Exercising enough?

wubbykid

I walk four days a week, five hours total. Is this enough?

My cardio is a brisk walk on the treadmill.

MelodyandBarbells

This is your journey. How do your workouts make you feel? Great? Then it's enough.

Hard to comment otherwise without knowing your specific goals

wubbykid

This is your journey. How do your workouts make you feel? Great? Then it's enough.

Hard to comment otherwise without knowing your specific goals

I want to lose 2 pounds a week. I'm 337 pounds and 5'11".

Running is hard on my lungs right now, hehe. Anyways, my workout makes me feel like it's not too hard, but not too easy either, if you know what I mean.

Liftng4Lis

Remember, that weight loss starts with your diet. Calorie deficit is for weight loss, exercise is to enhance your deficit and for your health.

wubbykid

Remember, that weight loss starts with your diet. Calorie deficit is for weight loss, exercise is to enhance your deficit and for your health.

I'd have to agree.

MelodyandBarbells

This is your journey. How do your workouts make you feel? Great? Then it's enough.

Hard to comment otherwise without knowing your specific goals

I want to lose 2 pounds a week. I'm 337 pounds and 5'11".

Running is hard on my lungs right now, hehe. Anyways, my workout makes me feel like it's not too hard, but not too easy either, if you know what I mean.

Well now that you mention running, and your lungs being the hold up, I'm not necessarily sure it's appropriate given your current weight and the pressure it'll put on your knees, etc, but here's an excerpt from a Beginner's guide to running sticky in the Fitness and Exercise forum:

"It is important that you learn to recognize the difference between “this hurts” and “I am hurt”. Is your pain sudden and acute? Is there swelling? If so, stop and re-evaluate. If you just feel uncomfortable because you haven’t run in 2 years: suck it up, buttercup. "

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1217573-so-you-want-to-start-running

Also for my lungs, I wound up seeing doctors and being diagnosed with asthma. I still use an inhaler prior to my workouts and exercise tons. Finally, you may wish to research some form of strength training, which could help preserve more of your muscle mass as you lose weight so that you're losing mostly fat, and more likely to be satisfied with your body when all is said and done

These are just options to consider. I still think any exercise at all that you're doing consistently is pretty great

jrline

Do as much as it takes to reach your goal. I started out walking 30 minutes everyday. Worked my way up to 1-2 hours every day now I usually go 1-2 hours 4-5 days a week. I am in maintenance and toning mode now.

wubbykid

This is your journey. How do your workouts make you feel? Great? Then it's enough.

Hard to comment otherwise without knowing your specific goals

I want to lose 2 pounds a week. I'm 337 pounds and 5'11".

Running is hard on my lungs right now, hehe. Anyways, my workout makes me feel like it's not too hard, but not too easy either, if you know what I mean.

Well now that you mention running, and your lungs being the hold up, I'm not necessarily sure it's appropriate given your current weight and the pressure it'll put on your knees, etc, but here's an excerpt from a Beginner's guide to running sticky in the Fitness and Exercise forum:

"It is important that you learn to recognize the difference between “this hurts” and “I am hurt”. Is your pain sudden and acute? Is there swelling? If so, stop and re-evaluate. If you just feel uncomfortable because you haven’t run in 2 years: suck it up, buttercup. "

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1217573-so-you-want-to-start-running

Also for my lungs, I wound up seeing doctors and being diagnosed with asthma. I still use an inhaler prior to my workouts and exercise tons. Finally, you may wish to research some form of strength training, which could help preserve more of your muscle mass as you lose weight so that you're losing mostly fat, and more likely to be satisfied with your body when all is said and done

These are just options to consider. I still think any exercise at all that you're doing consistently is pretty great

My lungs are fine, it's just I'm holding so much weight up right now (337 pounds) that running for 30 minutes on the treadmill, or outside, isn't exactly possible for me right now. Imagine me running an hour right now, I'd probably go crazy because my body is just too heavy right now, maybe at 250 pounds!

wubbykid

Do as much as it takes to reach your goal. I started out walking 30 minutes everyday. Worked my way up to 1-2 hours every day now I usually go 1-2 hours 4-5 days a week. I am in maintenance and toning mode now.

Thanks.

Wow, you've lost a lot of weight. Hope to be you in about a year and a half!

jeffpettis

I walk four days a week, five hours total. Is this enough?

My cardio is a brisk walk on the treadmill.

Is it enough for what?

wubbykid

I walk four days a week, five hours total. Is this enough?

