People having success, what exercise do you do?

Could those people who are doing well give me an idea of what kind of exercises you do daily/weekly, and how long and how often you do them? I am trying to tweak my exercise to give me better results, and I just want to hear what has been working for others.

I want to hear about everything - cardio, weight lifting, strength, resistance, and cross training everything in between, yoga, pilates, walking! Want to know how the fit people live :)

Also, please say what results you are having - for instance, if you are losing weight doing this or that, or losing body fat percentage doing this or that, or toning/strengthening muscles doing this or that. I know there are "theories" as to which type of exercise does what, but I want to know what results YOU are really seeing. For instance, I did "cardio" yesterday, but the way my abs feel today, I know I definitely got more than just cardio results out of that workout. That sort of thing is particularly interesting to me - when certain exercises have results in more than one area of weight loss, fat loss, fitness, strengthening, toning, etc.

Thanks in advance!

Voodoo Lady
«13

Replies

  • HeyGoRun
    HeyGoRun Posts: 550 Member
    <== Doing alot of lower body changed my whole body, I did a dvd 6 week plan called the butt bible, 2 days of lower, 2 days of upper, 2 cardio and 1 rest a week.
  • SbetaK
    SbetaK Posts: 398 Member
    Jillian Michael's 30 day shred, ancient Nordic track (about 30 years old, still works), walking, hiking, running up and down my front steps (only about 6 steps but gets me huffing..) Anything to move.
  • KarenJanine
    KarenJanine Posts: 3,497 Member
    Lift big weights, full body workout, 3x per week. Eat a small calorie deficit. Cardio if/when you feel like it. Profit.
  • Debbie_Ferr
    Debbie_Ferr Posts: 582 Member
    Hill walking, hill hiking, tennis, and DVDs (random ones on youtube.com) for awhile, I was into the 30 day squat challenge.
  • helpfit101
    helpfit101 Posts: 347 Member
    I sat on the couch a lot and after four or five months finally started seeing my abs. That has led me to believe couch sitting is definitely a worth while exercise.

    Oh I was eating at a slight deficit too. Not sure whether that was related or not.
  • sanderdejonge
    sanderdejonge Posts: 415 Member
    I've always done sports and have picked up swimming again two months ago. When I was a kid I did competitive swimming too.
    At the moment I swim 4 to 5 times a week (training) for over an hour and go to competitions all around the country. Per training I burn up more than 650kcal/hour, eating about 4000kcal/day to satisfy my hunger, and 3000kcal on days I don't swim. I try to eat at least every 2 hours to keep my metabolism running. Following a healthy and protein-rich diet.

    I've always been in shape but not very muscular. But since I picked up swimming again I already gained 2-3kg and can start seeing a difference.

    Swimming is one of the most healthy sports out there (you use all of your muscle groups) and is definitely a good choice if you want to lose weight (fat) - or gain (muscle). And above all: You'll feel fit and energized after every exercise!
  • VoodooAborisha
    VoodooAborisha Posts: 147 Member
    Thanks for all the replies so far!

    About how many minutes per day/week are you guys doing these exercises?

    Cheers,
    Voodoo Lady
  • casy84
    casy84 Posts: 290 Member
    I gave yogilates a shot for a few months and I ended up with better muscle tone, but nothing too visible. It's the kind of sport that gets easy very fast. Now I'm into Kangoo Jumps and it's the best cardio I ever had. It's so much fun that you just can't take a break although you're covered in sweat and out of breath :)
    I work out 1-3times/week for about 1h. I would like to go more 3x times/week than 1x, but I have health issues and I must wait for a 'good day' to work out.
  • candiceh3
    candiceh3 Posts: 379 Member
    I do 3 full body weights sessions (NROL4W) and 3 cardio sessions (C25k) per week with one day off per week. Losing 1 kg/week, gaining muscle tone :).
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Insanity!
  • Topsking2010
    Topsking2010 Posts: 2,245 Member
    I did P90X along with running and spin classes!!!
  • Jkn922
    Jkn922 Posts: 74
    I use FitnessBlenders' videos for cardio which I do 3-5 times per week. The other days I rest or am walking around (Uni/town)
  • rayfu75
    rayfu75 Posts: 209 Member
    Brazilian Jiu jitsu 4-5 days a week. Judo once a week. Kickboxing once a week. calisthenics daily (push ups, air squats, pull ups etc.)
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Got to do what you like!

    I started with Slim in 6, then started doing Bodypump/Les Mills Pump twice a week (at the gym then at home). Then I started walking. Now I walk an hour a day in average and I'm doing ChaLean Extreme (well, at least the weight lifting parts) 3-5 times a week.

    I did some other classes (BodyJam, Zumba) and tried a couple more workouts (Turbo Fire) but I'm just not much into it.
  • Ralthor125
    Ralthor125 Posts: 139 Member
    Full body workout as heavy as you can go 3X a week. It is proven to cause the most change overall. Cardio will burn fat but not build muscle. The more muscle, the higher your metabolism, hence the more fat burning every minute of everyday.
  • themtron
    themtron Posts: 57 Member
    I do T25, 5 days a week, 25 mins a day. I've lost about 6lbs, but have gained a lot of muscle and my body is very toned.

    Prior to T25 I did a lot of Zumba and that was not only fun, but helped me lose 5lbs.
  • This content has been removed.
  • annekka
    annekka Posts: 517 Member
    My gym offers Les Mills courses, so lots of Les Mills. That and some weight machines and cardio (treadmill, bike, elliptical) mixed in. I don't do free weights, and I probably won't...they scare me, and I'm an expat so there's a HUGE language gap.
  • mrsamanda86
    mrsamanda86 Posts: 869 Member
    I have a Day 1/Day 2 exercise plan I stick to that has cardio and strength training combined. I aim for 3-5 days a week, it takes about an hour total. Eat at a deficit and have lost varying weights between 4-6 pounds a month and 2% bf loss each month so far.
  • mumblemagic
    mumblemagic Posts: 1,090 Member
    I try to go running 3-4 times per week, though if I'm not well I don't always feel up to it. I also walk to and from the bus stop every work day (briskly so I'm out of breath), and have started doing some pilates again (I used to do it a lot). I'm a bit skint at the moment so can't afford a gym membership. Running is the cost of some trainers, a hi viz vest, a sports bra and a running pouch for my phone. I bought expensive running shoes as a birthday present to myself, but the rest cost me £30 in total from amazon and sports direct. These are one-off payments I won't need to repeat for several years. Pilates is the cost of a DVD and if you want, a pilates mat, although if you have a carpeted room and some blankets you don't really need one. I think I spent about £20 in total on my pilates stuff, and it's lasted over 4 years. I went for the Darcy Bustle Pilates for Life, but there are loads out there.
  • Chevy_Quest
    Chevy_Quest Posts: 2,012 Member
    Losing about 1-2 lbs per month. It has started coming together after I bought a heart rate monitor and started consistently pushing my HR for extended times about 130 BPM (I am 50 year old male).

    Exercises:

    1. Walk/run intervals
    2. Running
    3. Stairmaster - Best bang for buck
    4. Elliptical - not as much - you have to really work hard to truly burn calories - MFP's estimates are always high
    5. Kettlebell


    Next month

    Lift Heavy Weights - It is time to start
    more Calesthenics
  • alechua
    alechua Posts: 224 Member
    2nd week of Turbofire! Love the burn :)
  • SimplyDenyse
    SimplyDenyse Posts: 124 Member
    mon - Night Club Cardio (hip Hop Dance Class - 45mins)
    tues C.S.I. - Cardio Strenth Interval clas 45 mins
    weds - Les Mills Body attack - 1hr
    Thurs - C.S.I. - Cardio Strenth Interval clas 45 mins
    Fri - rest day or zumba
    Sat - Spin or rest day
    Sun - rest day or walk with kids

    I mostly do classes offered at my gym. My rest days vary on how im feeling.. This week I was pretty worn out by weds so that was my rest day. I try not to skip CSI or the NCC class since they are my favorites. When I first started I did purely zumba or walking. Once I added in the CSI classes (weights/pushup/burpees) I started gaining more muscle and actually seeing more definition in my legs and arms.

