want to get there 3-4 times a week instead of 2-3). But 2 hours a day, every day, can burn one out.

Although I do agree about the training part being an exception. When I was getting ready for a 10k (years ago, lol) I'd run for about an hour a day. But that was my whole workout on those days.

AmyRhubarb

What?? Another post full of sense? :drinker: