So HOW MUCH exercise do you REALLY need? What are we talking

imagymrat

I'm not talking about training two hours a day like Jack Lalanne has for the last ¾ of a century, or doing hours of high intensity weight training like a competitive bodybuilder, or an hour and a half of cardio a day like an endurance athlete, unless that's called for to reach a certain goal, or unless that's what you enjoy.

I'm not talking about lifting weights every day. You need recovery time from intense forms of training.

I'm not talking about never taking an entire week off for rest and renewal.

And I'm not talking about never taking any days off.

What I AM talking about is doing some form of moderate exercise - enough to break a sweat, get you breathing heavy and bring your heart rate up - almost every day of the week, most of the year.

It could be the popular six day program alternating weights and cardio every other day with Sundays off. It could be two days a week of lifting weights, two days of aerobics classes and two days of hiking or mountain biking (six days total with one rest day). If it's fat loss you want, then cardio every day with a few days of strength training works like magic.

It could be virtually anything! Choose what you love to do - just do something every day, include both strength training and aerobic training each week and do it on a regular schedule at the same time each day.

Ultimately, the amount of exercise you REALLY need is the amount it takes to give you the results you want.

However, there are some very compelling reasons to exercise every day...

Why every day? Because that makes it a HABIT.

Anything you do repeatedly (especially daily) will eventually become a habit, and your habits, positive or negative, will control your results and ultimately, shape your destiny.

Habits can be harnessed to your advantage, propelling you downstream towards your desired destination, or they can become your worst enemy, forcing you to paddle fruitlessly upstream against their powerful currents.

Ninety-nine percent of the things you do each day are done on "automatic pilot" - without consciously thinking, deciding, choosing or exerting willpower. That is the power of habit and exercise is one of the most positive habits you will ever develop.

Why else is daily exercise a good idea? Because you develop METABOLIC MOMENTUM.

Your metabolism is like a spinning top. You twist the top and it starts spinning at maximum velocity, but not long after your fingers leave contact with the top, it's already slowing down.

Eventually, the revolutions decrease and the top starts to wobble. You have to spin it again before it loses all its momentum and topples over. By spinning it more frequently, the average rpm's stay higher and the top never slows to a wobble.

Your metabolism is the same way. Exercise "spins" your metabolic rate. Many factors affect metabolism, but nothing else cranks up and maintains your metabolic speed like frequent exercise of sufficient intensity.

Yes, I hear the grumbles and groans from the peanut gallery... "You mean 3 days a week isn't enough?" But how am I supposed to find time to exercise every day? That's impossible because I have kids, a job and a life, you know!

Impossible???

Here's a novel idea: Get your butt out of bed 30 minutes earlier!

Are you really concerned about quality time with your family? If so, then you OWE IT TO THEM to take the time to take care of yourself so you'll be around long enough to enjoy their company.

We live in a society with more demands on our time than ever before. But if you don't make time for exercise now, you'll lose time to sickness and immobility later.

Psychologists tell us that most people will almost never take action to PREVENT a problem, only take action to GET RID OF a problem after it has already occurred. So true isn't it? Unfortunately for many, that may be too late.

Your body is remarkably forgiving, but there's only so much abuse it can take. Abuse includes negative actions like smoking, drinking, drug use and eating refined junk food. But sometimes that abuse comes in the simple form of neglect - it's what you don't do that hurts you the most.

Can you exercise too much? Certainly. Is there a point where you become overtained? Of course. Is there a point of diminishing returns? Sure is. Can training become an unhealthy obsession? Absolutely. Do you need to take time off for recovery and renewal? Most definitely! Should you maximize your workout efficiency to get the most benefit in the least time? A resounding YES!

However, if I were you, I'd be far more concerned about getting too little activity than getting too much.

So, my friend, if you want to go on believing in the hype you read in the magazines and best selling books these days about minimalist training, once per week workouts, (or less), or the diet that doesn't require ANY exercise, just eat these special food combinations, take these supplements or cut out all the carbs and get the body of your dreams, that's your choice... it's your body, your health and your life... let your results be your guide.

But when you're unhappy with your results, and when you stand in front of the mirror scratching your head trying to figure out why you don't look and feel the way you want to look and feel... and when you start to feel the downward pull of gravity and body parts are sagging... and when the aches and pains strike, and the doctor's visits become more frequent..

..AND, when you see that there are others the same age as you, in the same circumstances as you, with the same number of hours in the day that you have, who have remained lean, healthy, and muscular...

