Is this overkill?

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beautifulsparkles
beautifulsparkles Posts: 314 Member
edited January 2016 in Fitness and Exercise
Hoping to do 1-2 hours a day on the treadmill (walking), then 3 hours a week with a personal trainer doing strength training, flexibility etc.

I still have a lot of weight to lose. People seem to have a problem with cardio and worship weight lifting. Is it okay to do lots of both?
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  • yesimpson
    yesimpson Posts: 1,372 Member
    edited January 2016
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    A good balance of both is ideal. However 1-2 hours walking on a treadmill per day does sound like something which might get old fast. I'm assuming there's a good reason for not walking outside (bad weather, don't feel safe, etc.) but how about swimming, trying a class, Youtube videos etc?
    Also if you're new to exercise it might be better to build up slowly, rather than jump in with 10-17 hours per week right away. You don't want to burn yourself out/get injured 3 weeks in :)
    Make sure you eat properly to full all that activity.
  • beautifulsparkles
    beautifulsparkles Posts: 314 Member
    edited January 2016
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    @yesimpson I did about half that much exercise in 2015. I did 10,000 steps a day for about 5 months, and I saw a personal trainer for 1 1/2 hours a week. I found a trainer in my new city that is half the cost, so I am seeing twice as much of her.

    The reason for spending so much time on the treadmill? I want to get my exercise over and done with, plus I like watching tv and movies, so I thought I could double up on activities. My goal at one point was to watch a movie a day, but I don't like walking on the spot, with carpet under my feet. My dad lives on the other side of the world, so I can also skype him while I walk. It also seems to rain a lot here, and if I don't do something during the day, I still have a chance to work-out at night. I have Bipolar, so I go through periods of massive oversleeping. I haven't had much energy lately, so I'm scared I will fall into that pattern again. I am kind of worried about the treadmill thing though, people have been saying it doesn't burn as many calories as straight walking? Walking already burns minimum calories so its not a good thought.
  • yesimpson
    yesimpson Posts: 1,372 Member
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    beautifulsparkles wrote: »
    @yesimpson I did about half that much exercise in 2015. I did 10,000 steps a day for about 5 months, and I saw a personal trainer for 1 1/2 hours a week. I found a trainer in my new city that is half the cost, so I am seeing twice as much of her.

    The reason for spending so much time on the treadmill? I want to get my exercise over and done with, plus I like watching tv and movies, so I thought I could double up on activities. My goal at one point was to watch a movie a day, but I don't like walking on the spot, with carpet under my feet. My dad lives on the other side of the world, so I can also skype him while I walk. It also seems to rain a lot here, and if I don't do something during the day, I still have a change to work-out at night. I have Bipolar, so I go through periods of massive oversleeping. I haven't had much energy lately, so I'm scared I will fall into that pattern again. I am kind of worried about the treadmill thing though, people have been saying it doesn't burn as many calories as straight walking? Walking already burns minimum calories so its not a good thought.

    You might be absolutely fine with that level of exercise, you'll only know if you try, and you can always scale it back if you want to or if it becomes too much. Just IMO seems a lot of pressure to put on yourself if you are going through a period of low energy. I have heard that you burn less calories on a treadmill because the surface is working with you (as opposed to a stationary pavement) but I wouldn't stress over that. Any movement or activity is better than none - it doesn't need to be the most intense, most efficient calorie-burner-per-minute to be good for you and to help improve your fitness. If you like to walk whilst you're warm and comfortable and have a movie to watch, that sounds bmiles etter than forcing yourself to do something you don't enjoy, which will likely not last.
  • destinyhope12345
    destinyhope12345 Posts: 67 Member
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    I am trying to walk on the treadmill for an hour a day to begin with and as I lose some weight maybe do longer. im like you and watch tv at the same time I also have anxiety so going out is hard but by going to the gym each day I feel I ave achieved something
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    If you've got that much time to spend walking then seems find to me.
  • beautifulsparkles
    beautifulsparkles Posts: 314 Member
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    TavistockToad wrote: »
    If you've got that much time to spend walking then seems find to me.

    Definately have enough time, will just get out of bed earlier! Many people watch tv for more than 2 hours a day anyway, instead of having some sort of hobby. Its sad. But I need to exercise anyway.
  • kcwwoa
    kcwwoa Posts: 19 Member
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    I would check with the trainer.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    beautifulsparkles wrote: »
    Hoping to do 1-2 hours a day on the treadmill (walking)...

    What are you expecting to gain from that?

    Nothing wrong with it, but if you've got 2 hours per day to spare then I'd aim for some sessions being a bit higher intensity.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    yesimpson wrote: »
    I have heard that you burn less calories on a treadmill because the surface is working with you (as opposed to a stationary pavement) but I wouldn't stress over that.

    The difference is negligible.

  • S_Marc
    S_Marc Posts: 10 Member
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    Go for it. Nothing wrong with a treadmill; and if you combine it with TV it won't seem like such a chore to start with. Before long you'll be outside running in the fresh air! :-)
  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,089 Member
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    Whoa ! That's a lot ! But there are some people who can handle that much. Just make sure your eating enough to support all that activity and don't get discouraged if you can't do that much ( it really is a lot ! But like I said, some people can do it )
    When you workout that much, you'll be running a larger deficit so just make sure you fuel yourself properly .
  • rankinsect
    rankinsect Posts: 2,238 Member
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    I guess the question is, can you sustain this as a lifestyle change, or not? I couldn't. I do no more than 3 hours per week of planned workouts (I don't count walking or hiking as that's for pleasure). That is a level I believe I can sustain regardless of motivation.

    In the beginning, enthusiasm is high and you can do a lot, but will you still be able to do that next year, the following year, the following ten years, etc., long after that initial enthusiasm fades?

    A lot of people make drastic changes when losing weight and then regain weight after because they can't keep up with the changes they made so they fall back into old habits. Only you really know what your own limits are, here.
  • josephka
    josephka Posts: 45 Member
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    If you want to mix things up, try the stationary bike or the elliptical. Nothing wrong with the treadmill, but for me, I like variety
  • beautifulsparkles
    beautifulsparkles Posts: 314 Member
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    The point of the treadmill was to get my 10,000 steps. People usually get that from being active on and off all day. I mostly sit on my butt most of the day, and I don't neccessarily wish to change that (not at this stage anyway). I still kinda hate exercise.
  • strong_curves
    strong_curves Posts: 2,229 Member
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    The 1-2 hours on the treadmill is overkill for me personally. I usually do 30 minutes a day and still manage to hit at least 10k steps a day with a sedentary job.
  • MichelleLea122
    MichelleLea122 Posts: 332 Member
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    Not overkill, but if you're body isn't used to this sort of high volume exercise you'll get burnt out really fast. But once you start working out your body gets used to to. I used to think that working out four times a week was tough, but now after a year I work out for two hours every single day. So it's definitely manageable.
  • beautifulsparkles
    beautifulsparkles Posts: 314 Member
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    josephka wrote: »
    If you want to mix things up, try the stationary bike or the elliptical. Nothing wrong with the treadmill, but for me, I like variety

    We have a rowing machine, and might be getting a bike that my cousin isn't using.
  • JennieMaeK
    JennieMaeK Posts: 474 Member
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    You'll probably want to increase the intensity as you go along, play around with the treadmill settings. While I was recovering from shin splints, I would walk 5k on the treadmill, but I had it on random hill setting and every 30 seconds or so the incline would either go up or down.
  • shut_up_legs
    shut_up_legs Posts: 29 Member
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    Walking on a treadmill for 1-2 hours a day will get boring really quickly even if watching movies at the same time. If you don't already run why don't you challenge yourself to run 5k? There are loads of couch to 5k programmes that you could follow on a treadmill and having an aim will help keep you motivated.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    beautifulsparkles wrote: »
    The point of the treadmill was to get my 10,000 steps

    Fair enough. Strikes me as incredibly boring, hence probably unsustainable, but not harmful.

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