    So far its been working for me.
  • star5785
    star5785 Posts: 140
    Circuit training always gives me the best looking body/results and it doesn't take much time. I workout M,W,F running on the treadmill (just because I love it) for 30min and follow up with a 15min high intensity circuit training routine. The rest is diet, but I'm still working on that :wink:
  • spg71
    spg71 Posts: 179 Member
    Swimming

    Currently following a 6 week program to swim 1mile freestyle (1500m). Oh i started swimming after losing 1.5 stone just tracking in MFP and keeping at 1200 cals, which was fine as i was not and unable to count 100% accuracy but a very good ball park figure. I imagine it was actually around 1300-1400 or so.
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    Weight loss is 90% your diet and exercise is for fitness. You don't need to exercise at all to lose weight but you will feel and look better with some muscle. Do the exercise that you like to do for the fitness aspect of it rather than trying to exercise away fat.
  • iechick
    iechick Posts: 352 Member
    I didn't do any exercise while actively losing weight. Started walking after I transitioned into maintenance and I now walk/run 5-6 days a week, usually for two miles at a time. Results-my calves are very firm now and when I flex I can now see my thigh muscles, which is really cool because I'm pear shape and my thighs have always been my problem area.
  • featherbrained
    featherbrained Posts: 155 Member
    Organized workouts go against my religion ;) I do what's fun. I live on a mountain ridge, so I'm unfamiliar with the term "flat." Walking to my mailbox (1/8 mi) get's my heartrate into the anaerobic zone.

    I bike 4 miles average of 3 times a week (daily when the weather's nice) takes about 35 minutes. I walk 5k (3 mi) average of 3 times a week, takes between 1 hour and 75 min, depending on the day and what kind of head wind you're fighting. I horseback ride average of 3 times per week, anywhere from 60 min to 2.5 hours, with a combination of walking/trotting/cantering.

    For heavy lifting, farm work. I clean the chicken coop, clean the barn, throw 75lb hay bales, use a zero turn walk behind to mow 3 acres of mountain pasture, use a push mower to mow the yard, etc.

    I'm losing inches like crazy right now, about 3 in less than a month. And I have fun :) I've dropped a point in BF in the last two weeks. I've lost 23 lbs in four weeks (hopefully more, as tomorrow is weigh in.)
  • Cardio 1hr 2x a week and strength training for 30min 3x a week with a 30 min cardio chaser. I work with a personal trainer so my strength training workouts are different each time, but there is always a Upper Body, Lower Body and a Back/Core day.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    My routine is a bit of a "Heinz varieties" - I like to mix things up to keep it fresh and challenging.

    Typical week is about 5,400 calories burned:
    Daily cycle or walk to/from the train station.

    Weights is normally 3 one hour sessions a week.
    Mixture of barbell, dumbbell, weights machines, body weight exercises. I always do it in a quick tempo circuit training style though - mostly because I enjoy it more that way but also because it has always fitted my goals and sports better. Can't do most of the big compound lifts due to knee and back injuries so the high volume of circuit training compensates for this. Strength wise I'm probably back to 80% of my peak strength 20/30 years ago.

    Cardio is typically 3 sessions, 2 one hour and 1 longer session per week.
    Mix of Spinning bike (mix of LISS, high intensity or heartrate zone training), rowing machine (at least once a week, varies from 2k sprints to 10k endurance), elliptical, treadmill once a week normally 3k run as fast as I can. Longer session is mostly outdoor cycling, recently either 2 hours fast as possible or longer session cycling in beautiful Surrey countryside and tackling hills (good for the soul as well as heart/lungs/legs). Set a PB for cycling 100 miles in a day this year. Probably near my lifetime peak for cardio fitness.

    Abs and core work is mostly done as part of weights circuits but sometimes as an accessory and I do a high volume as I've found the more I do the better my damaged lower back is. Mix of gym ball (some with weights), floor work, hanging leg raises, single dumbbell side bends. Strong abs/core has been the single biggest factor in transforming me from someone who would pull their back washing the car or getting out of bed to someone very active and fit. Almost never take any meds now whereas I used to be taking tablets most days.

    Stretching - once in a blue moon, find it desperately boring....