Is 30 minutes of exercise enough?

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staceypunk
staceypunk Posts: 924 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I started exercising and counting calories in August 2012 and lost over 40 pounds in 5 months! I started with 30 Day Shred for 25 minutes, then 90 days of Body Revolution for 35 minutes a day, then I did a mix of Jillian DVD's for another month or so for 60-80 minutes per day. Then I did Insanity for about 45 days which ranged from 45-80 minutes per day.

Now I have been doing another round of 30 Day Shred. It is still an awesome workout. This time around I do ALL the harder modifications and used my heartrate monitor and am getting a great burn. Many days I immediately follow with Killer Abs which is another 35 minutes. That gives me about one hour of working out.

However, I don't always have time to do one hour and honestly, sometimes I am pretty well spent after the half hour but I pressure myself to do another half hour because I know my body will survive it. I am not trying to make any drastic changes anymore. I have a little bit of fat left in my lower belly pooch. Really I'd just like a little lower Body Fat % and am OK with my weight at 135 (but would love to see the 120's on the scale).

I currently am eating 1750 calories per day, using TDEE so I don't eat back exercise calories and log them as 1 calorie burned.

I am starting a second round of Body Revolution June 17th. It's 35 minutes long. Can I just do this and still make progress?

Hoping for comments from BTDT (been there done that) people who maybe decreased their workout time a bit and what happened for them.

Thanks in Advance!

Replies

  • Alissakae
    Alissakae Posts: 317 Member
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    I think it depends on if you are getting the results you want. Thirty minutes is the recommendation usually given "to maintain health". Most of us have to put in more to actually lose weight. I started in July 2012 and have worked up to working out an hour per day six days per week - but I have a lot further to go than you did.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    Yes, 30 minutes is fine, generally speaking its quality not quantity of your workouts!
  • fight_for_fit
    fight_for_fit Posts: 137
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    If you are doing HIIT then 30 minutes is the perfect amount of time. However if you're doing a relaxed workout then 30 mins will do you no good in terms of weight loss that is.
  • chezjuan
    chezjuan Posts: 747 Member
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    During most of my weight loss (Oct. 2012 - April 2013), I did 30-45 minutes of exercise 3 to 4 times a week. Generally the workouts were closer to 30 minutes. This worked well for me.

    I currently do longer workouts generally (more like 50-75 minutes) because I really enjoy exercising, but also do my share of 30 minute routines when I am pressed for time.

    At least for me, I think that the time is less important than the quality and/or intensity of the workout, especially now that I am in maintenance/toning mode.
  • staceypunk
    staceypunk Posts: 924 Member
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    bump :flowerforyou:
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
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    I am starting a second round of Body Revolution June 17th. It's 35 minutes long. Can I just do this and still make progress?

    Depends. What do you think? What have you tracked and analyzed previously?
  • EmmaKarney
    EmmaKarney Posts: 690 Member
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    I burn over 350 calories in my 35 minute soon classes - I'm happy with that!
  • jennifershoo
    jennifershoo Posts: 3,198 Member
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    The more important question here is why do you feel the need and pressure yourself to exercise more than you do?
  • KPMP1992
    KPMP1992 Posts: 66
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    I've always heard: 30 minutes a day for health benefits, and 60 minutes for weight loss.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,708 Member
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    Almost all my workouts are 30 minutes or less. HIIT baby!

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • AmandaReimer1
    AmandaReimer1 Posts: 235 Member
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    If people are already eating the exercise calories back, why workout for an hour for weightloss? Your already eating a deficit before working out.
  • aelunyu
    aelunyu Posts: 486 Member
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    How crazy can you get in 30 minutes? If really really crazy, then yeah it's enough.
  • lseed87
    lseed87 Posts: 1,105 Member
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    It is better than doing nothing! I suppose it really depends on how much energy you give it. Make it worthwhile.
  • cowboy032587
    cowboy032587 Posts: 24 Member
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    If you get a good burn in then 30 minutes is plenty. Also I tend to stick with 3 days of tough ab workouts so that they have time to heal in between. I do them monday Wednesdays and fridays, so the other days i do shorter workouts
  • Saucy_lil_Minx
    Saucy_lil_Minx Posts: 3,302 Member
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    I think it is OK to do what you can. If you have 30 min, do 30. If you have an hour do an hour, but I would shoot for at least 30 mins. My nutritionist said 30 mins of getting your heart rate up is a minimum. I have days where I just don't have time for my 40 min or more so I do 30 min, and leave the gym. Life happens, and while I think it is super important to carve you time out in a day. Sometimes duty calls, and I got to modify. I will say if I cut it short the night before. I will add a little extra the next night if I can.
  • UpandRunning2013
    UpandRunning2013 Posts: 69 Member
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    bump
  • FocusNfit
    FocusNfit Posts: 7
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    bump
  • CoachDreesTraining
    CoachDreesTraining Posts: 223 Member
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    I think you should reconsider your workouts and their intensity if they are lasting more than 30-45 minutes.

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