More exercise isn't necessarily better

UsedToBeHusky

Cortisol. It's a mother....

Ejourneys

But I advocate any form of exercise and I think if someone wants to spend 2hrs in the gym on the "lazy bike" whilst watching a movie on the screen - good on them! They are at least doing some exercise whilst watching telly! Any exercise is good exercise isnt it?

As long as it's not over-training (which I've done, and it's no fun), I say why not?
As the OP has said, exercise needs to be sustainable. My usual session is an hour on my mini-bike at home while listening to music, almost daily. I'm at my goal weight and I still sweat buckets, but for me it's as much meditation as exercise. It's also a healthy habit I can stick with.

The easy riders at the gym could just as well have been sitting at home, gorging on junk food while watching TV. I like their gym habits better.

Back in 1995, when I trained for the first Boston-New York AIDS ride (bicycling 261 miles in 3 days), it wasn't unusual for me to ride centuries on weekends. With rest stops that's 12 hours on the road. Great training, great event. Wasn't sustainable.

These days I'm training for a 5K, so I've added short runs into my schedule. The bottom line is that I listen to my body. I'm focused on healthy habits; the calorie burn is secondary. As a caregiver I've missed workout days due to ER visits; that's life. Allowing for extenuating circumstances without fretting over a missed session is also what sustainability and good habits are about.

PS: I found MFP through a friend at Caregiving.com. He and I are cofounders of the site's VRide group, which encourages caregivers to exercise as part of their own self-care. Anything goes, because anything is better than nothing.

sjp_511

What about those that can't workout with high intensity...for whatever reason? It takes those people twice as long to even coming close to receiving the same benefit.

I am one of those people. Due to joint issues and another health factor I can't do high impact aerobics and even some of the low impact moves. I can't do heavy weights and have to be careful with doing ab workouts.

So I plod along with what I can do...sometimes that takes a lot of my time...so far...it has paid off.

I wish I could do it all in 30 minutes...

Then you're one of the exceptions. As I mentioned, I said "most" people wouldn't benefit with 2-3 hours a day of exercising any more than someone who could do it with higher intensity in a shorter time.

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

When I turned 61 I decided that I was tired of my body controlling me...I took charge.

Due to arthritis in my lower body I had become sedentary...which made it worse...muscles and joints became so tight and stiff that even light walking had become painful. I do a couple of hour long yoga stretching videos in the morning alternating between upper body and lower body. It has worked wonders. I continue to improve as long as I don't give in and stop doing them.

For strength training I alternate days between upper and lower body. Those sessions only last about 45 minutes each. For the upper body I use resistance bands and have worked my way up to 3 x 15...lower body I just use some simple exercises but have only made my way up to 2 x 15.

Abs are almost completely out for me due to an injury several years ago that have basically shredded my stomach muscles. Before they will even consider surgery I have to get the weight off and be in a lot better shape than I am now.

For cardio I try to use the treadmill or the rower 3 or 4 times a week for 20 to 40 minutes for endurance.

Do I hope that the exercise I do will aid in my weight loss...yes...but for me that is just a side benefit...it is so nice to be able to go up and down stairs...walk a hill....bend over and pick things up out of the floor.

I am determined that when I leave this world...people say...damn...she is in good shape for her age!

I wasn't offended and apologize if it came out that way...I just want others that might face the same hurdles that I do that no matter how much time it takes...it is worth it. It took me a long time to realize that I was worth all that effort.

Hoping that you are having a wonderful holiday.

I think that it is amazing that you decided to fight your arthritis through exercise and to stop letting it be your reason to become sedentary. It seems as if too many people let their various ailments push them in that downward spiral because it is easier than fighting back. It breaks my heart to watch some of my loved ones grow weaker and age beyond their years. My respect to you. All the best to you as you continue your progress!

WendyTerry420

Cortisol. It's a mother....

QFT!

byHISstrength

I've been using MFP for a couple of years now, and I was able to see that the period of time that I have had the most success was when I was only working out 30 to 40 mins/day most days of the week. I actually printed out my food diary and realized I wasn't depriving myself of the things I enjoyed having, I just was being much more diligent at logging it. So, that is what I'm gonna try to go back to.

Thanks for the post! It's nice to have further confirmation

st_scrivener

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?

Hahaha. Not to mention uneducated and insane.

st_scrivener

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

your post is actually a bit simplistic and making a lot of assumptions. For starters not all exercises are the same 15 minutes of weights is different to 15 minutes of running which is different to 15 minutes of cycling. All burn calories at different rates and at different intensities and work muscles in a student way. Also there is the point that not everyone can work out at high intensities. Some can only do something like walking so it will take longer to have any results. Also to add not everyone exercises for weight loss or competition. I run because well I like to run. Other people do other activities because they just like it. Making these bold statements always backfires and makes the poster look a little silly I'm afraid because they/you forget one basic fact. We're not all the same

I love how everyone is trying to educate the certified fitness instructor with college education in kinesiology and nutrition. Losing a large amount of weight doesn't make anyone an expert, and I speak for myself here as well.

Annie_01

What about those that can't workout with high intensity...for whatever reason? It takes those people twice as long to even coming close to receiving the same benefit.

I am one of those people. Due to joint issues and another health factor I can't do high impact aerobics and even some of the low impact moves. I can't do heavy weights and have to be careful with doing ab workouts.

So I plod along with what I can do...sometimes that takes a lot of my time...so far...it has paid off.

I wish I could do it all in 30 minutes...

Then you're one of the exceptions. As I mentioned, I said "most" people wouldn't benefit with 2-3 hours a day of exercising any more than someone who could do it with higher intensity in a shorter time.