..THEN GET OFF YOUR GLUTEUS MAXIMUS AND GET SOME EXERCISE EVERY SINGLE DAY. YOUR BODY WANTS IT, NEEDS IT AND IS LITERALLY BEGGING FOR IT.

sboothe24

Everything you said is right....but it was kinda put in a harsh way. Plus one thing you forgot to mention was...some people really cant exercise everyday.. Health issues and what not...

pawprint061

Love it... those who can should. Those who can't, should try to do it as much as they can. I walk every day at work. I sweat and get my blood pumping... it's also what has helped me drop over 30 pounds and 30 inches.... It is habit for me now... when I'm off from work I can't sit still... I feel like I need to physically get up and move

keiko

"Choose what you love to do - just do something every day, include both strength training and aerobic training each week and do it on a regular schedule at the same time each day. "

That says it all! I enjoyed the post, I like my "habit" and intend to keep at it!

aml0484

thanks for posting this. I thought it was great!

whyflysouth

Thanks, though y'know I just can't seem to get into doing cardio. I love lifting weights, I would love to lift every day but I know that muscles need time to recover and that stops me from doing it. But yeah, can't stand the cardio, and circuit weight training for that matter. Thanks for the motivation there, though.

perrim

i wish there was a "like" button like on facebook...this would've gotten a like from me. i'm also a big fan of the theory of listening to your body. if working out everyday feels good, then do it! if your body needs a rest, then rest. but don't lie to yourself in the process and convince yourself you need more rest than you really do.

TOYGRRRL

Everything you said is right....but it was kinda put in a harsh way. Plus one thing you forgot to mention was...some people really cant exercise everyday.. Health issues and what not...

Thank you sboothe24 for stating the obvious! I have Rheumatoid Arthritis and cannot do as much as I want. I exercise within my own limits. Only recently, when I began MyFitnessPal did my last RA flare up calm enough to start walking our dogs again. And I could only take our oldest who is slower than the others and less likely to pull me down or aggravate my hands by pulling on the leash. Lately I can luckily walk 4 miles in our hills (if weather is nice) or I use our stationary rower, 5 days a week. When my knee joints no longer give me problems I hope to get back on my bike (it's been years).

People, please consider others and the issues they may be dealing with in regards to exercise. Personally, if I hear one more person telling me I should swim I will scream. I'm highly allergic to the chlorine in the pools and I'm not a strong swimmer so the freezing cold, severe rip tide northern California waters are out of the question.

beeks

What a great post! not to say that I will exercise every day, but because of this post, I will continue to exercise at least 5 days a week. Thank you for the reminder that our bodies need the exercise to stay healthy.

sboothe24

Toygrrl--you are welcome. I thought the post was good just a little rude and not entirely true b/c of health problems. it seems like lately im hearing alot about how to do things as if there are no health problems, what about people with thyroid problems and diabetes. my mom cant work out like that b/c of her health conditions and if i had health problems i wouldve been ticked off even more b/c its like someone was calling me lazy b/c i couldnt work out everyday.. yes our bodies need the exercise but as long as it being attempted and the person feels good about it and they are losing the weight then to me thats all that matters. good luck with continuing to lose the weight

mollyelliott

i think people are taking this a little harsh. in my opinion, all she is trying to say is do something ANYTHING, whatever YOUR body can handle as much as YOUR body can handle it. whether its walking a 10 feet or 10 miles. if you read it all closely, she says to find something you love and DO IT.. yes there are extenuating circumstances for everyone... but there is always something that you can do

keiko

i think people are taking this a little harsh. in my opinion, all she is trying to say is do something ANYTHING, whatever YOUR body can handle as much as YOUR body can handle it. whether its walking a 10 feet or 10 miles. if you read it all closely, she says to find something you love and DO IT.. yes there are extenuating circumstances for everyone... but there is always something that you can do

I don't think it was harsh or rude either. She never said "everyone has to work out a certain amount of time or do a certain kind of exercise everday" She said everyone should do something. Even people with thyroid problems and diabetes can walk and probably most of their doctors would encourage some kind of exercise.

kdiamond

All she is saying is that we all need to do something, is that asking too much really?

aisha11188

Im just back from the doctors and was told not to exercise until my heart and blood pressure is sorted out. I am well gutted but there is not much I can do about it :-(

faerygal

Ok I am not a natural athelete BUT I know that I have to keep fit.
1)I want to look better.This will be more achievable with exercise as diet alone produces poor results.
2)I want a good quality of life and not to be a hunched up immobile old lady.
3)It makes me less stressed.....it's true exercise releases happy hormones.
4)Because I can!!I remind myself when I don't feel like getting off my butt that there are many people in this world who would love to able to run or dance and are disabled in some way.
5)Twenty mins of my day to live longer,stronger and feeling good about myself is not too much to ask.
6)I have a very underactive thyroid and if I don't exercise I am MORE depressed,tired,my circulation gets worse and I get more stiff and creaky.
I know some people can't but if you can DO.My friends you are what you eat and your body will show how much you exercise.
One more thing.I have recently seen the body scans of two people of the same (healthy)weight.One who did regular exercise and one who did not.The non exerciser had a buid up of fat around HER INTERNAL ORGANS.Thin is not always healthy.xx

imagymrat

What's scary is that with these views, she's a trainer.