My cardio is a brisk walk on the treadmill.

Is it enough for what?

Weight loss.

lemonlionheart

I walk four days a week, five hours total. Is this enough?

My cardio is a brisk walk on the treadmill.

Is it enough for what?

Weight loss.

Are you in a calorie deficit? That's the only thing you need 'enough' of for weight loss. You can't outrun a bad diet, as they say.

trogalicious

we started at the same weight. 337 is rough on the knees.

if you're moving, awesome... but it isn't an absolute requirement to lose weight. I think the first 50lbs for me was just walking once or twice a week, but watching diet.

you can't outwalk a bad diet.

and since you're new here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1235566-so-you-re-new-here

1. don't trust the initial setup that MFP provides. If you put in the wrong/inaccurate information, it'll tell you to eat an amount that may not be applicable.
2. Make sure you eat enough.
3. Figure out what works for you and is sustainable/healthy/long term.
4. avoid fads. don't buy in to any "Hey, try the twinkie and vodka diet"
5. Don't cut out anything now that you don't plan on literally giving up forever.
6. GET A FOOD SCALE. Weigh everything. No, seriously.
7. Get an HRM with a chest strap. You'll at least have a better idea of what you're burning. It'll be more accurate than the generic info in the exercise database.. and even more than the cardio machines. This is great for steady state cardio (run/walk/etc)
8. Don't go balls out. You'll burn out. I see 300 lb people show up here, instantly start working out and cutting their intake SEVERELY... trying to cut out all of their carbs at once.. whatever. Take it slow. Figure out how much you need to eat FIRST in order to lose.. then incorporate exercise.
9. Don't cardio yourself to death.
10. Take the information on the forums with a grain of salt. A lot of people that have been here for a while.. and have been successful, may seem jaded. They give out GREAT advice day after day, only to be met with people that refuse to listen.
11. Eat real food. Not diet food. Not "low fat, sugar free, now without X." It's easier to get/find/count.
12. don't set time restrictions.
13. measure yourself weekly. Don't just weigh. Measure and take pictures.
14 BE PATIENT.
15. Avoid forum topics that have "1200" in the title. It's just full of butthurt. Lots of it.
16. If you ask a question on the forum, give as much information as you can ("yes, I have a food scale and weigh my food" is worlds better than "I eat a palm full of miscellaneous boiled chicken parts..sometimes.")
17. Be honest with yourself and honest with us.
18. This isn't a game, it's about changing your lifestyle. Do that.

pretty much that.

...and don't fall into the "1200 calorie" vertigo of suck because of:

the typical MFP users does this:
1. I wanna lose weight, let's try MFP.
2. OH! Wow, it tells me I can lose 2 lbs a WEEK? AWESOME!
3. I just sit at a desk when I'm not working out, I guess I'm sedentary.
4. MFP tells them 1200 calories, and they don't even eat that.. then they work out on top of it.. creating an even bigger deficit.
5. Lose a lot, fast, brag about 1200 calorie success.
6. Come back in a few months trying to figure out why they're dizzy, tired, not losing weight.
7. Get on the forums, ask why they aren't losing.
8. Get two responses (I eat 1200 and lose) (I eat 2200 and lose)
9. Argument ensues about who is right.

Now. That being said. These threads happen hundreds of times per day. Most times, and I mean really.. seriously.. 95% of the time.. people get the 1200 number because they don't put the right information in when they set up the account. There are a great number of people that are trying to help. I'm one of 'em.

I'm a hardcore advocate of actually finding out what works for the individual.. by means of other calculators, averages, time, practice, and patience.

Blanket prescriptions of 1200 calories "because it worked for me" is more harmful to the generic new user than the "figure out what you need to eat." Unfortunately, one is a LOT easier to type.

Find out what you need: http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/

and make sure to read: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

...and here's another approach.

Block off 6 weeks. log EXACTLY what you eat for those six weeks, weigh at the beginning, weight at the end. If you've lost, you're eating under your TDEE. If you haven't lost, congrats.. you found your TDEE, if you've gained... then you're above TDEE.

From there, look at how much you lost or gained and you have a rough estimate of how to shift your intake to balance it out.