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

When I turned 61 I decided that I was tired of my body controlling me...I took charge.

Due to arthritis in my lower body I had become sedentary...which made it worse...muscles and joints became so tight and stiff that even light walking had become painful. I do a couple of hour long yoga stretching videos in the morning alternating between upper body and lower body. It has worked wonders. I continue to improve as long as I don't give in and stop doing them.

For strength training I alternate days between upper and lower body. Those sessions only last about 45 minutes each. For the upper body I use resistance bands and have worked my way up to 3 x 15...lower body I just use some simple exercises but have only made my way up to 2 x 15.

Abs are almost completely out for me due to an injury several years ago that have basically shredded my stomach muscles. Before they will even consider surgery I have to get the weight off and be in a lot better shape than I am now.

For cardio I try to use the treadmill or the rower 3 or 4 times a week for 20 to 40 minutes for endurance.

Do I hope that the exercise I do will aid in my weight loss...yes...but for me that is just a side benefit...it is so nice to be able to go up and down stairs...walk a hill....bend over and pick things up out of the floor.

I am determined that when I leave this world...people say...damn...she is in good shape for her age!

I wasn't offended and apologize if it came out that way...I just want others that might face the same hurdles that I do that no matter how much time it takes...it is worth it. It took me a long time to realize that I was worth all that effort.

Hoping that you are having a wonderful holiday.

I think that it is amazing that you decided to fight your arthritis through exercise and to stop letting it be your reason to become sedentary. It seems as if too many people let their various ailments push them in that downward spiral because it is easier than fighting back. It breaks my heart to watch some of my loved ones grow weaker and age beyond their years. My respect to you. All the best to you as you continue your progress!

Thanks...all encouragement is appreciated always and needed on some days!

I am saddened when I see a young person with their whole life ahead of them that have already given up and gained so much weight. I just want to hold them and tell them not to make the same mistake that I did and wasted a good portion of my life.

Annie_01

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

your post is actually a bit simplistic and making a lot of assumptions. For starters not all exercises are the same 15 minutes of weights is different to 15 minutes of running which is different to 15 minutes of cycling. All burn calories at different rates and at different intensities and work muscles in a student way. Also there is the point that not everyone can work out at high intensities. Some can only do something like walking so it will take longer to have any results. Also to add not everyone exercises for weight loss or competition. I run because well I like to run. Other people do other activities because they just like it. Making these bold statements always backfires and makes the poster look a little silly I'm afraid because they/you forget one basic fact. We're not all the same

I love how everyone is trying to educate the certified fitness instructor with college education in kinesiology and nutrition. Losing a large amount of weight doesn't make anyone an expert, and I speak for myself here as well.

I wasn't trying to educate anyone nor claiming to be an expert. It took me several months to figure out what I was doing (since I couldn't afford to hire an expert) and trying to figure out what would work for me.

I think that some of us just wanted to tell the other side of the story is all.

BamaBreezeNSaltAire

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.

Agreed ^^ Great post Niner. I love the mantra "Stop competing with others and start competing with yourself". It wasn't until I realized this that I really started to see progress.

thussjr

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.

First of all, its wonderful that these "overweight" people are at the gym to begin with. Hats off to them. Second, I wouldn't consider any peice of equipment to be "lazy" as you are burning calories. Third, when your overweight you can't simply jump on a treadmill and go as fast as you can or you'll have a heartattack. You weigh less and its harder for you to burn alot of calories at once opposed to someone who is heavier then you. They might burn just as many calories as you going slow because they are heavier. If "pushing your body to the limit" means having a heart attack then I see why they aren't doing it. As for them rolling their eyes at you, I don't agree with that but you need to understand that there are many "cocky" show-offs at the gym and us heavier people don't appreciate them trying to show off how fast they can go to make us look bad. As long as your working to become more healthier, it doesn't matter how fast you go.

JoRocka

As for them rolling their eyes at you, I don't agree with that but you need to understand that there are many "cocky" show-offs at the gym and us heavier people don't appreciate them trying to show off how fast they can go to make us look bad. As long as your working to become more healthier, it doesn't matter how fast you go.

no one is trying to make fat people at the gym look bad. People who are trying to make ANYONE look bad- are people trying to impress their bro'skies. I've walked up to cop friends- lifted their weights with much better form- pumped out several reps and gone- when are you gonna get your weight up bro??? and walked off. Trust me- I would NEVER do that to someone who wasn't in some form of shape. I would NEVER dream of doing that to someone who was at a completely different fitness level than myself- what would be the point of that? That's just ridiculous.

Trust me- they don't care about what you are doing- don't put YOUR insecurities on them. If they are trying to impress anyone- it's the girl in the yoga pants.

RGv2

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.

As long as they are moving, they're burning calories. Not everybody is physically capable of an all-out sprint for 2-3 miles, at least not when they first start.

Who said anything about an all out sprint? He said "as fast as I can". For some, that could mean 15-20 min, for others 30-40 min.

savannahribeiro

Oh my Jesus ---- 2 to 3 hrs A DAY!?

I sure feel lazy now (Usually I'm at 35 to an hour MAX) lol. But I also know that exercising that much can do more damage than good to your body (A state of degeneration I believe) unless you are a literal professional athlete, and even then, I doubt they do it everyday. I'm not sure. I just know that exercising to satisfy without changing your diet will not work and a proper diet will be at least 50% of the work right there.

This reminds of the gym rats I see when I go and they are working every machine for twenty minutes. Baffles the mind.