I agree..no offense to her but I wouldnt want her as a trainer..I'd feel like a lazy piece of crap every day.

I'm absolutely not offended, i'm not for everyone, only for those serious to take on a challenge. I'm tough, I give little to no slack, don't waste my time. There's no way I was rude, my point is if you CAN move then you need to be doing it, if you have reasons you cannot, c'mon, i'm not an idiot then obviously don't do it. My post was about staying healthy and fit, you don't gotta like it, maybe because I hit a nerve?? that's a good thing if I did, obviously I hit something, if you post more then once, to tell me i'm rude, i've been called worse by people, once i'm done training with them, thank me for helping them. You need to find a trainer that works for you, I DON'T coddle, seems to me that's what you need...you wont enjoy any of my posts then, I'd suggest maybe if they offend you so much, don't read em!

andie3045

You couldn't have put it any better. Where there's a will, there's a way, regardless of age, weight, gender, prior habits, work schedule, family size, responsibilities... i could go on forever!

I am a full time student, full time employee, friend, sister, daughter, babysitter... and athlete. I squeeze that 6 day a week hour of cardio and hour of lifting into my schedule even if it means I can't take a shower before I go to work or school. When you want something bad enough, you can squeeze it in wherever you can. It's called dedication. If it becomes an "obsession", which some people in my life have called it, then so be it. If it's weightloss, fitness in general (or anything else you want to call it) that you want, you can do it.

If you're not seeing results, work harder. Your body can be pushed farther than you've ever imagined, and damn does it feel good when you accomplish something you thought you could never do. Obsessed is just a word the lazy use to describe the dedicated

mimi7grands

From my perspective, I've gotta say "thanks for the kick in the patootie." The last few weeks....to be honest, most of my life...I've avoided exercising for one reason or another. Y'know, it just isn't "me." If I had health problems, that would be one thing. In fact, the amount of exercise that the person with RA does puts me to shame. My problem is that I'm plain old not in the habit.

Don't get me wrong. I am absolutely not into putting myself down. I've done too much of that in my life and it has never (I mean NEVER) gotten me anywhere I wanted to go. The reason MFP works for me is that it's so positive. I love seeing that if I exercise, my target calories go up...and what I'll weigh in 5 weeks if I keep on the same path. For me, this post is a nudge to go ahead and give it a try. That's what works for me. That's what I'm going to do.

questionablemethods

What's scary is that with these views, she's a trainer.

I agree..no offense to her but I wouldnt want her as a trainer..I'd feel like a lazy piece of crap every day.

I'm absolutely not offended, i'm not for everyone, only for those serious to take on a challenge. I'm tough, I give little to no slack, don't waste my time. There's no way I was rude, my point is if you CAN move then you need to be doing it, if you have reasons you cannot, c'mon, i'm not an idiot then obviously don't do it. My post was about staying healthy and fit, you don't gotta like it, maybe because I hit a nerve?? that's a good thing if I did, obviously I hit something, if you post more then once, to tell me i'm rude, i've been called worse by people, once i'm done training with them, thank me for helping them. You need to find a trainer that works for you, I DON'T coddle, seems to me that's what you need...you wont enjoy any of my posts then, I'd suggest maybe if they offend you so much, don't read em!

I would TOTALLY want you as a trainer! So far, I'm doing okay at kicking my own butt. I don't work out long, but I workout as hard as I can 5-6 days/week. My boyfriend is always like, "Really? We're gonna workout again? But we just worked out yesterday!"

"Uh... yeah!"

Thanks for the reminder.

Next up, I need to add a bit more. I was getting back in shape to run 5Ks when my hip socket started acting funny. I'm hoping that was just a little pull and it is better so I can start running again. Kettlebell class starts on Sunday!

Ryhenblue

There are a lot of people my self included that will throw out every excuse in the book as to why they don't have time to workout and be healthy. I did not find your post rude. It was the truth and some people might take offense because they aren't ready to hear the truth.

Everyone has their own level of activities they can do. All the op was saying was do what you can everyday and your body will thank you. We should be healthy 7 days a week not just 3-6.

Thanks for the great advice. I'm making an effort to do something everyday.

thumper44

imagymrat - Very well said! I don't think it was harsh or rude.

I've been on here for almost a year now. I've seen the same thing over and over, people stating that they didn't exercise because of "1,001 reasons".

.............. I've been there. It's easy to say, I won't do it today, I'll do it tomorrow.

One thing that sort of bugs me.
People will say they don't have time to exercise, but they had time to log on here, surf websites, read messages, and even post a message and state that they didn't have enough time to exercise.:noway: I wonder how much TV they also watched.

