Go hard and less or moderately and more?

sdumma
sdumma Posts: 126 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm still sore from my workout 2 days ago and not sure if I still want to move today!! I wanted your lovely opinions on something... Should I stick to my 'moderate' workouts where I can do them 6 days a week no problem and I KNOW that I loose weight that way at a steady pace. Or...should I do some more challenging workouts that leave me sore and cranky and I think I burn less a week because there is just simply no way I can even get in 5 days of my harder workout...
ps I do workout dvd's in my living room while the kids nap, I do not go to the gym

Replies

  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
    Start slow. Work up to hard 6 days a week.
  • bizco
    bizco Posts: 1,949 Member
    Continue the workouts that allow you to LOSE weight. When you stop losing weight it's time to switch up the workouts.
  • FireBrand80
    FireBrand80 Posts: 378 Member
    hard and more
  • SPNLuver83
    SPNLuver83 Posts: 2,050 Member
    You should do both. Mix them up for best results.
  • jcstanton
    jcstanton Posts: 1,849 Member
    I'm still sore from my workout 2 days ago and not sure if I still want to move today!! I wanted your lovely opinions on something... Should I stick to my 'moderate' workouts where I can do them 6 days a week no problem and I KNOW that I loose weight that way at a steady pace. Or...should I do some more challenging workouts that leave me sore and cranky and I think I burn less a week because there is just simply no way I can even get in 5 days of my harder workout...
    ps I do workout dvd's in my living room while the kids nap, I do not go to the gym

    Go hard one day, then moderate the next. That way, you are still getting in a calorie burn every day, but you're not feeling like you're overdoing it. Also, I have found that moderate exercise when I feel sore actually helps alleviate the soreness. Eventually, your body will get to a point where you can push every day.
  • MonkRocker
    MonkRocker Posts: 198
    If you're lifting - Lift Heavy, but recovery is an actual thing, so you shouldn't workout the same muscle groups on 2 consecutive days. Most people do like a Arms/Chest Day, then a Leg Day, then a Back/Abs day, or some similar split.

    If you're talking about cardio...I'll defer to someone who knows more about that.
  • bigdawg025
    bigdawg025 Posts: 774 Member
    I'm actually in the middle here... I think you have to mix it up to get the best results. I would do moderate and more on 3 days and hard and less on 2 days and rest the other 2 days.

    Although, it is believed that more long slow distance training will burn more fat and result in greater weight loss... at least at the beginning of your training.
  • melbot24
    melbot24 Posts: 347 Member
    This is a great question...
    I know exactly how you feel!

    I recently stopped doing CrossFit because I found that I would actually end up working out less throughout the week because I was so exhausted from just two brutal outdoor workouts.

    I switched back to my 5x a week moderate workouts at the (air-conditioned) gym and started seeing results again.

    I think the key is to switch it up when you stop seeing results.
    Once this stops working for me I'll probably go back to doing HIIT or CrossFit again.

    I'm interested to see the other responses!
  • chivalryder
    chivalryder Posts: 4,391 Member
    If you already have a decent base (Been working out for a lengthy period of time) then HARD and LESS with rests in between will get you greater results in both fitness AND weight loss than moderate and more.

    Exercise at, or near your limit will burn more calories, and make you use up more fat than a moderate activity.

    As for feeling sore: The best remedy for muscle soreness is to use them lightly!
  • alison0511
    alison0511 Posts: 32
    I agree with doing a mix of both to get the best results... but if you're pushing too hard that you feel like you have to take several days off to recover, then you might wanna scale that back and work up to that level.

    But I say if you are regularly losing weight the moderate way... stick with what works until it doesn't, but maybe throw in more challenging things now and then to spice it up. :)
  • sdumma
    sdumma Posts: 126 Member
    I'll start off with thanking everyone for their quick replies to my thread. I had this posted on my wall since 9am with not a single response, then here for less than an hr with more than enough hits! You guy's rock!
    I love all you had to say and it makes total sense to me. I have been working out for a while now, I have gained muscle but haven't really lost anything because I am still working on my night eating!! ggrr. Considering all your replies, I would like to maybe throw in 2 hard days of strength with 3 other days of cardio and 1 day of rest. I'm sure this will work for me, and maybe do a hard strength day right before the rest day. I get all my workout dvd's from the library and would like to trow it out there that that is a great way to switch up workouts on a very tight budget. There's always something new to try. Right now my super hard strength dvd is from Brooke Burke, that woman sure works hard! It is supposed to be 3 10min workouts done on 3 dif days, legs then arms then abs, but I like to do all 3 at once for a great 1hr long workout. <3
    Love you guys!! And feel free to add me on here and pick through my diaries, suggestions are always welcome, I love it

Categories