Online calculators are great, but they're just estimates. They give you decent ideas for starting points. From there, it's on you to fine tune it.

jeanlake

I'll add to the good answers you've received - Have you considered checking with your doctor or nutritionist? So much depends on age, weight, weight-loss goal, current physical condition, etc.. My doc says any exercise I will do consistently is the right choice. He did give me ideas -- an hour of purposeful cardio a day plus a brisk walk throughout the day to rev up my metabolism. Stretches in the morning and evening. Every other day light weight training. I'm finding, because I feel so well, my leisure time increasingly includes healthy activities -- hiking, walking, cross-country skiing, and my warm weather love -- cycling. It's amazing how a healthier lifestyle evolves. Good luck to you. Push yourself a little farther than you think you need to go on exercise. Eat a little less than you think you need to eat.

majigurl

It all depends on what your calorie intake is.

I would personally mix it up. It will ease up on your knees also. Can you do some cardio on a stationary bike? Consider doing 20 mins of cardio and then some weights. Weights not only help tone up those muscles, but also help in burning calories. You will rev-up your metabolism and the effects last all day!

You are doing great though! You are moving which is key! take note what works for you and what doesn't. what one person does to help them loose weight isn't always the right movements and workouts for someone else.

Mohana94

People have lost weight doing 30 minutes of exercise a day. As long as you create a calorie deficit it should be enough to lose weight. Mixing up your exercise like cycling makes it more fun and puts less strain on your body (knees in particular). Other factors like height, weight and age also matter. But personally I think it is more than enough.

Mohana94

My lungs are fine, it's just I'm holding so much weight up right now (337 pounds) that running for 30 minutes on the treadmill, or outside, isn't exactly possible for me right now. Imagine me running an hour right now, I'd probably go crazy because my body is just too heavy right now, maybe at 250 pounds!

Have you tried cycling? Using the stationary bike is less harsh on the joints and personally I find it easier to do 30-40 mins on that vs the treadmill. Also I heard swimming is great as an alternative form of exercise and it doesn't strain your body as much. I think 5 hours of walking a week is enough though.

pixelatedsun

You don't HAVE to exercise at all. If you'd feel more comfortable starting out with just dieting until you get that nailed down and THEN slowly adding in exercise, you'll still lose weight - it's 90% diet, after all.

Don't try too much too fast or you'll burn out spectacularly. I've learned that the hard way after years of yo-yoing.

deksgrl

The question should be: Are you eating the right amount? Enough for nutrition and energy, but not so much that you do not lose weight.

You lose weight by eating less or by moving more, or a combination of those two. How you work out those combinations is up to you.
Eat 1,000 calories less per day = Lose 2 pounds per week
Eat 500 calories less per day AND burn 500 through exercise = Lose 2 pounds per week
Eat 750 calories less per day and burn 250 through exercise = Lose 2 pounds per week

Now, if you are using the MFP set up for your calorie goals, MFP is not including exercise in the amount of calories. It is already giving you the full deficit without any exercise.

majigurl

You don't HAVE to exercise at all. If you'd feel more comfortable starting out with just dieting until you get that nailed down and THEN slowly adding in exercise, you'll still lose weight - it's 90% diet, after all.

Don't try too much too fast or you'll burn out spectacularly. I've learned that the hard way after years of yo-yoing.

This is EXACTLY what I did. small changes over time. Takes 21 days for form a habit. Doing it all at once is too much. I changed my diet ( I'm not dieting as I plan to continue eating this way the long run). It took a good month to get that down right. Then I added a workout regime which is the supreme 90 ( kinda like p90x but cheaper.. ) find something you like! could be walking like you are doing. at the end of this month I'll be adding in Yoga with my daughter. small things over time will not make it discouraging. The key is to find what works for you and at the pace that works for you.

jeffpettis

I walk four days a week, five hours total. Is this enough?

My cardio is a brisk walk on the treadmill.

Is it enough for what?

Weight loss.

The only thing absolutely required for weight loss is a calories deficit. If you are using exercise to reach that deficit then it all depends on how much you are burning.

wubbykid

I walk four days a week, five hours total. Is this enough?

My cardio is a brisk walk on the treadmill.

Is it enough for what?

Weight loss.

Are you in a calorie deficit? That's the only thing you need 'enough' of for weight loss. You can't outrun a bad diet, as they say.

Yup, 200 calories a day less then what I need. That's my deficit.

wubbykid

we started at the same weight. 337 is rough on the knees.

if you're moving, awesome... but it isn't an absolute requirement to lose weight. I think the first 50lbs for me was just walking once or twice a week, but watching diet.

you can't outwalk a bad diet.

and since you're new here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1235566-so-you-re-new-here

1. don't trust the initial setup that MFP provides. If you put in the wrong/inaccurate information, it'll tell you to eat an amount that may not be applicable.
2. Make sure you eat enough.
3. Figure out what works for you and is sustainable/healthy/long term.
4. avoid fads. don't buy in to any "Hey, try the twinkie and vodka diet"
5. Don't cut out anything now that you don't plan on literally giving up forever.
6. GET A FOOD SCALE. Weigh everything. No, seriously.
7. Get an HRM with a chest strap. You'll at least have a better idea of what you're burning. It'll be more accurate than the generic info in the exercise database.. and even more than the cardio machines. This is great for steady state cardio (run/walk/etc)
8. Don't go balls out. You'll burn out. I see 300 lb people show up here, instantly start working out and cutting their intake SEVERELY... trying to cut out all of their carbs at once.. whatever. Take it slow. Figure out how much you need to eat FIRST in order to lose.. then incorporate exercise.
9. Don't cardio yourself to death.
10. Take the information on the forums with a grain of salt. A lot of people that have been here for a while.. and have been successful, may seem jaded. They give out GREAT advice day after day, only to be met with people that refuse to listen.
11. Eat real food. Not diet food. Not "low fat, sugar free, now without X." It's easier to get/find/count.
12. don't set time restrictions.
13. measure yourself weekly. Don't just weigh. Measure and take pictures.
14 BE PATIENT.
15. Avoid forum topics that have "1200" in the title. It's just full of butthurt. Lots of it.
16. If you ask a question on the forum, give as much information as you can ("yes, I have a food scale and weigh my food" is worlds better than "I eat a palm full of miscellaneous boiled chicken parts..sometimes.")
17. Be honest with yourself and honest with us.
18. This isn't a game, it's about changing your lifestyle. Do that.

pretty much that.

...and don't fall into the "1200 calorie" vertigo of suck because of:

the typical MFP users does this:
1. I wanna lose weight, let's try MFP.
2. OH! Wow, it tells me I can lose 2 lbs a WEEK? AWESOME!
3. I just sit at a desk when I'm not working out, I guess I'm sedentary.
4. MFP tells them 1200 calories, and they don't even eat that.. then they work out on top of it.. creating an even bigger deficit.
5. Lose a lot, fast, brag about 1200 calorie success.
6. Come back in a few months trying to figure out why they're dizzy, tired, not losing weight.
7. Get on the forums, ask why they aren't losing.
8. Get two responses (I eat 1200 and lose) (I eat 2200 and lose)
9. Argument ensues about who is right.

Now. That being said. These threads happen hundreds of times per day. Most times, and I mean really.. seriously.. 95% of the time.. people get the 1200 number because they don't put the right information in when they set up the account. There are a great number of people that are trying to help. I'm one of 'em.

I'm a hardcore advocate of actually finding out what works for the individual.. by means of other calculators, averages, time, practice, and patience.

Blanket prescriptions of 1200 calories "because it worked for me" is more harmful to the generic new user than the "figure out what you need to eat." Unfortunately, one is a LOT easier to type.

Find out what you need: http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/

and make sure to read: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

...and here's another approach.

Block off 6 weeks. log EXACTLY what you eat for those six weeks, weigh at the beginning, weight at the end. If you've lost, you're eating under your TDEE. If you haven't lost, congrats.. you found your TDEE, if you've gained... then you're above TDEE.

From there, look at how much you lost or gained and you have a rough estimate of how to shift your intake to balance it out.

Online calculators are great, but they're just estimates. They give you decent ideas for starting points. From there, it's on you to fine tune it.

That's a whole lot of advice and information!

wubbykid

My lungs are fine, it's just I'm holding so much weight up right now (337 pounds) that running for 30 minutes on the treadmill, or outside, isn't exactly possible for me right now. Imagine me running an hour right now, I'd probably go crazy because my body is just too heavy right now, maybe at 250 pounds!

Have you tried cycling? Using the stationary bike is less harsh on the joints and personally I find it easier to do 30-40 mins on that vs the treadmill. Also I heard swimming is great as an alternative form of exercise and it doesn't strain your body as much. I think 5 hours of walking a week is enough though.

I don't mind the exercise bike!

deksgrl

I walk four days a week, five hours total. Is this enough?

My cardio is a brisk walk on the treadmill.

Is it enough for what?

Weight loss.

Are you in a calorie deficit? That's the only thing you need 'enough' of for weight loss. You can't outrun a bad diet, as they say.

Yup, 200 calories a day less then what I need. That's my deficit.

How did you determine how many calories you need? A 200 calorie deficit is going to result in less than half a pound a week rate of loss..