People should make their exercise like an appointment.
You won't cancel the appointment with your doctor, dentist, hair stylist, nails, or a trainer at a gym. etc, etc.
If friend/family wants to go out, tell them you got an appointment, and you will be 30 mins - 1 hour.


I'm glad that every day, I now have that appointment with myself. I'm turning bad habits into good habits. I workout, then I feel better and then I'll get on the computer, watch tv or do my daily chores.

If I don't do it, nobody is going to do it for me.:laugh:

sboothe24

What's scary is that with these views, she's a trainer.

I agree..no offense to her but I wouldnt want her as a trainer..I'd feel like a lazy piece of crap every day.

I'm absolutely not offended, i'm not for everyone, only for those serious to take on a challenge. I'm tough, I give little to no slack, don't waste my time. There's no way I was rude, my point is if you CAN move then you need to be doing it, if you have reasons you cannot, c'mon, i'm not an idiot then obviously don't do it. My post was about staying healthy and fit, you don't gotta like it, maybe because I hit a nerve?? that's a good thing if I did, obviously I hit something, if you post more then once, to tell me i'm rude, i've been called worse by people, once i'm done training with them, thank me for helping them. You need to find a trainer that works for you, I DON'T coddle, seems to me that's what you need...you wont enjoy any of my posts then, I'd suggest maybe if they offend you so much, don't read em!

No I wont be reading them after this. I dont think of you as a bad person but it was just my opinion that I thought it was a little forward and out there. I have a personal trainer and he kicks my butt 3 times a week. I told him to train me like I'm in boot camp b/c my hubby was in the Army. So I dont get coddled as you said. And you didnt hit a nerve. I have no problem exercising everyday and I make sure I do it and yes everyone needs encouragement but in my opinion there are nicer ways of stating that.

robin52077

Nothing that was said was the slightest bit rude or harsh.
It was a wonderful post and 100% true.

If you CAN, you SHOULD. If you CAN'T, well then, obviously you shouldn't, but she wasn't saying that those who can't are "bad", she was mainly speaking to those who CAN.

Even those who think they can't sometimes can and are just making excuses. (SOMETIMES, not everyone, don't get all offended now)
So you can't go running or swimming....so what? Go to the mall and stroll around window shopping. straighten up your house and fold some laundry, it's better than sitting on the couch talking about how you CAN'T.
Everything you do is better than doing nothing.

DeeDeeLHF

Bumping to re-read everytime my pillow is more alluring than the gym!:laugh:

D

TCASMEY

One of the problems I see with most people in regards to exercise is that they believe exercise means putting on different clothes and going to the gym or running on the treadmill. Exercise can be as simple as a walk around the block, dancing, going for bike ride, or running around the yard with the kids. For those who do not like exercise find something fun to do that gets your body moving. I love to ride my exercise bike and read or surf the net. I get some great workouts and because I am distracted by my reading the exercise time flies by. I agree to find something you love and do it.

Heather1776

I agree that if you just push yourself to exercise at least 5-6 days a week it becomes a habit and you are less likely to skip it. Since I've changed my routine from 3-4 days to 5-6 days I rarely skip due to lack of motivation. It's now part of my routine in the morning. I don't even think about not doing it, I just do it!

mzmoonlight

Its easier to overtrain than you might imagine. I only work out three days a week but have been spending an hour and a half in the gym (40-50 mins cardio). My health is really suffering because of it. My doctor has told me I must absolutely not do more than 40 mins cardio, 3 times a week. I only wish I could spend every day exercising.

I would say to those of you who are exercising a lot, make sure you eat your exercise calories to stop your deficit going too low. My weight loss is much more efficient when I do.

ivykivy

You are so right about the habit thing. If I sit around all day and don't do anything I feel like a slug. Exercise makes you feel good. And like TMCasey said it doesn't have to be some preplanned sweat inducing activity. Some days for me it is dancing, a leisurly walk and a yoga dvd.

ilovecoffee

I work 12 hrs shifts so for me it is not possible to exercise every day either. However, I do have one day a week where I run 12 miles instead of my usual 4-6. I get in about 20-25 miles of running and 2 hrs of something else every week. So don't sweat it if you cannot work out every day.:flowerforyou:

faerygal

hey moonlight:happy: I agree it is possible to overtrain and one or two rest days a week are good.I do think tho that doctors are not always reliable when it comes to fitness and diet.For example a doctor recently told someone to go on the cabbage soup diet!:mad: Which is NOT healthy.Listen to your body and maybe do a little more strength training!What has happened to your health if you don't mind me asking?

faerygal

wow ilovecoffee that's dedicated!I work five days a week and I only do half hour of cardio and circuits a day!Good for you :happy: