For those of you that have had any sort of success...

brittanyjeanxo

This is, sadly, not a success story, but a question to those who have had one. Did you find that working out every day vs. the recommended three times a week helped or hindered your weight loss/inches loss? I personally have been working out every day, and I have lost 7 pounds. I know eventually I'm going to hit that plateau but for now, should I do 3 times, 4 times, every day, or just what works for me?

nel0311

Do what your works for you, what makes you feel like you are doing something without trying to kill yourself. i workout everyday but switch up my workouts....cardio then strength train cardio strength train....then sundays i usally rest. if you hit a plateau, change the exercises.

stanvoodoo

I really is what works for you. You also have to consider what kind of workout it is you are doing. Is a big workout with a burn of over 500 calories??? If so, those only 3-4 times a week should be good and maybe a 30 min walk on the other days.

Just remember the 1200 min calories. If you only eat 1200 and burn say 500 more in exercise then you may not be eating enough.

Don't forget your water, protein and fiber!!!

You can do it!

lazatin

Do what works for you..I work out 6 days a week changing it up with weights and cardio...on my rest day i usually go for a walk with my kids.

LindseyDD

I work out 6 days a week - I force myself to take 1 day off or else I would probably go everyday! Do what feels good for you!

StormChaser217

I have been doing 3 days a week , but I am going to start exercising everyday except for Sunday ( thats my day off , lol )
I have a lot of weight to lose .

Rae6503

I've heard ONE rest day a week is important. Never heard that you should only work out 3 days. I try for 6 days a week.

MinnieInMaine

I agree - do what works for you. I usually work out 5 to 6 days per week and honestly, that's not just for fitness, that's also because I like earning the extra calories for the days when I need them (which is most days LOL).

jeankh

I've just been doing it when it works for me. Some weeks its everyday, some its only one or two times, just whenever I can fit it in. I lose about 1-1.5 lbs a week

silvergurl518

Do what your works for you, what makes you feel like you are doing something without trying to kill yourself. i workout everyday but switch up my workouts....cardio then strength train cardio strength train....then sundays i usally rest. if you hit a plateau, change the exercises.

^ this is great advice! just do what works for you but NO INJURIES, PLEASE (as jillian M would say).

i'm celebrating my success of losing 2.4 lbs! yay!

NuMe46

Agree with doing what works for you. I do cardio every day but switch out strength training concentrating on upper body one day then lower body the next day. Sundays I usually just do some cardio. If you hit a plateau then it is time to change your routine. I heard of a trick of wearing a vest while doing cardio and putting weights in the pockets equal to the amount of weight you have lost. Might try that myself.

sophjakesmom

For me, initially I worked out 6 times a week. I also got in some double work outs (morning than evening). But if there was a day I was really dreading it or really tired, I listened to my body and missed that workout, or did something much less vigorous. I set a goal for myself of 5 lbs a month. That seems really small, but for me it was managable. There have been months I have lost more, but only 1 where I only lost 4. Having that modest goal has kept me from getting discouraged.

Hang in there and take one choice at a time. Before you know it, you will be that success story you see in others!!:flowerforyou:

kaylamayers

I usually work out 5 days a week switching up my workouts. I do a mix of elliptical and sometimes running, Pilates, yoga, and Brazil Butt Lift. I kind of feel like I'm at a plateau right now too, so I'd like to hear what everyone else says as well.

heather62803

I try to get in some form of exercise every day, but usually one day a week I keep it light like only a 30 minute walk or play the wii fit or something easy, just enough to keep my body moving and still feel like a rest day for my muscles. As long as you stick to your calorie/nutrition goals and keep your body moving as much as possible you should still see results whether you workout 3 days a week or 7. I have a few different routines that I cycle through for 4-6 weeks at a time, you should always change up your routine when your body starts getting used to it. Good Luck!

themommie

I agree, do what works best for you. I have fibromyalgia , so some weeks I am able to work out everyday and other weeks it is only 2xs a week. The most important thing is to not give up, hang in there and keep going ...........

