How much is too much?

dawnw30

So this week I logged 12,158 minutes of exercise....am I doing too much? Am I setting myself up for a fall doing this? Some days I look at the totals and think "Wow! Did I really do all of that?" I am afraid if my body gets used to all the exercise and I cut back I will fall to pieces? Any advice?

Ok so it was a typo - thanks for being so understanding:ohwell:

I meant that 12,158 is calories burned and that so far I have done 760 minutes. For someone who started off at 0 to then go to that am I risking getting my body used to exercise and then I will never be able to cut back when I reach my goal weight?

For the record I have usually been impressed with the kindness and help offered by MFP people...not so much today

suzitkd

Erm.. that works out at 28.8 hours per day??!!!

sarah44254

I keep trying to see how this is possible. 12,158 mins in one week means 28 hrs in a day. Doesn't work out! I must be reading your number wrong? Do you mean you logged 158 twelve times?

I like to suggest doing less time and more hard work during the workout. I'm not saying that cardio for hours isn't hard work, I know it is. But give your muscles something to really scream about. Do bodyweight work and lift heavy weights. I like the results I get from the weights more than the cardio. Cardio causes weight loss for me, sure. But the weight lifting really helps me feel more dense and strips away the inches.

pelleld

ummm, there are only 10080 minutes in a week, how did you log over 12000 exercising....am I missing something?

ashlinmarie

I sure hope that's a typo as there are only 10,440 minutes in a week....

suzitkd

Lol, how many people are reaching for a calculator right now?!

pelleld

Lol, how many people are reaching for a calculator right now?!

Yep, this one does not pass the sniff test

pittsblue99

are you sure you entered the numbers correctly? That comes out to almost 30 hours a day of exercising.

dragonbug300

MFP allows you to count a lot of random daily activities as 'exercise' (such as cleaning and ping pong). Are you including these? None of it is really laborious on the body.

However, the math doesn't make sense. There are 7 days in a week, 24 hours in a day, and 60 minutes in an hour. That's 10,080 minuts in a week. Unless you're stopping time to exercise, something's off here. Otherwise, you're exercising 28 hours a day...

crzybeautiful11

I had to grab a calculator, lol the numbers still don't match up!!

taso42_DELETED

There is such a thing as overtraining. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overtraining

I don't know what the exact parameters are, and it's likely a bit different for each person, but after you've crossed some certain threshhold you're really not getting any real benefit out of it. An hour a day, 6 days per week, is PLENTY for most anybody.

I know lots of people, including myself, who find it hard to take a day off sometimes. That doesn't really make it ok. It just means we're all a bit nuts.

bellarox13

I think she means 12 sessions of 158 minutes. So approx 2 and a half hours each session, for twelve sessions. So if she works out five days a week, she is doing five hours a day.

vpurser1

Ok... so the answer to the question is yes?

koosdel

Oh come on guys... can't you see those are metric minutes!

Sheesh... buy you books and send you too school....

dawnw30

OK..typo -so just shoot me already...that was calories burned. I am logging 760 as of today on minutes. I am not done for the week. I do 1 hour on my elliptical followed by an an exercise dvd 30-60mins usually and then another 1/2 hour on the elliptical. These are hard workouts but spaced throughout the day.

sarah44254

Sounds like more than you really need. Do you just get bored so you work out again? I do that once in a while. I stick by the same advice I gave earlier. I like taso's simple response. 1hr day, 6 days is plenty for anyone!

dawnw30

Sounds like more than you really need. Do you just get bored so you work out again? I do that once in a while. I stick by the same advice I gave earlier. I like taso's simple response. 1hr day, 6 days is plenty for anyone!

Thanks! And also, I have just been doing it because from exercising I feel good and have more energy which makes me want to get up and exercise more. I just wonder when does it end? Can I stop? Am I going to be doing more harm than good if I continue to add on to my daily routine? I thought these were legit concerns and was just looking for input. Thank you! :happy:

dawnw30

There is such a thing as overtraining. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overtraining

I don't know what the exact parameters are, and it's likely a bit different for each person, but after you've crossed some certain threshhold you're really not getting any real benefit out of it. An hour a day, 6 days per week, is PLENTY for most anybody.

I know lots of people, including myself, who find it hard to take a day off sometimes. That doesn't really make it ok. It just means we're all a bit nuts.

Thanks ... interresting read!

sweetiebelle

Yea that's over doing it!

dawnw30

MFP allows you to count a lot of random daily activities as 'exercise' (such as cleaning and ping pong). Are you including these? None of it is really laborious on the body.

However, the math doesn't make sense. There are 7 days in a week, 24 hours in a day, and 60 minutes in an hour. That's 10,080 minuts in a week. Unless you're stopping time to exercise, something's off here. Otherwise, you're exercising 28 hours a day...

It was a typo...and I only log exercises I set out purposefully to do. My elliptical and DVD workouts are what I call exercise.

flutterqueen04

For the record I have usually been impressed with the kindness and help offered by MFP people...not so much today

I don't think they were being rude or mean, they were just REALLY confused by the typo! haha. Don't take it to heart. Now that its fixed you'll be sure to get reasonable advice :happy: Remember....we are not mind readers here :bigsmile:

suzitkd

It has to come down to what you enjoy - if you find you're really enjoying doing what you're doing right now, then keep doing it! This is for life, we all need to make exercise a part of our every day lives, so make sure you enjoy it or it ain't gonna happen! If however you find that some days you just feel too tired, then give yourself the day off, or just go for a walk (not up the nearest mountain for hours and hours!), the body needs time to recuperate sometimes - learn to listen to it, and don't feel guilty for having some rest, it's important too.

My husband's advice is to get an ipod, find audiobooks, comfortable footwear and get out of the door and walk - you'll be fat burning but not over-stressing your body, this works really well as an every-other-day style of exercise - get your cardio on the other days. Whatever you do, make sure you enjoy it, and listen to your body.

libstr

can i ask are you training for something? when i am training for something I up my training hours. sounds like you would be one fit lady

As long as you a fueling your body with good food and you arent feeling sore I dont see a major problem, but do take days off

dawnw30

can i ask are you training for something? when i am training for something I up my training hours. sounds like you would be one fit lady

As long as you a fueling your body with good food and you arent feeling sore I dont see a major problem, but do take days off

Not training for anything -just trying to get into shape and be healthier. I do take Sunday as a rest day...:bigsmile:

libstr

As long as you are enjoying your workout and are getting fit and healthy then thats good :bigsmile:

chrisdavey

It does take a lot to actually get to an overtrained state. If you start to feel overly tired, stressed or your immune system doesn't feel like it is keeping up then these are signs that you are getting there and should have a bit more rest/recovery time.

Stuff that helps is things like pilates/yoga/foam rolling/mobility work. Not so hard on your CNS and good overall for your body