Do I Workout Too Much?

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Katie3784
Katie3784 Posts: 543
in Fitness and Exercise
I am a stay at home mom of a five year old girl and a one year old boy. Recently, my husband(who does not work out at all) has expressed concern that I spend too much time exercising. I thought about it and tried to come up with ways I could cut back, but I have not found any. I just love working out so much, and I also do not want to be stuck on a 1200 calorie a day diet. That seems so little to me. I do pilates early every morning because I LOOOOOOVE it. I do 45 minutes of strength training circuits 4 days a week, and I do 15-20 minutes of elliptical cardio(HIIT, Tabata, steady state) 6 days a week. I also do ab ripper x every other day. I guess it sounds like a lot, but I know there are people here who do more. I workout when the baby is napping and my daughter entertains herself for a bit, which is good for her. So, is this too much?

Replies

  • MelissaLu
    MelissaLu Posts: 83
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    I think you should do what you love lol. It's like a hobby for you, everyone's got one right?
  • Angela4Health
    Angela4Health Posts: 1,319 Member
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    It doesn't sound like too much at all. I think your husband just needs to get used to it. :happy:
  • juliapurpletoes
    juliapurpletoes Posts: 951 Member
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    Well, the deal is (as it seems to me anyway!) you are a young woman with a great healthy body. 1200 is too low for you anyway. Do not eat under your BMR!!

    But, what your husband wants darling is your attention............

    Start to THINK BALANCE!

    your workout routine isn't outrageous, but you dn't have to work that hard for your health. Are you avoiding something?? Sure there are folks here who do more.

    My advice, yeah have a ball with your workouts! And, pay attention to hubbs....what is he REALLY saying ?? Just ask!
  • lisadhancock
    lisadhancock Posts: 103
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    I think what you are doing sounds great. I'm also a stay at home mom and just recently got hooked to working out. I usually bike 5-10 miles daily and/or hike daily. Roller blade a couple times a week and I just started the c25k. I couldn't think of a better "habit" than working out! So you go girl!!!! :)
  • AdGalicia
    AdGalicia Posts: 84 Member
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    I love to workout too, mon-wed I workout for about 3 hrs and thurs and Fri for 2hrs!! I never burn less than 800 cals and I love it. I wish I had the will power to do the same on sat and sun but weekends are my fun time so it doesnt happen.

    So no girly, I dont think its too much!!!
  • dailyorange
    dailyorange Posts: 128
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    Sounds just about right! My boyfriend thinks I work out too much too, but hey it's better than sitting on our butts doing nothing at all!
  • korygilliam
    korygilliam Posts: 594 Member
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    If I put myself in his shoes, make sure you are doing your share of house work and chores. If I worked all day and my husband stayed at home with the kids and didn't do anything but exercise w/ a little bit of house work, I would be pissed. I get annoyed as it is w/ him home during summer (he is a teacher).

    Might want to make sure and talk about what may actually be bothering him. I am all about exercise and replacing sitting on your butt w/ shaking it, but make sure it isn't something else that he is just afraid to bring up.
  • LauraMarie37
    LauraMarie37 Posts: 283 Member
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    I wonder if he's also concerned about how attached you are to working out. If you miss a day of working out, do you get super stressed? Are you always thinking about your next workout, even when he's trying to spend time with you? Are you valuing working on your body over working on your mind/soul/relationships, and he doesn't like you modelling that for your kids? Are you making comments about needing to work out or else you won't look a certain way? Are you using control over calories/your body to not face up to the lack of control you have in other areas of your life?

    I definitely don't know you and that may completely not be the case - I just know that's what I have meant when I've said similar things to other people in the past. Just possibilities to think about.
  • Katie3784
    Katie3784 Posts: 543
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    If I put myself in his shoes, make sure you are doing your share of house work and chores. If I worked all day and my husband stayed at home with the kids and didn't do anything but exercise w/ a little bit of house work, I would be pissed. I get annoyed as it is w/ him home during summer (he is a teacher).

    Might want to make sure and talk about what may actually be bothering him. I am all about exercise and replacing sitting on your butt w/ shaking it, but make sure it isn't something else that he is just afraid to bring up.
    I actually think that he thinks I clean too much, too. I am very good about the chores, i.e., laundry, dinner, dusting, vaccuming, bathrooms. He has done maybe five loads of laundry in the last two years. I do all of the cleaning, but I don't mind because he goes to work. I don't think cleanliness is as important to him as it is to me, so when I'm on my hands and knees everynight cleaning crumbs and hair off the kitchen floor, he tends to think it's excessive.
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
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    I'd need to see the amount in hours, but it looks like i averages out to about 90 minutes a day, which I really don't see an issue with. However, if the picture of you is recent you may want to consider changing your goals and upping your base number (if calories are a concern). When I started getting close to my goal bf % I decreased my weight loss goals and now I'm at maintain.
  • ennaejay
    ennaejay Posts: 575
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    I wonder if he's also concerned about how attached you are to working out. If you miss a day of working out, do you get super stressed? Are you always thinking about your next workout, even when he's trying to spend time with you? Are you valuing working on your body over working on your mind/soul/relationships, and he doesn't like you modelling that for your kids? Are you making comments about needing to work out or else you won't look a certain way? Are you using control over calories/your body to not face up to the lack of control you have in other areas of your life?

    I definitely don't know you and that may completely not be the case - I just know that's what I have meant when I've said similar things to other people in the past. Just possibilities to think about.

    ITA Good advice. You've got a good head on your shoulders.

    To the OP: No, I don't think you're working out too much... it sounds pretty good to me. It wouldn't kill you to skip a day here and then, but you probably shouldn't add a whole lot of exercise without seriously increasing your cals :):):)

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