INCREASING EXERCISE

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feliciapeters
feliciapeters Posts: 525
in Fitness and Exercise
When I started working out 3 months ago, I could barely do 10 minutes on the bike and a few weight machines and I needed a nap & a hot bath.

Now I can do 40 on the treadmill, 20 on the elliptical and about 30-40 minutes in weights, great right?

Except now I feel fine when I'm done, I could easily do more. I DO up my weight, reps, speed, incline, etc as soon as I feel its too easy. Shouldnt I FEEL like I worked out when I'm done? Sore muscles, tired???

I dont up my weights more than 5lbs at a time, dont want to hurt myself. But once I've gotten home, showered, started dinner etc, I keep thinking "I could have exercised more"

I DO mix it up, upper & lower body on alternate days, Mix up cardio, sometimes before weights, sometimes after, sometimes both, alternate bike, treadmill & elliptical, or some combo of them, all 3 on "cardio only" day.

I feel it WHILE I'm working out, but by the time I get changed to go home I feel fine. I dont want to keep adding time to my workout, if I keep doing that in a few months I'll be at the gym for like 3 hours a day


Anyone have this issue? Suggestions?

Replies

  • ChitownFoodie
    ChitownFoodie Posts: 1,562 Member
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    I mix up an hour of walking, P90x and Insanity, run up and down flights of stairs....every day! I typically do at least 2 of the listed exercises a day. When I complete my workouts, about 15 min later I feel like I never worked out. I only felt sore for the first week of working out, but now its just like part of the day with no more pain.
  • Crystal_Rudolph
    Crystal_Rudolph Posts: 632 Member
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    I feel the same way!!! I have so much energy now!!! I am especially sad when my Zumba class ends...:sad:

    I have started switching up my routine and doing more throughout the day. For example...I go to the gym in the morning then come home and have breakfest. Do some work around the house then go for a long walk or bike ride. I then have lunch and go back to the gym for straight cardio. Then either walk a mile or bike a mile to meet my kids after school. Then help them with homework, then play with them, then make dinner. After dinner more household chores--bathing kids, laudry, etc. Then I work out on my stair stepper and do some weights for my arms. Plus, when we go to stores, I make my husband park as far away from the door as possible!!! After all that, I still feel like I could have done more!!! ARGH!!!:grumble:
  • Spayrroe
    Spayrroe Posts: 210 Member
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    Your body is kind of like your brain in some ways. As you get in better shape, it takes more to challenge it. I would suggest trying to add difficulty to your cardio (adding incline/resistance), though do it a little bit at a time until you find a setting that is the right amount of challenge without kicking your butt.

    As far as weights, I run into the same problem there. I add five pounds once I get to the end of my sets on a given piece of equipment. Sometimes that's enough to make it a challenge again, sometimes it's not. So if ti doesn't seem enough of a challenge after the first few reps, I add more weight. Most of the time I end up setting it too high and beating myself up with it (though, I do have a better idea of what to adjust it to the next time then). Weights are really hit or miss with me.

    Anyway, the long and short is, try to find some ways to add challenge to the point where at the end of your work out time you feel like you've really worked without feeling completely drained.
  • jdg1mfp
    jdg1mfp Posts: 103
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    When weight training you should select weights that you struggle with the last two reps.
    For example, I usually do three sets of ten, with no more than two minutes pause between sets.
    Each set I am grunting to do rep 9 and 10.

    If you are upping the weights by five pounds and not feeling it. Chances are you started at a weight that was too lite in the beginning. Don't be afraid to push yourself. You are right in wanting to avoid injury, just make sure you are doing the exercises correctly and with proper form.

    Trust your body, it will let you know when its too much.
  • Crystal_Rudolph
    Crystal_Rudolph Posts: 632 Member
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    I forgot to mention that when I do household chores..I do them werid. Like instead of walking up and down the stairs with my laundry, I do high steps or go as fast as possible. Or when I am sweeping/mopping, I dance around to get my heart rate up at least a little. Or when I do dishes, i constantly move my feet from side to side.

    The only time I struggle is when I am watching TV at night. I feel so guilty for just sitting there...I feel like I should be doing something....but not sure what???:tongue:
  • missyjoy_15
    missyjoy_15 Posts: 6 Member
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    I am right there with you! My friends and i workout together and some of them are sore the next day ... but i dont feel a thing ... i was thinking i wasn't doing enough but sometimes i just don't have time to do more than 30 mins a day
  • markp99
    markp99 Posts: 5
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    I'd recommend you increase reps. I have fallen into the trap of increasing weight too quickly (to keep myself motivated, avoiding boredom), then wind-up hurting myself with overuse, stress injuries.

    This time around, I am staying more consistent on weight settings, but increasing reps, doubling-up reps (2 x 12 reps, with short pause in between, etc.). My primary goal this time is not muscle building, it's more cardio and fat burning.

    I miss some of the familiar (good variety) muscle aches and fatigue, but my cardio is improving. My endurance is improving noticeably.


    That's my plan for this week :)

    Good luck!
  • jdg1mfp
    jdg1mfp Posts: 103
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    I am right there with you! My friends and i workout together and some of them are sore the next day ... but i dont feel a thing ... i was thinking i wasn't doing enough but sometimes i just don't have time to do more than 30 mins a day

    Rarely do I exercise more than an hour in any given session. It usually 30 - 45 minutes. Its the intensity that counts.
  • Dawntodusk
    Dawntodusk Posts: 262 Member
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    I used to be like that until I started extreme heavy lifting (for me). I aim for one set and I exhaust my muscle by the 10th rep. In some instances, I literally had to double the amount I was lifting to get to that point - the point of absolutely not being able to move the weight one more time. Now that I lift this way, I cannot do cardio afterwards (too tired), and I am beat! I am noticing the results though - am much firmer than before.
  • KeyMasterOfGozer
    KeyMasterOfGozer Posts: 229 Member
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    I use a Heart Rate Monitor. I can look at the numbers and tell for sure that the exercise is not challenging my body as much as it used to, so I will increase the exercise difficulty slightly (Incline/Speed/weight/reps) until my heart rate is increase to a good level again. Sometimes at first you can only increase for bursts. Be sure to increase only very slowly, so as to prevent injuries.

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