JennysMan

This site is about several things: 1) Getting started....most people won't succeed because they're simply not willing to start. 2) Getting people to become healthier by following general guidelines that work for most people. There are a lot of things that make sense just because they work, especially when you are beginning this journey, and your body simply needs a wake-up call. 3) Finally, once you get the hang of it, start tweaking things to work for you. Plateaus are common as is sometimes gaining weight when you're "doing all the right things." In the end, it's my opinion that MFP isn't a one size fit's all solution, but it teaches us how to be healthier by listening to our bodies. In the end, you will know what works for you.

To answer your question in the context of what works for me, I typically work out 5 days a week, incorporating 45-60 mins of cardio each day, plus additional strength training to help my body build muscle and increase metabolism. I try to mix up my routines so that I don't get bored and my body doesn't get used to a specific type of exercise.

CakeFit21

I workout every single day, sometimes twice a day. I eat my exercise calories. I run, I lift weights, HIIT, Insanity, P90X. No Plateau.

brittanyjeanxo

Thanks for the advice everyone. So far I have been doing every day this week. I've really only just started exercising this past week, before it was whatever exercise I got at work 3 times a week. Then I started changing my eating habits, and now I've been jogging, doing lots of cardio. Even just changing the way I've eaten, without any exercise, I lost 7 lbs. in 3 weeks. I think every day is working for me though. I'm getting better at pushing myself. I looked at the calories I had burned on the Wii Fit (269) and we had a little battle. I wanted to stop, but I knew I could go just a little longer and burn a few more, so I did. I'm not doing strength training just yet, I want to lose some fat before I try to tone my muscles

gatorflyer

I think it depends on each person. You might want to consider whether the problem is your amount of days of exercise or really the type of exercise, and the duration, whether you are eating enough to fuel your body for the exercise, whether your calorie count is right for you, whehter you are drinking enough water, what you are eating (protein, sugars, too much salt)?. I usually try to get some kind of exercise at least 5 days a week, even if its just walking.

Ocarina

I personally work out with goals in mind. Without them I feel like I'm going no where. I have two plans I'm on that I found I could fit in a 6 day week. I am working on Couch to 5k and am currently on Week 4. This gets me to do cardio on the dreadmill of all things. I'm also doing Stronglifts 5X5 which is introducing me to the basic compound lifts in weight lifting. Otherwise I would never get around to it. I need structure and some kind of end goal with like a 3-4 month accomplishment time otherwise I can go astray or whatever you call it.

I would make working out something that is enjoyable and doable.

CakeFit21

Thanks for the advice everyone. So far I have been doing every day this week. I've really only just started exercising this past week, before it was whatever exercise I got at work 3 times a week. Then I started changing my eating habits, and now I've been jogging, doing lots of cardio. Even just changing the way I've eaten, without any exercise, I lost 7 lbs. in 3 weeks. I think every day is working for me though. I'm getting better at pushing myself. I looked at the calories I had burned on the Wii Fit (269) and we had a little battle. I wanted to stop, but I knew I could go just a little longer and burn a few more, so I did. I'm not doing strength training just yet, I want to lose some fat before I try to tone my muscles

Don't wait on the strength training. I'm serious. It'll help you lose faster.
Great job BTW.

KyleB65

Go with what feels right for you.
I am working out at least 4x per week (mon- thurs evenings) as I have scheduled classes that I attend. In addition I try to get another two workouts in Friday evening and Saturday morning. This leaves me Sunday for rest.
To get to this I started with a once a week class. Then to 2x per week. And so on.
If you are new to your work outs then a day of rest between each workout is great. If you find, like I did, that eventually you need new and more intensive challenges. Add something to your week.
What I would suggest is that what ever you chose to do. Try and make it a regular part of your week. For me, once I joined classes that had specific scheduled times. I made a point of going to every class. Kind of like going to work at the same time every day.
This was my way of making a serious commitment that provided me with no excuses for skipping a class.

Good luck!

FabCheeky

Thanks for the advice everyone. So far I have been doing every day this week. I've really only just started exercising this past week, before it was whatever exercise I got at work 3 times a week. Then I started changing my eating habits, and now I've been jogging, doing lots of cardio. Even just changing the way I've eaten, without any exercise, I lost 7 lbs. in 3 weeks. I think every day is working for me though. I'm getting better at pushing myself. I looked at the calories I had burned on the Wii Fit (269) and we had a little battle. I wanted to stop, but I knew I could go just a little longer and burn a few more, so I did. I'm not doing strength training just yet, I want to lose some fat before I try to tone my muscles

Great job! Strength training will only accelerate your fat loss. Muscle burns calories even when you're resting. Consider adding some weights to your routine.

mp09aap

what works for me is walking a bit more but the main thing is that ive got no sweets in the house and most of the time no cheese. this means that im less likely to be tempted by things. it realy work. keep trying its worth it.

