What's a healthy amount of exercise?

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suejoker
suejoker Posts: 317 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I know that this is going to get a lot of varied answers. I'm not really looking for a definitive one, just need a reality check. Think of it as a poll. What's a healthy amount of exercise to you? I'm an intense woman and am just learning the practice of moderation. I'm recovering from a period of eating too little and exercising too much and would like to have some perspective on what is healthy to most people. Thanks!

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  • kathleenjoyful
    kathleenjoyful Posts: 210 Member
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    I used to do too much. Cardio and lifting on the same days. Exercise 6 days a week. Now I lift heavy three times a week, and every day I make sure I get between 10,000-15,000 steps. I really cut back on cardio and saw the body recomposition and strength gains I wanted through lifting alone. The key to me is NEAT. The other key I think is making sure you get enough rest, especially if you're lifting and want to grow and repair muscle. Do the exercise you ENJOY at a level that doesn't leave you always exhausted. For me my "must dos" (because I love it and it is in line with my goals) are lifting and 10-15,000 steps every day, my "nice to do" is Pilates or yoga if I feel like it or have time, my "will jump at the chance to do" are hiking or swimming in the ocean. My philosophy around cardio is it has to be something enjoyable or fun and preferably outdoors. This changes as my interests change...I'd like to do some boxing for cardio but am waiting for my shoulder to be 100%. I like going dancing, too. Depends on my opportunities and time. I have a desk job but I'm very active, not sedentary, so am trying to place more value on rest and good sleep.
  • Carrieendar
    Carrieendar Posts: 493 Member
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    If you fuel yourself properly and get rest and your body is tolerating it well, you can have pretty long periods of heavy training. With distance running, I am working out about 1.5-2 hours per day at least, with some 3 hour sessions when its marathon training season. But, I do take "off" seasons where I cut mileage and cross training back for months at a time. I take a full rest day every week, eat enough carbs to fuel it all, and get more sleep as mileage and cross training increase.
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
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    Any amount you can fuel properly, recover from adequately and doesn't negatively affect other aspects of your life.

    Also, enough so that it moves you towards your goals, but not so much that it begins to counteract them.

    It all has to be looked at in the round and include the age, training experience, goals, nutrition, work, leisure, stress, sleep, etc...

    For me, currently, three sessions of 1.5-2 hours a week. (That's three lifting sessions followed by 30 mins of LISS).

    Other times, I've trained 5 days a week, 2 days a week, etc. Depending on various external factors and my current goals.
  • Ahrena
    Ahrena Posts: 44 Member
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    What I do probably seems too much for some people. But I do each bit of it for different reasons.

    I spend 2-3 hours a day riding horses - this is my job and my life, I have 2 of my own. Their care is another 1-2 hours of exercise on top of that (walking, mucking out ect)

    I run 4 or 5 times a week, currently 5-9km per run but this is increasing week by week. I do this because I love the sense of clarity running brings me. I do this because I'm training for a 12 mile tough mudder race.

    I do a 1 hour aerial silks class a week and practise at home for around 40 minutes at a time (until my arms give out basically) 2 or 3 times a week, life and weather allowing. I also do 1 hour pole dancing once a week and would like to get my own pole soon. I do these things because they're hobbies, I really enjoy them.

    I do a 1 hour flexibility class a week. This is to help my silks/pole dancing as I struggle with some moves due to lack of flexibility.
    I also do 2-4 Jillian Michaels videos a week (the ones that are 30 min or less) because I want to tone up mainly my stomach area.

    For some people this would be too much but I eat enough (currently testing 2500 calories a day but may increase that if I need to, have only recently started counting) and if I do have to miss or reschedule a workout, I don't panic or fret about it. I would say I probably am a bit of an exercise addict as I do get angsty and cranky when I sit around for too long, but I enjoy it and it doesn't rule my life. I also rest and take breaks if I get any pain anywhere.
  • SKME2013
    SKME2013 Posts: 704 Member
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    I do C25K every other day, but I walk my dogs briskly for the other days, somehwere between 5 and 9 km per walk. I do six days a week about 30 minutes of cardio, either elliptical or spinning and I do six days a week weight training for roughly 45 minutes each. Otherwise once or twice a week an hour roller blading. One day a week is a rest day, apart from the dog walk.
    Stef.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    too little... means I'm not meeting my goals- cannot function in the way my body needs because it lack sufficient strength and stamina.

    too much- means I'm not meeting my goals- cannot function in the way my body needs because it lacks sufficient rest to have strength and stamina.
  • suejoker
    suejoker Posts: 317 Member
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    Wow! Thanks for sharing and helping me get some perspective. I am happy to be getting back to some of my old favorite routines and will keep a close eye on my energy intake and sleep, so I don't crash and burn again. Best of luck to all of you in meeting your health & fitness goals!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    What's a healthy amount of exercise?

    It is subjective and relative to the individual. I ride around 75 miles per week (more when I'm actually training) and I lift weights 3x weekly and I throw in some swimming once a week as well.

    Two years ago that would have been an unhealthy amount of exercise for me because I was untrained and out of shape and that much activity would have left me injured and exhausted. So...in that RE, it's all relative.

    The bigger issue I see here on MFP often is a failure to understand the relationship between that activity and energy requirements. Too many people doing **** tons of exercise and then on top of that, severely restricting calories...it shows a complete lack of understanding of how to properly fuel one's body regardless of weight control goals.

    The other issue I tend to see is over-exercising for the mere purpose of burning calories and failure to set independent fitness goals that will take the individual through the entire wellness process, not just weight loss. This also tends to lead to an unbalanced fitness regimen of cardio, cardio, and more cardio and neglecting the muscular skeletal system.
  • ShibaEars
    ShibaEars Posts: 3,928 Member
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    I think it only gets to be too much if you are injuring yourself and not allowing your body to ever recover. Or if it is interfering with work and/or family life (like you're skipping work or important family functions because you HAVE to work out).

    Other than that, if you've got the time, the motivation and are eating enough to fuel yourself, then spend as much time exercising as you want.

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