How much cardio do you do a day?

Ben2055
Ben2055 Posts: 96 Member
edited November 8 in Health and Weight Loss
Simple question really, I have been doing 90minutes worth of cardio a day as I am on a break from one job to another, however soon my schedule will have to change alot. I dunno if ill cope with 9hours of worth and 45minutes cardio before and after 5 times a week. So...?

How much cardio do you do a day, and is it enough for you?
«13

Replies

  • jquijas
    jquijas Posts: 222 Member
    Honestly I do 30 mins of cardio twice a week total. I lift 6 days a week though. You are going to have people give you a hard time about doing so much cardio and you should lift and blah blah blah. The bottom line though is if you love to run, then run. It isn't my cup of tea hate it with a passion actually but I see the benefits. If you are talking about cardio in terms of losing weight then it isn't necessary to do cardio at all, it simply comes down to calories in vs. calories out. That's the long answer
    Short answer I do 30 mins of HIIT twice a week and it is enough for me :smile:
  • Willbenchforcupcakes
    Willbenchforcupcakes Posts: 4,955 Member
    None. In fact, as much as I love running, I'm probably going to cry when I recieve a programming cycle that has cardio planned. Currently I spend about ten hours a week training for powerlifting.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    edited November 2014
    I run 3 miles or so on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and I ride 15 miles or so on Tuesday and Thursday and 25 - 30 miles on Saturday. This is my basic maintain my fitness kind of routine...I change things up when I'm training for something.

    I also hit the weight room 3x weekly.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    edited November 2014
    3 x a week I do 90 minutes of mostly cardio with some strength. I go to the pool and swim laps for 40 minutes with the kickboard only, then head to the warm pool for a 50 minute water aerobics class which does include some strengthening and stretching so 30-35 minutes of that would be considered cardio. On 3 of my off days, I walk or work out on the crosstrainer for about 30 minutes. The one day that is left, I don't do any specific exercising but might get some cardio in as I run errands or do chores.

    58841349.png
  • oORosadaOo
    oORosadaOo Posts: 97 Member
    I wish I could do more but my work schedule changes every week and sometimes gives me no time to do cardio at all except on the weekends. Ideally I do cardio 30 minutes every weekday and 45-60 on Saturday and Sunday.

    Plus strength (but not heavy lifting) 2-3 days during the week.
  • Ben2055
    Ben2055 Posts: 96 Member
    Ah cheers everyone. I just was quite anxious from potentially dropping 90 minute cardio a day down to 45. Wasnt sure if my body would carry on losing. Looks like alot of people do that sort of quantity too though.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Ben2055 wrote: »
    Ah cheers everyone. I just was quite anxious from potentially dropping 90 minute cardio a day down to 45. Wasnt sure if my body would carry on losing. Looks like alot of people do that sort of quantity too though.

    Keep in mind that your weight control is largely about consumption, not how many minutes of cardio you do. Diet for weight control; exercise for fitness.

    Moving less means that your body requires less energy...thus you have to consume less energy (calories)...moving more means that your body requires more energy...thus you have to consume more energy (calories).

    You want your consumption to be in line with your stats and activity level for your weight control goals.

  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    Ben2055 wrote: »
    Ah cheers everyone. I just was quite anxious from potentially dropping 90 minute cardio a day down to 45. Wasnt sure if my body would carry on losing. Looks like alot of people do that sort of quantity too though.

    Just remember to drop your calories down a little if you drop your cardio so you keep the same deficit. I had a period of a couple of weeks where I did no cardio (I needed to let my foot heal) but I reduced my calories a little and kept the same weight loss pace.

