More exercise isn't necessarily better

Options
24

Replies

  • bobf279
    bobf279 Posts: 342 Member
    Options
    I work out most days for no more than 1 hour 20 mins which includes my warm up, cool down and stretching except on my weekly long run day when I sometimes do more. That's more than enough for me and I have maintained my effort for most of 2013.
  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
    Options
    I see overweight people at the gym everyday. They're there for 2 hours sometimes, walking, sitting on the lazy man bike that reclines, on the elliptical crawling along.

    They see me hop on the treadmill and bust out 2 or 3 miles as fast as I can.
    Get about 20 minutes of lifting in and I'm done.

    While I'm getting ready to leave I see them rolling their eyes at me all the time, as if I don't know what I'm doing.

    If you're not pushing your body to the limit it's not going to get much results... at least that's how my body works.

    As long as they are moving, they're burning calories. Not everybody is physically capable of an all-out sprint for 2-3 miles, at least not when they first start.
  • Meggles63
    Meggles63 Posts: 916 Member
    Options
    I aim for two hours.




    A week, that is.

    About two hours total over the week. I'd like to get it a bit higher (my gym sessions tend to be 45-60 minutes, and I want to get there 3-4 times a week instead of 2-3). But 2 hours a day, every day, can burn one out.

    Although I do agree about the training part being an exception. When I was getting ready for a 10k (years ago, lol) I'd run for about an hour a day. But that was my whole workout on those days.

    :heart:
  • Annie_01
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
    Options
    What about those that can't workout with high intensity...for whatever reason? It takes those people twice as long to even coming close to receiving the same benefit.

    I am one of those people. Due to joint issues and another health factor I can't do high impact aerobics and even some of the low impact moves. I can't do heavy weights and have to be careful with doing ab workouts.

    So I plod along with what I can do...sometimes that takes a lot of my time...so far...it has paid off.

    I wish I could do it all in 30 minutes...
  • Meggles63
    Meggles63 Posts: 916 Member
    Options
    What about those that can't workout with high intensity...for whatever reason? It takes those people twice as long to even coming close to receiving the same benefit.

    I am one of those people. Due to joint issues and another health factor I can't do high impact aerobics and even some of the low impact moves. I can't do heavy weights and have to be careful with doing ab workouts.

    So I plod along with what I can do...sometimes that takes a lot of my time...so far...it has paid off.

    I wish I could do it all in 30 minutes...
    I don't think the post was directed at you, at all, so please don't feel offended.
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
    Options
    I work out practically every day of the week. One body part a day mixed in with some cardio of some sort. Sounds like a lot, but my sessions are about 35 minutes long and that's it.

    I've gotten a lot of PM's from people working out 2-3 hours consecutive on a daily basis. Now if one is training with enough intensity, and isn't working out to compete for an athletic event, most of the time this will be overkill if weight loss is the goal.
    Remember that calorie in/out is more important than trying to out exercising the calories you've consumed.

    Also the goal should be to adhere to an exercising program that one can do for life and not just for the short term (again not discounting competitions or athletic events).

    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
    your post is actually a bit simplistic and making a lot of assumptions. For starters not all exercises are the same 15 minutes of weights is different to 15 minutes of running which is different to 15 minutes of cycling. All burn calories at different rates and at different intensities and work muscles in a student way. Also there is the point that not everyone can work out at high intensities. Some can only do something like walking so it will take longer to have any results. Also to add not everyone exercises for weight loss or competition. I run because well I like to run. Other people do other activities because they just like it. Making these bold statements always backfires and makes the poster look a little silly I'm afraid because they/you forget one basic fact. We're not all the same
  • Annie_01
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
    Options
    What about those that can't workout with high intensity...for whatever reason? It takes those people twice as long to even coming close to receiving the same benefit.

    I am one of those people. Due to joint issues and another health factor I can't do high impact aerobics and even some of the low impact moves. I can't do heavy weights and have to be careful with doing ab workouts.

    So I plod along with what I can do...sometimes that takes a lot of my time...so far...it has paid off.

    I wish I could do it all in 30 minutes...
    I don't think the post was directed at you, at all, so please don't feel offended.

    I am not really offended...I more just wanted to point out that not all of us can be high intensity people. I am sure that what that poster accomplishes in 30 minutes I don't even come close to in 2 hours.

    When I started my workouts about 5 months ago I had to learn to do what my body allows and not worry that I couldn't do what others do. It has taken a while to see results but I have made a lot of progress. As I have improved I keep adding to my workouts even if that takes me longer than what I would like. I still have a long way to go to being "fit".
  • broox80
    broox80 Posts: 1,195 Member
    Options
    Thank you so much for this! !! I often wonder if 30 minutes is enough or am I just wasting my time? 30-40 min most days is about all I can find time for. I can tell thoughl if I dont exercise at all because I start to feel like crap.
  • cafeaulait7
    cafeaulait7 Posts: 2,459 Member
    Options
    I've never trained for a marathon or similar in my life, but if I go hiking it'll be for a few hours lots of times :) I really wish I could hike several times a week, because it's just so fun. If you enjoy what you are doing and your body cooperates, I think it's fine. If you are just trying to eat more, get real, lol.

    But the TDEE does matter and sustainability got me, yeah! I started to love the gym so much that when the time was no longer there, that's a huge part of why I gained my weight back. I was still eating like I went to the gym for hours. No good :D
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    Options
    What about those that can't workout with high intensity...for whatever reason? It takes those people twice as long to even coming close to receiving the same benefit.

    I am one of those people. Due to joint issues and another health factor I can't do high impact aerobics and even some of the low impact moves. I can't do heavy weights and have to be careful with doing ab workouts.

    So I plod along with what I can do...sometimes that takes a lot of my time...so far...it has paid off.

    I wish I could do it all in 30 minutes...

    actually, he specifically addressed your concerns in his OP.
    Now if one is training with enough intensity, and isn't working out to compete for an athletic event, most of the time this will be overkill if weight loss is the goal.

    now, i don't know if you wanted him to call you by name or address your specific malady or exercise protocols, but right therein his 2nd paragraph he addresses the intensity issue. so if your intensity is on the low side it doesn't apply to you.
  • Ang108
    Ang108 Posts: 1,711 Member
    Options
    I can't imagine exercising for two solid hours. 30-45 minutes is my happy zone, maybe an hour if I spend a long time stretching afterward. I get bored. I get tired. I get hot. I get sweaty. I get just *done*. I admire people who have the attention span to go that long, but I honestly don't have that much focus, nor do I want to. Not my goal. Get in, get out, get finished.

    Not only that, but for me exercise is a means to an end. I often wonder what kind of life those people have, because after a full time job, commuting, eating , 2-3 hours in the gym, attending certain chores in the home and sleep...there is really not much left for what I would call a " life ".
  • jess_1993
    jess_1993 Posts: 151 Member
    Options
    I know that over exercising is clearly unhealthy but how exactly does it hinder weight loss if more exercising is supposed to burn more calories? (I don't over exercise I'm just curious to know)
  • Annie_01
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
    Options
    What about those that can't workout with high intensity...for whatever reason? It takes those people twice as long to even coming close to receiving the same benefit.

    I am one of those people. Due to joint issues and another health factor I can't do high impact aerobics and even some of the low impact moves. I can't do heavy weights and have to be careful with doing ab workouts.

    So I plod along with what I can do...sometimes that takes a lot of my time...so far...it has paid off.

    I wish I could do it all in 30 minutes...

    actually, he specifically addressed your concerns in his OP.
    Now if one is training with enough intensity, and isn't working out to compete for an athletic event, most of the time this will be overkill if weight loss is the goal.

    now, i don't know if you wanted him to call you by name or address your specific malady or exercise protocols, but right therein his 2nd paragraph he addresses the intensity issue. so if your intensity is on the low side it doesn't apply to you.

    It's all good Dav. Maybe because we have different perspectives due to different experiences in life we just interpret that statement differently is all.

    Either way it is just an opinion...so all is good.
  • sydneybeachgirl
    sydneybeachgirl Posts: 209
    Options
    I usually work out for 45mins - max 60mins.Once I bumped into a friend on my way to gym and on the way back - about 45mins apart. He commented "that was a fast workout!" to which I responded "Yep, efficient" :)

    I might clock up 120 or 150mins of exercise a day - 1 session of 45-50min workout then a bit of cycling and a bit of jogging or just walking to my train station (about a 1 mile) and back but I wouldnt be able to spend 75mins just walking about in the gym. Some days I do a double class (e.g 1 Pilates +1 spinning)

    But I advocate any form of exercise and I think if someone wants to spend 2hrs in the gym on the "lazy bike" whilst watching a movie on the screen - good on them! They are at least doing some exercise whilst watching telly! Any exercise is good exercise isnt it?
  • bwogilvie
    bwogilvie Posts: 2,130 Member
    Options
    I agree - if you're doing it for more than 30-45 minutes a day, you're doing it for other reasons.

    In my case, I like long-distance cycling. I put in the 2-3 hour workouts on the weekends so I can enjoy the 6-12 hour events a few times a year. When you're cycling that far, it's not for fitness, and certainly not for weight loss (in fact, the problem becomes eating enough during the event so as not to bonk). In my case, I'm doing it because the events are challenging and fun.

    In the winter, though, I cut back dramatically. Most of the fun in cycling comes from being outside and exploring at a pace that's faster than walking or running, to cover more distance, but slower than a car, to see things more clearly. I go nuts if I spend more than 45 minutes on my bike in the basement, though.
  • Springfield1970
    Springfield1970 Posts: 1,945 Member
    Options
    I think everyone has a sweet spot, and that can change with the goal posts moving too. I agree that some taxing exercise routines are a terrible way to lose weight if you are trying to counteract overeating. Particularly if it throws you into a big deficit when your body is trying to repair itself (been there done that). When I'm at my peak tri training weeks (9hours pw intense cardio) I am floating on air and off my face on serotonin and all the other yummy chemicals, but also too exhausted to move after 9pm.

    Just strength training and a couple of 5k runs a week this month has felt so balanced and healthy too. I like to mix it up!

    For weight loss I think lots of walking and low impact exercise and strength training (or whatever activities make you happy)to keep the fidget burn high and the body busy for hours and the mind off the food with a low deficit is the best way!!! I have done all of the wrong ways and have experienced the injuries, the loss of muscle, mood swings, low sex drive, and other horrid side effects.

    Good post.
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    Options
    But if I don't do 2 hours on the elliptical each day while eating 1200 calories how will everyone know that I'm serious this time?

    *snort*

    :laugh:

    :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
  • AprilJG79
    AprilJG79 Posts: 56 Member
    Options
    Just the thought of McD's makes me sick. OOps forgot to Quote :P
  • AprilJG79
    AprilJG79 Posts: 56 Member
    Options
    Most of the people i know that exercise for hours are trying to burn 1000 or more calories so they can eat Mc Donalds.
    Just the thought of McD's makes me sick
  • AprilJG79
    AprilJG79 Posts: 56 Member
    Options
    What about those that can't workout with high intensity...for whatever reason? It takes those people twice as long to even coming close to receiving the same benefit.

    I am one of those people. Due to joint issues and another health factor I can't do high impact aerobics and even some of the low impact moves. I can't do heavy weights and have to be careful with doing ab workouts.

    So I plod along with what I can do...sometimes that takes a lot of my time...so far...it has paid off.

    I wish I could do it all in 30 minutes...
    It took me about six months to work up to HIIT training. I started at 254lbs with herniated disk in my lower back and both knees sound like a goat chewing on a tin can. It takes time but the more you can strengthen yourself the easier it gets on your joints. You'll get there, it just takes time. GL

Categories