how many times should I exercise weekly?

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vjirons
vjirons Posts: 27 Member
in Getting Started
I'm getting started (again) and just wondering how many times and minutes/hours a week should I work out?

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  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,041 Member
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    I exercise every day. But the time and intensity varies.

    One day I might climb 5 flights of stairs and go for a 2 km walk ... another day I might cycle 200 km. The rest will likely be somewhere in between.

    Start with what you feel comfortable doing, and increase from there. But do mix it up ... you don't want to be doing hard workouts every single day.

  • AllOutof_Bubblegum
    AllOutof_Bubblegum Posts: 3,646 Member
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    As many as it takes for you to work your whole body.
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,598 Member
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    At least to start off with I recommend every other day. Prevents injury and excessive soreness.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
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    Depends on what you can do consistently. Every little does help but you can build on that over time.
    I started off with walking approx 20-30 mins most days, progressed from that to running and also lifting.
    Find something you enjoy and you'll be more likely to keep on doing it.
  • vjirons
    vjirons Posts: 27 Member
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    Thank you!
  • cee134
    cee134 Posts: 33,711 Member
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    From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Website:
    To maintain your weight: Work your way up to 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, or an equivalent mix of the two each week. Strong scientific evidence shows that physical activity can help you maintain your weight over time. However, the exact amount of physical activity needed to do this is not clear since it varies greatly from person to person. It's possible that you may need to do more than the equivalent of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity a week to maintain your weight.

    To lose weight and keep it off: You will need a high amount of physical activity unless you also adjust your diet and reduce the amount of calories you're eating and drinking. Getting to and staying at a healthy weight requires both regular physical activity and a healthy eating plan.
  • Kenda2427
    Kenda2427 Posts: 1,592 Member
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    Machka9 wrote: »
    I exercise every day. But the time and intensity varies.

    One day I might climb 5 flights of stairs and go for a 2 km walk ... another day I might cycle 200 km. The rest will likely be somewhere in between.

    Start with what you feel comfortable doing, and increase from there. But do mix it up ... you don't want to be doing hard workouts every single day.

    Wow!!! there is quite a difference between stairs 2km walk and 200 km bike ride! How long would that take and how often would you do it? Or maybe its a typo and should have read 20? If not kudos to you
  • vjirons
    vjirons Posts: 27 Member
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    Thank you so much!
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,041 Member
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    Kenda2427 wrote: »
    Machka9 wrote: »
    I exercise every day. But the time and intensity varies.

    One day I might climb 5 flights of stairs and go for a 2 km walk ... another day I might cycle 200 km. The rest will likely be somewhere in between.

    Start with what you feel comfortable doing, and increase from there. But do mix it up ... you don't want to be doing hard workouts every single day.

    Wow!!! there is quite a difference between stairs 2km walk and 200 km bike ride! How long would that take and how often would you do it? Or maybe its a typo and should have read 20? If not kudos to you

    Nope, not a typo. :)

    I did a 200 km randonnee on June 18th ... http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Machka9/view/dark-bikefo-200k-saturday-18-june-878966


    And a 300 km randonnee on March 26th ... http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Machka9/view/march-madness-aka-april-animation-300k-826886


    And a 200 km randonnee on January 30th ... http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Machka9/view/campbell-town-canter-200-2-km-802156

    So not every weekend or anything, but we build up, ride an event, then ease off a bit, then build up again, ride another event, and repeat. :)


    Randonnees have time limits which include all breaks.

    200K = 13.5 hours
    300K = 20 hours
    400K = 27 hours
    600K = 40 hours

  • DaniettaF
    DaniettaF Posts: 212 Member
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    SideSteel wrote: »
    That's going to be largely determined by lifestyle, preferences, and what you can stick to.

    A better question to ask would be this:

    "How many sessions per week can I stick to, consistently, with 100% confidence"

    I'd start by answering that question.

    I think for MOST people that's going to range from 2 to 5.

    This! Maybe start with once or twice a week and if you stick to it, depending on your goals you could increase it.
    Also the intensity and duration will determine how often you might exercise. Some people prefer walking everyday, while others have higher intensity a couple times a week.

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