    58841349.png
  • TossaBeanBag
    TossaBeanBag Posts: 458 Member
    I try to get in 40 minutes a day in addition to lifting 2 on/1 off. I have a sedentary job, so it is important for me to be active everyday. Yes, it is working. Muscle is staying on, and fat is coming off; I am happier; I have more energy; and I recover well enough to not burn out or overtrain.
  • redfisher1974
    redfisher1974 Posts: 614 Member
    30 mins a day cardio and 30 minutes lifting heavy Mon to Fri, two days off.
  • hortensehildegarde
    hortensehildegarde Posts: 592 Member
    none and yes
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,988 Member
    65 minutes of cardio daily, followed by 15 minutes of lifting. My strength splits are limited to only one muscle group per workout because i like to lift daily.
  • 20yearsyounger
    20yearsyounger Posts: 1,630 Member
    My long term goal is 300 minutes a week at moderate intensity to match these guidelines for extensive health benefits - http://www.health.gov/paguidelines/guidelines/summary.aspx
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    45-90 minutes twice a week (more if I get an extra day off work), 15 minutes three times a week on my lifting days, then I try to fit a HIIT session in as well.
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
    About 4-5 minutes 3x a week. It's my lifting warmup. Yes, it's enough. I don't like cardio. I'm thinking of implementing some walks though as my only "cardio" even though i don't reach the required heart rate for it.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    335 to 60 minutes, depending on if I weight lifted that day or not- less on lifting days, more otherwise.
  • RipperSB
    RipperSB Posts: 315 Member
    edited November 2014
    30 mins (plus 5 min cool down) Mon-Fri. First thing in the morning, before work. Avg calorie burn ~300, works great for me.
  • erasure999
    erasure999 Posts: 30 Member
    I jog 3 times a week for about 35-40 minutes on a treadmill.
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    None
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
    MB_Positif wrote: »
    None
    Profile creep, you look great in your pics!

  • cushygal
    cushygal Posts: 586 Member
    7 days a week I run 5 miles. I have not started any weight training yet. As soon as I introduce weight training, I plan to reduce my running to 3 days a week and weight train 3 days a week.
  • KylaDenay
    KylaDenay Posts: 1,585 Member
    I haven't worked out this week from being sick and lazy, but when I do its about 30-45 min 5 days a week of cardio. I won't go any longer than that unless its Zumba or dancing. I just got into jogging/running and I love it. I just want to do it every day for some reason. I usually do weights 3 times a week, but slacking big time on that and haven't done it for a couple months.
  • vanseters1956
    vanseters1956 Posts: 96
    I'm a crossing guard so after the children are in school, I'm required to stay on post for approx 40 min. I usually take this time to walk briskly at my station. 2x's daily. I cover about 5 - 6 miles daily.
  • DawnieB1977
    DawnieB1977 Posts: 4,248 Member
    I do a mix of cardio and strength training. I fit my workouts around my husband's shifts so they're not the same every week. I'm on maternity leave so don't have work to worry about yet.

    This past week I've done...
    Mon - personal training session, 1 hour
    Tues - spinning, 45 mins
    Wed - off
    Thurs - spin fusion (spinning and boxing) 45 mins
    Fri - gym session with a friend, mix of weights and cardio, an hour
    Sat - aerobics, which involved a bit using the bands today
    Sun - fitball (mix of exercises using gym balls, weights, squats, abs etc), 1 hour, followed by spin 45 mins

    I also walk every day to either take my son to school, or collect him, and to take my daughter to nursery, so usually a couple of miles a day, and more at the weekends.
  • chunkytfg
    chunkytfg Posts: 339 Member
    Depending on time of year anywhere from 10 to 20 hours a week, mix of cycling, swimming, running.
  • into_fitness
    into_fitness Posts: 91 Member
    You can make it work! I use to only be able to work out in the am- found it to be near impossible to work out later in the day. But, that all changed when I got a job. I typically work 730-330 or 8-4 and go to the gym right after. It's just a new lifestyle you have to adapt to and make work- you can always fit a workout in! I just go after and do 30 min on treadmill and 30 on the bike and then my ab/leg/arm routine- go home eat dinner and make my food for the next day.

    It might not seem fun and you might be tired, but you have to remember why you're doing it and how amazing you'll feel in the long run!
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    Are you doing steady state or intervals? If you are worried about cutting back your time, try a HIIT program.
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
    Does running to the refrigerator count?
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
    For me, somewhere between five and ten hours a week.
  • michellemybelll
    michellemybelll Posts: 2,228 Member
    I'm a runner, so I put in at least 9 miles a day.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories