How many times?

Soon2BeMrsThomson

I'm sure this thread has been on here a million times before but how often do you receommend to exercise?

I do 3 x sessions per week with my trainer but rarely get the chance to go any other time - could this be why my weight loss is slow?

Be interested in hearing your thoughts and as always, thanks in advance :happy:

RachelVon

I do actual workouts 3 x a week (Mon, Wed, Thurs) then also I will ride my bike 30min-hour if the weather is nice- I will ride to work or the grocery store ect!

seekingstrengthX2

I do strength training Monday and Wednesday.
Cardio at the gym Tuesday and Thursday.
Run outside whichever weekend day is the nicest.

salxtai

Depends what for, i guess.

In Aus, there is a promotion to get people moving and the concept is that you do 30 min of activity every day.

For weight-loss, 3 times should be fine as long as the diet supports your goals. 3x is better than none in the end. Fast weight loss isn't neccesarily good - slower weight loss tends to be maintained better in the long term (I've read journal articles on this but don't ask me where right now, haha).
- for those gym fanatics, 4-7 times a week will seem normal and any less isn't "enough"

from my own life, I get to the gym 3x a week for 50min max becasue I get bored, but I also train martial arts for 1.5 x 2 a week, and I'll do 30DS as a light exercise bout on rest days.
And I took about 1.5 years to lose 10kg (~20ish pounds, maybe?). Nothing fast about that, but I'm still going steady and can eat what I like, within reason of course.

Hope that helps - bottom line is, there's no hard and fast rule

marieautumn

I do crossfit 3 times a week and jog 2 times a week. i'm not sure if what i'm doing is the "right" way to do it though.

vim_n_vigor

You will get many different answers here because your goal is what will really drive your workouts. Do you want to do swimsuit competitions or do you want to fit into a smaller size? Are you very heavy now, or close to your goal?

If you are working out for your general health and well being (and maybe to get a few extra calories to eat a day), the types of workouts, duration, and frequency are going to be different than someone looking to complete a marathon, or model.

My personal thought on this is if you push for something you don't enjoy, doing an activity you don't enjoy, and giving up things in your life that you really do enjoy to do them, you won't keep doing it. I know that I despise the treadmill more than anything else. I actually like to walk and run, but the treadmill is not the way I want to do it. If my workout plan included a set time on the treadmill on a set day of each week, I wouldn't do it, wouldn't keep it up.

If you find something you can look forward to doing and can give it priority throughout the week, you will have the best chance of keeping it up. Some weeks you may want to do it every day and look forward to doing it every day. Other weeks, you may be tired and worn down, and may need a break or may need to find a different activity to do.

hbrittingham

I work out 7 days a week. M-F I do cardio at the gym, either the arc trainer or running on the treadmill. Saturday and Sunday I walk the dogs at least 2 miles and I also do cardio at the gym. I do strength training 4+ days a week. The better shape I get in, the more I seem to exercise. I think I've replaced my food addiction with an exercise addiction now. I really get stressed if I can't work out.

aj_31

Strength training usually 4-5x a week. Then on my lunch hour I try and get in a walk for about 30-45 min on the treadmill around 4.0 mpr.

basschick

I've always been told that for weight loss it's recommended that you work out for at least 30 minutes every day. I guess you could double up some days. For overall health and to maintain your weight, 3-5 times a week. I try to never do 2 days in a row of strength training. Cardio exercises and toning/stretching exercises like pilates and yoga can be done every day with no days of rest needed in between. I've pretty much stuck to this schedule and I lost a pound a week until I hit my goal weight and I have been maintaining for 8 months.

therealangd

I've heard fitness recommendations of a minimum of 4 x per week.

Soon2BeMrsThomson

Thanks for you inpu guys - always love to hear different opions. I have a LOT of weight to lose - nearly 100lbs and my lifestyle was completely sendentary before I got my PT so I suppose that the 3 times a week I work out now are a massive improvement and I hope that one day I love exercise enough to do it 7 x a week.

I like HBRITTINGHAM's post about replacing food addiction with exercise addiction :flowerforyou:

Meaganandcheese

I think it's about doing whatever you can consistently, and adding as you can. It depends on what kind of goals you have in the end, and "progress" is relative. What does your trainer recommend? I think it also comes down to what you can sustain over a long period of time. I am very much a believer in "lose it how you'll live it" and not going to extremes to get to goal that you can't/have no intention of keeping up.

I do 4-5 days a week, 45 min to an hour each. There is no right answer, but that's what works for me.

Daytonsmommy

I work out 5 X's a week. My rest days are Friday and Saturday because I am just not as motivated during the weekend for some reason. :grumble: Two days a week I do Jillian Michaels' Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism, which is pure cardio, and then I do her Six Week Six Pack one day, Killer Buns and Thighs one day, and No More Trouble Zones one day (total body strengh training). I think I have found the perfect balance (for me), but everyone is different.

sevencallmemom

2 hours on the treadmill 5-6 days a week

Soon2BeMrsThomson

I think it's about doing whatever you can consistently, and adding as you can. It depends on what kind of goals you have in the end, and "progress" is relative. What does your trainer recommend? I think it also comes down to what you can sustain over a long period of time. I am very much a believer in "lose it how you'll live it" and not going to extremes to get to goal that you can't/have no intention of keeping up.

I do 4-5 days a week, 45 min to an hour each. There is no right answer, but that's what works for me.

My trainer would have me at the gym 8 days a week lol think I'll try adding an extra day in on my own and see if things start moving a bit quicker!!

RLeighP

I definitely switched to an exercise addiction! I would workout 1.5 hours a day at least. Lifting, cardio, circuit training, Zumba, etc. I guess as long as you are diverse in what all you do, and don't hurt yourself, you can do what you feel is best for your body.

TylerJ76

6 days.

30-90min a day

Katie3784

I think getting someform of exercise 5-6 days a week is key. I actually do something everyday, but even if you can't workout hard 5-6 days, try and incorporate something fun that is also exercise most days. I imagine that if I went a day without working out, I'd be bummed, but I know that's all mental. 5 days is good for most people.

Katie3784

I work out 7 days a week. M-F I do cardio at the gym, either the arc trainer or running on the treadmill. Saturday and Sunday I walk the dogs at least 2 miles and I also do cardio at the gym. I do strength training 4+ days a week. The better shape I get in, the more I seem to exercise. I think I've replaced my food addiction with an exercise addiction now. I really get stressed if I can't work out.

This is me!