Extra long workouts on weekends?

trainguy917

Wow, an 82-minute walk really wipes me out, but it sure does add to the calories I can eat! I like to try to get in extra long workouts on the weekends but not eat extra calories if I can stop myself. Sometimes on the really long exercise days I'm just starving, though. Even if I do eat extra, I make sure it's not nearly the number of calories I burned working out. For a number of reasons, there are times when I unexpectedly have things that keep me from working out immediately after work (faculty meetings, Student Council activities, family emergencies, etc.), and by the time I have time, I'm either starving or it's too late in the evening. One thing I've learned about my body is that I simply can't exercise strenuously late in the day and expect to wind down soon enough to get enough sleep. So I miss an occasional workout during the week. I like to think that the super long weekend workouts help make up for that. I may not meet my frequency goals, but I usually meet my total time and calorie goals, so I don't see why it wouldn't work. Does anyone see any flaws in my logic? Let me know, please.

jw17695

I think that as long as you are doing something three to five days a week, you'll be fine. My schedule is more like yours than it is than the 5-days-a-week gym goers. I'm a preschool teacher and work 8:30 to 6, a college student, and have dog school 2 or 3 times a week. So I really make my weekends count.

bbblue92

I second that! I do 45 minute workouts during the week but since I have begun training for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer, I have lots of training to do on the weekends! I'm up to a two hour walk! I also try not to eat all of my workout calories as well....so my reasoning is the same as yours! I actually ate something yesterday that I've been wanting to for a while, it was sorta junk food but didn't feel half as guilty because I burned lots of calories. I still had calories left over! Soo, I don't know if it's wrong or right but I was thinking the same too!

waguchan

Great job on getting in 82 minute walks on the weekends.

I think you should still try to fit in at least 10-15 minutes of some form of exercise every day. Even if it just means getting going for a 10 minute walk during your work breaks. Or walk some stairs if your office building has some. You can also find 10 minute routines on youtube.

My weight loss doctors, nurses, and dietitians told me that moderate exercise helps to boost the metabolism. They said it's even better for your metabolism to have two 10-15 minute exercise routines a day than to have a long 1 hour session. I tried it for a while, but then ended up fitting a 30-60 minute exercise routine in every day.

Also, if you are a "weekend warrior" with your excercise, you may be more prone to injury or muscle strains.

I do extra long workouts on weekend too. I did 2 hours of Tae Bo yesterday morning. But I still do a 30-55 minutes of exercise most mornings. I have trouble working out in the evenings. My life just gets in the way. I always end up working much later than I promise my family. And then by the time I get home, everyone wants something from me. My husband wants helps with the computer or job applications. My 11 year old son needs help with his homework. And my 3 year old daughter just needs to hang all over me because she missed her mommy all day. I wasn't exercising in the mornings either because I wanted to sleep as long as possible before going to work each morning. I felt guilty going to the gym because I have a 3 year old daughter. I didn't use the treadmill at home because I was afraid to get interrupted by my daughter and was afraid that she could get injured.

I just finally stopped making excuses and bought a variety of excercise DVDs and started waking up earlier in the mornings. I have exercise DVDs of different lengths so even if I sleep a little later, I can't make the excuse that I don't have time. I also get bored easily, so I like to have a variety on hand. And if my daughter wakes up while I'm exercising, she gets in my way, but it doesn't stop me. I get my 2nd workout in the evenings by dancing with my husband and kids.

ivykivy

It really depends on you. If it works for you it works for you. I was reading and article in Runner's World the other day. This particular person only ran on the weekends and was able to make gains the same as someone who ran steadily throughout the week.

Just do what you can when you can.