How often do you exercise?

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alwaysenl
alwaysenl Posts: 197 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have been going on the tredmill 6 days a week for 20-30 mins- with increaing the intensity over the past 4 weeks since I started. I do some strength traning about 2 days a week (trying to get more in). I was just wondering if 6 days is to much- I've heard and read that you should do 3-4 days because your body needs to rest inbetween. How often are you guys doing cardio and have suggstions? I haven't lost any weight this week when I was doing really well before that- about 2 lbs a week. Could I have started out doing too much? Thanks! :smile:

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  • alwaysenl
    alwaysenl Posts: 197 Member
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    I have been going on the tredmill 6 days a week for 20-30 mins- with increaing the intensity over the past 4 weeks since I started. I do some strength traning about 2 days a week (trying to get more in). I was just wondering if 6 days is to much- I've heard and read that you should do 3-4 days because your body needs to rest inbetween. How often are you guys doing cardio and have suggstions? I haven't lost any weight this week when I was doing really well before that- about 2 lbs a week. Could I have started out doing too much? Thanks! :smile:
  • puravidame
    puravidame Posts: 57 Member
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    It is good to change up cardio and work different muscles.

    I run about 3 times a week and use the eliptical and take spinning classes. I have heard that your body can get comfortable with workouts so you do need to change it up. As long as you are listening to your body you will be o.k. with how often you work out.

    Also, you are building up muscle as well. You should measure yourself too.
  • k9powerlifter
    k9powerlifter Posts: 25
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    I try to do cardio a minimum of 5 times a week. I try not to do the same routine everyday because I would go batty. My (winter) cardio workouts for the past few months have gone like this.

    Monday - Stairmaster for :45 minutes
    Tuesday - Treadmill and/or Stairmaster for :45
    Thursday - Run (indoor track if the weather permits then outdoors for :30)
    Friday - Stairmaster or Spinning class for :45 to 1:00
    Saturday or Sunday - hiking for however long it takes me

    Try to keep your heartrate at 75% of your max heartrate for 20/30 minutes to burn bodyfat. For a more conditioning workout (anaerobic I believe) keep it at 85% or above for 20/30 minutes; if can't keep it up that long try to build up to that week by week. I was told you should do at least one anaerobic workout a week. I can't answer why now but I know there are some people in here who can help me answer that.

    Add a five minute warmup and cooldown period to you cardio sessions to get the heart slowly moving and slowly cooling down.
  • newstart
    newstart Posts: 40
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    I have set my goal at 4/45 minutes session per week . Anything else is a bonus but I feel that 4x is the minimum I want. My work outs usually end up being between 45-60 minutes of cardios on days I do cardios only, and a combiantion of cardio to warm up and cool down and 25 minutes average of strength training. It`s true that your body needs a break after strength training so you should alternate . Also doing too much may lower your imune system which is why at times as we are doing so good with workouts and eating well we get hit with a cold.
    If you feel you have to do somehing everyday, make it something like a nice walk or swimming on a few days...
    As a rule for myself, out of a 7 day period, I will work out as hard as I can for up to 5 days but I take at least 2 days to be more relaxed and may just go and have fun in the pool at the Y. On the one day /week I also give myself a break from counting calories and just use common sense. It works for me. Being too diligent feels like being in my own prison.
    I have heard a professional trainer on t.v. make this comment once "you should aim at being good 80% of the time and relax a bit witouth being too bad the other 20%"
    I like that equation and find that it is one that I can work with..
    A few years back before I gave up, I was counting calories so much that a nice dinner and time out with hubby would turn out into a calorie counting session which totally would ruin the mood..Yes to lose weight I have to be consistent but not obsess if that makes any sense...
  • blessedmamma
    blessedmamma Posts: 55
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    I workout 5-6 days/week. I'd planned to do 30 minutes, but I usually go for 45 min. to 1hr. I usually run or do Tae Bo. I do strength training 2 days/week, but I'm going to increase it to 3 next week. I just read on how to do it correctly. I like having the extra muscle mass to keep the mebabolism up!
  • alwaysenl
    alwaysenl Posts: 197 Member
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    Thanks for all the great feedback- you guys are all so helpful. Yes, newstart you totally make sense. I just feel it's hard to switch up my workout- I try to intensify it going longer, faster & adding arm exercises in there, but the tredmill is the only machine we have in the house right now, it's freezing outside here in NJ, and we don't belong to a gym or Y and joining is not really an option for us right now. I was thinking about getting some kind of dvd's or something for a change...I think we may have a stationary bike in the attic....hmmm. Anyway, I just feel it's hard with little time and little resources avaliable to me right now.
  • laxgirl
    laxgirl Posts: 27
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    I play basketball 5-6 days a week for 2 hours and lacrosse on Sunday for an hour. I also go to the gym about once every week or so. Switching your workouts definetly helps in weightloss...not only does it keep your body guessing, but it's a lot more fun for you!
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
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    Bleh, cardio. :tongue: I hate it, but I do it 6 days a week. The type and length of my cardio depends on whether I've eaten and/or lifted. If I'm doing it after lifting, I will do 15 minutes of intervals (which is the anaerobic type k9 is referring to) and then 15 minutes of low-intensity. That just ensures that I've used up as much glycogen as possible between lifting and intervals so there's a *better* chance that I'll be burning more fat during the low-intensity exercise, although it's impossible to tell how depleted you are without a muscle biopsy (ow lol). If I am doing cardio after a meal, I'll keep it all moderate-intensity for 30 minutes. However, that's not the same as anaerobic intervals...anaerobic activity can't be maintained for more than about a minute, which is why you perform it in intervals. Moderate intensity is still aerobic, it's just harder and less enjoyable than low-intensity, but great for increasing your aerobic performance. If I am doing cardio in the morning before breakfast I keep it low-intensity, just speedwalking. Since glycogen levels are already low, there's no need for high-intensity work. You should mix up your cardio for the best results.

    60-70% MHR is low-intensity.
    70-80% MHR is moderate.
    80%+ is high-intensity and difficult to maintain for any amount of time. When you're sprinting, you can easily reach 85% or so, but that lasts all of 30-45 seconds before you take a rest period. This is a really advanced type of cardio and you might want to stick with moderate or just a couple intervals at first.

    You can do all of that on your treadmill along with changing the incline.
    To find your MHR, subtract your age from 220. It's accurate +-12 bpm.
    When I take my HR, I just find my pulse at my neck, take it for 10 seconds, and multiply that # by 6 to find the bpm.
  • newstart
    newstart Posts: 40
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    Thanks for all the great feedback- you guys are all so helpful. Yes, newstart you totally make sense. I just feel it's hard to switch up my workout- I try to intensify it going longer, faster & adding arm exercises in there, but the tredmill is the only machine we have in the house right now, it's freezing outside here in NJ, and we don't belong to a gym or Y and joining is not really an option for us right now. I was thinking about getting some kind of dvd's or something for a change...I think we may have a stationary bike in the attic....hmmm. Anyway, I just feel it's hard with little time and little resources avaliable to me right now.

    To make thinks differant more often, if you have a local library nearby, you could borrow work out DVD`s . That way you could try the kind you want before spending money only to find out it`s not really your style.
  • JulieB21
    JulieB21 Posts: 492
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    I work out at least five days a week. I alternate between 60 minutes of cardio on M W & F and do Power Sculpting on T & TH for 60 minutes. If I have the time, I work out one day on the weekend.
  • slieber
    slieber Posts: 765 Member
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    I exercise at least 6 days a week, sometimes twice on Saturdays, depending on how I'm feeling.

    MW - an hour of ballet class
    Saturday morning - an hour of pointe class - although the pain is there, it's not as physically demanding as a standard ballet class is, which is why I sometimes do a second workout at the gym on Saturdays.

    Sunday, Tues, Thurs, Friday - gym stuff.

    I do cardio on each of those days, but alternate weights with arms and legs. I usually swim one of those four days, instead of the usual elliptical/weights.

    It varies each time, so my body doesn't really have time to get used to anything. My fitness has most definitely improved, though. The other day, I clocked my resting pulse at about 60 bpm, when I'd previously been around 74-78.
  • ltsoccermom
    ltsoccermom Posts: 63
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    My goal was to exercise at least 3 days a week and that only meant getting up and walking, riding, gym something to get me started. I have been stationary way too long!!

    With this site I have enjoyed seeing what might happen in 5 weeks when I add my exercise. I also wanted to get back on my bicycle and work up to 5 miles 5 days a week. Then it has been cold and wet so I started looking for a dance exercise dvd which I found one I love. Now i am exercising 5-7 days depending on how I feel. The DVD is fantastic and really got me motivated from the first day.

    I joined a cycle group and we have to log our miles when we ride on our bike and seeing everyones miles really has gotten my competitive spirit alive. I would like to be in the top 10 of our riding group.

    My competitive nature will hopefully keep pushing me on with our group my riding group and the dance exercise dvd! My routine is never the same everyday so I do what I can depending on my time and the weather. No matter if I work out 3 days or 7 days I am working toward my goal and my body could use the exercise.

    Everyone keep up the great work! Just keep MOVING!!!

    Stacy

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