Do you have to workout EVERYDAY?

Two hours *MORE*??? As in, your usual workout sessions are two hours?

1) No, you don't have to workout every day. In fact, it's probably best if you don't.
2) If you miss a scheduled workout, you should *NOT* add it to the next workout.
3) While there are exceptions, very few people should be spending two hours in the gym...(or more accurately, there are very few circumstances where this is appropriate). Get in, get it done, and get out.

This.

I lift 3 days per week for about 45 minutes and I do about half an hour of cardio a couple of times per week.

Get in, get it done, and get out.

This has been asked many times and the answer is you don't have to workout at all to lose weight, just under eat your daily requirements

Exercise improves your fitness and builds/tones muscle. and allows you to eat more if you so desire.

Saying that yeah i workout 6 days a week for roughly an hour each session
mostly cause i'm addicted to the rush now and love seeing the weight fall and my tummy recede.
I don't crucify myself if i miss a day tho, in the long run it makes no difference aslong as you are consistant and eat within your requirements.

Weekends - in the morning, with a training buddy, more energy, more burn, better results
Work Week - after work less energy and less burn go it alone other then regulars i see at the gym.

Take atleast 1 rest day which you need to recoup and allow the muscles etc. to repair the stress/minor damage doing exercise does in the building process.

Some weeks i did 2 rest days and was able to push harder on the other days.

Summary you don't need to go every day aslong as your diet doesn't counteract any good you are doing improving your fitness and infact training too often could be detrimental.

I do, but not for weight loss, but for my mood, my diet, and my sleep patterns. I enjoy my very intense yoga class, I love spin, I have always swam since birth, and i take the doggies on walks. I do a spin > yoga segue 6 days a week, then on the 7th day i walk the dog. I try to swim 3-5 times on top of all that. I am addicted. I have been this way for quite some time now. I love the way I feel all the time, and yoga is the hardest workout I do and brings me the most benefits on ALL levels - not even kidding.

It certainly is not necessary, but it is for me to stay on track. And it feeds my much healthier addiction when compared to wine.

This.

I am a very high stress Type A competitive person. The more I do really intense hot yoga, the less emotionally mood swingy I am, the less vicious, the more even keeled and pleasant. I need a good yoga class OR 45 - 60 minutes of cardio EVERY day to be kind and delightful and rational. It also helps with my lifelong insomnia.

If you miss a day, though. you dont; have to make up for it the next. For me, the double does not help. Just sticking to the routine helps. I miss maybe 2 or 3 days workng out a month, and I just try to float those days with deep breathing.

I'm pretty sure that if you don't train 4 hours every day that you'll lose muscle and gain fat.

Seriously, OP, you're setting yourself up for burn out and/or an injury. You have to give your body its recovery time. Don't be afraid to take rest days twice a week. You don't have to sit on the couch those days but keep it leisurely. And 2+ hour workouts are a bit much.

I'm pretty sure that if you don't train 4 hours every day that you'll lose muscle and gain fat.

Seriously, OP, you're setting yourself up for burn out and/or an injury. You have to give your body its recovery time. Don't be afraid to take rest days twice a week. You don't have to sit on the couch those days but keep it leisurely. And 2+ hour workouts are a bit much.

I kind of disagree. I have been holding to my routine for well over a year. Never had the slightest bit of burnout after this long, though I have been an athlete my entire life.

I also disagree that 2 hour workouts are a bit much, but it depends on your goals, I guess. I will do a 90 min hot flow, a 60 min spin class, then go hit the pool for 75-90 minutes as well. I do it because I love it. Obviously if you don't love it, then this route is not for you. My trainer said rest days are not vital to success, but does encourage a light swim on those days or a hatha yoga class which is more stretching than cardio/resistance training.

This would be one of those exception I mentioned in my response that it didn't make sense for *most* people.

That said, just because it's working for you now does not mean that it is a good idea overall for health. I suspect you're young, and by all means, enjoy it if it's what you like to do...but I will still argue that this level of activity is not necessarily "healthy", and will likely lead to "overtraining" problems for you down the road. Keep an eye on it, and if you start seeing warning signs, know that cutting back is the obvious first step.

Never "add" time to a workout just because you missed your last one. Why? Because your risk to overtraining and injury are vastly increased. And you would need to eat a substantial more amount of food to fuel a "double" workout day, which you probably won't prepare for.

You don't have to workout everyday...anyone that says you do, is telling you a load of sh1t. Plain and simple. Your body needs recovery time, especially if your workouts are strength based, or high intensity.

I started my weight loss journey assuming that I'd work out 3 times per week. In reality, I go to the gym 5-6 times per week.

I feel very guilty on my days off. Partially because I now love it, and two I am afraid if I take too many days off, I'm not going to lose.

I haven't. The days I was going in earlier to work I didn't go to the gym. But...my work schedule is changing next week to even earlier every day. I don't really want to get up THAT early....well ok, at least for the summer. I usually work out five days a week.

This was on another post a little bit ago: http://fitnessista.com/2011/08/focus-on-rest-days/

Taking a day off is good. If you feel you MUST workout, try a nice 3 mph or slower walk. Your body needs time to recover, but walking (within reason--I'm not talking about a hike) is good for you and won't hinder recovery.