CoryIda

Your body does need some time to rest/recover.
I have shed over 100 pounds and, for me, what has worked best is to exercise for 45-60 minutes 5 or 6 days a week - some days are very high calorie burn days (like when I do Zumba), some are low calorie burn days (long walks), and others are more focused on strength training. A balance works best for me, but my body does do best if it gets at least one day off.

helloiloveukitty

I've lost about 85lbs, 50 with mfp. I found switching it up helps but mostly listening to my body. If I felt like working out 6 days a week, I did...when I needed 4 then I did and when I tore the back of my foot off and needed a week off I took it. I also had to find things I enjoyed and could stick with and see myself doing for life and not just "until I drop x amount of pounds"....good luck!

iTim__

This is, sadly, not a success story, but a question to those who have had one. Did you find that working out every day vs. the recommended three times a week helped or hindered your weight loss/inches loss? I personally have been working out every day, and I have lost 7 pounds. I know eventually I'm going to hit that plateau but for now, should I do 3 times, 4 times, every day, or just what works for me?

I'm doing 6 times a week. I have divided my workouts to target certain areas of my body:

Shoulders, Back, Chest, Arms
Butt, Hips, Legs, Full Body
Abs / Core
Cardio

I have a rest period of 3-4 days between each of the areas of focus. And, regardless of the focus area, I'm doing enough cardio to warm up (I usually use the treadmill or elliptical until I hit 150 calories) and then I focus on the area I need to. I use a calendar to color code which areas I work on for a given day. And, I never workout on Sunday... I need to rest completely at least one day. I use a website (http://www.acefitness.org/exerciselibrary/default.aspx) to help me figure out how to hit those different areas -- check it out, it is awesome for a workout novice like me.

I've noticed I blew through my last plateau and I'm just about 1/2 lb from my goal weight now. By next summer, I plan on sporting an awesome beach bod.

iTim__

Your body does need some time to rest/recover.
I have shed over 100 pounds and, for me, what has worked best is to exercise for 45-60 minutes 5 or 6 days a week - some days are very high calorie burn days (like when I do Zumba), some are low calorie burn days (long walks), and others are more focused on strength training. A balance works best for me, but my body does do best if it gets at least one day off.

Great advice and great progress.

cdl8

Listen to your body and find what works for you. I started at 3x and now I work out 7 days a week, BUT when my body feels like it needs a rest I give it a rest!

tam120

I workout at the gym 5 days a week (2 days step class, 1 day Boot Camp, 1 day low impact aerobics/strength interval and one day just strength) - 2 of those days I also run in the a.m. and I run on Saturday or Sunday - in a normal week, so I take 1 day off. This week I have a 5K so I ran both Saturday and Sunday.

Do what feels right for you. I think 3 days a week is minimum recommended.

sister_bear

I had a gym membership and I hated it. I work with people all day and as an introvert, I can't do it on my free time. I want to hide in the corner and not talk to strangers. lol

So, we rearranged the house so I can exercise in the living room on a treadmill. This works for me.

I travel for work pretty often, so the weeks I'm gone, I might make it to the hotel's gym or swimming pool, but pretty often I'm working 12 hour days and don't make it much of anywhere. Worst case scenario I'll go to a store and walk around trying to keep about 2.0 mph pace. Much faster and security watches me. lol People leave other people alone in stores. It's great. And since I'm booking it, people assume I'm in a hurry and really leave me alone.

My goal is a MINIMUM of 3 times a week, 20 minutes. Don't care how fast or slow as long as I'm up and moving. So I can do it even if I'm exhausted, etc. When I'm home, I might go 7 days a week, I might go for an hour. Who knows. As long as I hit my minimum, I'm happy. I'm also trying to gradually increase my speed/distance. Some days I try to beat my time/distance, other days I just get in my 20 minutes minimum. This works for me.