Is it bad to workout everyday??
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presidentcarter
Posts: 17 Member
I tend to workout everyday and forget to have my rest days sometimes. I enjoy working out and sort of feel bad when I don't do any kind of exercise for the day. I started my weight loss journey at 233lbs almost a year and a half ago. Now I'm 175 lbs and it's becoming more difficult to see results. When I workout, I do cardio for 30 to 40 minutes (stationary bike, elliptical, workout DVDs, etc.) and strength training on a particular body part (arms, legs, stomach) for an hour. But if I'm sore from the previous day's workout then I'll take a rest day. Is it bad to workout everyday or almost everyday? Would it be okay to do a light intensity workout on rest days? What does your weekly workout routine look like?
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Replies
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I'm not a doctor, but I think common sense would say to listen to your body. Listen for the first twinges of injury, or signs of being run down and over stretched. If you feel good all over, you're probably fine.2
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I don't have a routine. I lift when I get the urge to lift, walk when I get the urge to walk, run if I feel like running, etc. I find myself getting fewer injuries that way, and I'm only ever doing something I want to be doing. Yesterday I went just under 8 miles. Today I've done nothing. I can't even speculate on tomorrow.
It's working for me.2 -
glovepuppet wrote: »I'm not a doctor, but I think common sense would say to listen to your body. Listen for the first twinges of injury, or signs of being run down and over stretched. If you feel good all over, you're probably fine.
Hey, thanks for your feedback! I'm pretty much the same way. I just listen to my body to decide if I need a rest day or what type of workout I should do. I wasn't sure if its necessary to have predetermined rest days in your routine for better results with weight loss. Btw, nice job with that 8 mile run yesterday 💪 I would definitely rest after that lol1 -
presidentcarter wrote: »glovepuppet wrote: »I'm not a doctor, but I think common sense would say to listen to your body. Listen for the first twinges of injury, or signs of being run down and over stretched. If you feel good all over, you're probably fine.
Hey, thanks for your feedback! I'm pretty much the same way. I just listen to my body to decide if I need a rest day or what type of workout I should do. I wasn't sure if its necessary to have predetermined rest days in your routine for better results with weight loss. Btw, nice job with that 8 mile run yesterday 💪 I would definitely rest after that lol
Oh, that was a walk! A nice, brisk walk. I think the dogs might have actually died if we'd run it
as it was, Big Eddie needed halfway ice cream to bribe him to walk back. 4 -
I have active rest days, which usually means I just walk. Yesterday I walked around a loch and clocked 18k steps, but it was all very low effort. Or sometimes a rest day is not a lot of walking but maybe some gentle yoga. I usually end up getting one or two active rest days a week. The rest of the time I'm doing running, weights, or dance classes.2
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Rest days help your body become accustomed to the activity, helps them recover from additional exertions and things. Recuperation is all part of the process.2
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presidentcarter wrote: »I tend to workout everyday and forget to have my rest days sometimes. I enjoy working out and sort of feel bad when I don't do any kind of exercise for the day. I started my weight loss journey at 233lbs almost a year and a half ago. Now I'm 175 lbs and it's becoming more difficult to see results. When I workout, I do cardio for 30 to 40 minutes (stationary bike, elliptical, workout DVDs, etc.) and strength training on a particular body part (arms, legs, stomach) for an hour. But if I'm sore from the previous day's workout then I'll take a rest day. Is it bad to workout everyday or almost everyday? Would it be okay to do a light intensity workout on rest days? What does your weekly workout routine look like?
It's fine to be active everyday.
For proper strength training, you do need rest days. I'm not clear on how often you're working the same body part and what exactly you are doing. If you do arms everyday, that is way too often for traditional strength training. However, if you are doing very high reps with very light reps, you're not actually strength training - that is more of a cardiovascular/endurance activity.
https://www.theactivetimes.com/why-rest-days-are-just-important-working-out
...“You should have at least one day of rest before attempting to work similar muscle groups again,” says Wynter. “The general rule is it requires a minimum of 48 hours to recover with full recovery seen within 72 to 96 hours post workout.”
He explained that different factors, like the intensity level of your workout, the total volume of your weekly training, your training experience, and your age, will all influence the exact amount of recovery you’ll need.
...Resting is just as important as working out because it’s an equal part of the total process required to build strength, endurance, and muscle.
“Working out, especially resistance training, breaks your body tissues down. In fact, resistance training breaks down muscles causing microscopic tears,” Wynter said. Rest days allow your muscles, nerves, bones, and connective tissue time to rebuild.”4 -
I work out every day. I don't think it's bad. If I'm really sick or injured, I'll take a break.2
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Rest days give your muscles a chance to repair themselves and recover. They tend to decrease your chances of injury too.2
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Sounds like you have it under control. Listening to your body is so important. If you feel a possible injury coming on, if you feel excessively tired, or just sore, taking a day off now and then is smart. I also believe in active rest days. I don’t work out every day anymore, like I used to, so I try to just move around more. Park further from the store. Walk my dog, etc. I’ll also march in front of the tv at night if I feel I was too sedentary on my desk job days. Your activity doesn’t have to be long to be effective. Short spirts count too.2
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I literally just posted this on my feed earlier today! The active/low impact rest days sounds like a good solution..1
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kshama2001 wrote: »presidentcarter wrote: »I tend to workout everyday and forget to have my rest days sometimes. I enjoy working out and sort of feel bad when I don't do any kind of exercise for the day. I started my weight loss journey at 233lbs almost a year and a half ago. Now I'm 175 lbs and it's becoming more difficult to see results. When I workout, I do cardio for 30 to 40 minutes (stationary bike, elliptical, workout DVDs, etc.) and strength training on a particular body part (arms, legs, stomach) for an hour. But if I'm sore from the previous day's workout then I'll take a rest day. Is it bad to workout everyday or almost everyday? Would it be okay to do a light intensity workout on rest days? What does your weekly workout routine look like?
It's fine to be active everyday.
For proper strength training, you do need rest days. I'm not clear on how often you're working the same body part and what exactly you are doing. If you do arms everyday, that is way too often for traditional strength training. However, if you are doing very high reps with very light reps, you're not actually strength training - that is more of a cardiovascular/endurance activity.
https://www.theactivetimes.com/why-rest-days-are-just-important-working-out
...“You should have at least one day of rest before attempting to work similar muscle groups again,” says Wynter. “The general rule is it requires a minimum of 48 hours to recover with full recovery seen within 72 to 96 hours post workout.”
He explained that different factors, like the intensity level of your workout, the total volume of your weekly training, your training experience, and your age, will all influence the exact amount of recovery you’ll need.
...Resting is just as important as working out because it’s an equal part of the total process required to build strength, endurance, and muscle.
“Working out, especially resistance training, breaks your body tissues down. In fact, resistance training breaks down muscles causing microscopic tears,” Wynter said. Rest days allow your muscles, nerves, bones, and connective tissue time to rebuild.”
Hey thanks for the info on rest days!! I'm going to integrate them into my routine now. in regards to strength training, I was doing arms/abs and legs/butt every other day. I would do 3 sets of 8 to 15 reps depending on the exercise. For instance, I would do the 3 sets of 15 reps on the leg press machine. I started off doing 25lbs then gradually worked my way up to 65lbs. Would this be considered as cardio/endurance or strength training? I'm trying to develop a better routine to see if it will produce more results.1 -
tashaervina wrote: »I literally just posted this on my feed earlier today! The active/low impact rest days sounds like a good solution..
Hey Ive been wondering alot about this recently! I think active rest days would be a good solution for me too instead of doing nothing at all. I'm going to incorporate it into my weekly routine now1 -
presidentcarter wrote: »kshama2001 wrote: »presidentcarter wrote: »I tend to workout everyday and forget to have my rest days sometimes. I enjoy working out and sort of feel bad when I don't do any kind of exercise for the day. I started my weight loss journey at 233lbs almost a year and a half ago. Now I'm 175 lbs and it's becoming more difficult to see results. When I workout, I do cardio for 30 to 40 minutes (stationary bike, elliptical, workout DVDs, etc.) and strength training on a particular body part (arms, legs, stomach) for an hour. But if I'm sore from the previous day's workout then I'll take a rest day. Is it bad to workout everyday or almost everyday? Would it be okay to do a light intensity workout on rest days? What does your weekly workout routine look like?
It's fine to be active everyday.
For proper strength training, you do need rest days. I'm not clear on how often you're working the same body part and what exactly you are doing. If you do arms everyday, that is way too often for traditional strength training. However, if you are doing very high reps with very light reps, you're not actually strength training - that is more of a cardiovascular/endurance activity.
https://www.theactivetimes.com/why-rest-days-are-just-important-working-out
...“You should have at least one day of rest before attempting to work similar muscle groups again,” says Wynter. “The general rule is it requires a minimum of 48 hours to recover with full recovery seen within 72 to 96 hours post workout.”
He explained that different factors, like the intensity level of your workout, the total volume of your weekly training, your training experience, and your age, will all influence the exact amount of recovery you’ll need.
...Resting is just as important as working out because it’s an equal part of the total process required to build strength, endurance, and muscle.
“Working out, especially resistance training, breaks your body tissues down. In fact, resistance training breaks down muscles causing microscopic tears,” Wynter said. Rest days allow your muscles, nerves, bones, and connective tissue time to rebuild.”
Hey thanks for the info on rest days!! I'm going to integrate them into my routine now. in regards to strength training, I was doing arms/abs and legs/butt every other day. I would do 3 sets of 8 to 15 reps depending on the exercise. For instance, I would do the 3 sets of 15 reps on the leg press machine. I started off doing 25lbs then gradually worked my way up to 65lbs. Would this be considered as cardio/endurance or strength training? I'm trying to develop a better routine to see if it will produce more results.
I would suggest finding a strength program to follow, not just developing one on your own.2 -
DancingMoosie wrote: »presidentcarter wrote: »kshama2001 wrote: »presidentcarter wrote: »I tend to workout everyday and forget to have my rest days sometimes. I enjoy working out and sort of feel bad when I don't do any kind of exercise for the day. I started my weight loss journey at 233lbs almost a year and a half ago. Now I'm 175 lbs and it's becoming more difficult to see results. When I workout, I do cardio for 30 to 40 minutes (stationary bike, elliptical, workout DVDs, etc.) and strength training on a particular body part (arms, legs, stomach) for an hour. But if I'm sore from the previous day's workout then I'll take a rest day. Is it bad to workout everyday or almost everyday? Would it be okay to do a light intensity workout on rest days? What does your weekly workout routine look like?
It's fine to be active everyday.
For proper strength training, you do need rest days. I'm not clear on how often you're working the same body part and what exactly you are doing. If you do arms everyday, that is way too often for traditional strength training. However, if you are doing very high reps with very light reps, you're not actually strength training - that is more of a cardiovascular/endurance activity.
https://www.theactivetimes.com/why-rest-days-are-just-important-working-out
...“You should have at least one day of rest before attempting to work similar muscle groups again,” says Wynter. “The general rule is it requires a minimum of 48 hours to recover with full recovery seen within 72 to 96 hours post workout.”
He explained that different factors, like the intensity level of your workout, the total volume of your weekly training, your training experience, and your age, will all influence the exact amount of recovery you’ll need.
...Resting is just as important as working out because it’s an equal part of the total process required to build strength, endurance, and muscle.
“Working out, especially resistance training, breaks your body tissues down. In fact, resistance training breaks down muscles causing microscopic tears,” Wynter said. Rest days allow your muscles, nerves, bones, and connective tissue time to rebuild.”
Hey thanks for the info on rest days!! I'm going to integrate them into my routine now. in regards to strength training, I was doing arms/abs and legs/butt every other day. I would do 3 sets of 8 to 15 reps depending on the exercise. For instance, I would do the 3 sets of 15 reps on the leg press machine. I started off doing 25lbs then gradually worked my way up to 65lbs. Would this be considered as cardio/endurance or strength training? I'm trying to develop a better routine to see if it will produce more results.
I would suggest finding a strength program to follow, not just developing one on your own.
Hmmm... Thanks for the insight. I will definitely look into a strength program. Do you know any links for beginners1 -
There is a lot of great, proven program at this link. I highly recommend you look through and pick one that looks like a good fit. Most of us don't have the knowledge, training or experience to design a balanced effective program.
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1
To answer you original question, it depends. I have some kind of activity 6 to 7 days per week but it varies in intensity. Mon, Tues, Thurs. Fri. are my weight training days. I do an upper/ lower split. So, I work my upper body Mon. & Thurs., lower on the other 2 days using PHUL, a proven, effective program.
The other days I walk. I live in a medium size city in Mexico and don't have a car. I can walk as much as 5 to 8 miles on those days. Usually, at least one day, and sometimes 2, will be a rest and recovery day. Typically Sunday.
The thing is, exercise is important to stimulate your muscles and improve your cardio fitness. But the work cycle and the rest cycle go hand in hand. Especially with weight training and muscle building. You stimulate the muscles in the work cycle, they recover and respond to the stimulation in the rest cycle.
So, you can workout everyday if there is enough variation in both your intensity and the muscle groups you are working and you are recovering sufficiently. Only you know how you feel and how your body is responding.2 -
I also feel guilty at times if I have not been active enough during the day or not exercising. Often, the only rest I get is when I have physically worn myself out that I get into a deep sleep and sleep like a log.
As a regular squash player, occasional leisure cyclist or hill/mountain walker, I get enough intense cardio away outside of the gym, so when I do go to the gym my routine involves 15-20 mins of cardio to get my heart rate up, then I hit the abs/core muscles, followed by resistance/weights on either lower body/legs or upper body/arms.
What I don’t do enough of, are stretching exercises. Stiff muscles and awkward painful movement is becoming an issue.1 -
A "rest day" for me is an hour of just normal walking. I make it to the gym 5-6 days a week, even on rest days, just to walk on the treadmills and be in the environment. Its ok to have days where you do nothing at all if you don't feel up to it. Don't be hard on yourself. Take it easy when your body tells you to. Rest, if you feel like resting. Go hard when you feel like going hard. And always remember - weight loss is not ALL about exercise. Its also about how much you eat. I lost my first 30 pounds on diet alone.1
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I've always seen a distinction between 'working out' and 'active' where 'working out' is focused on maximising progress and development and 'activity' is just doing stuff you need to do.
For example. Someone lifting heavy in the gym might have 3 sessions per week for 2 hours per session and need rest/recovery days in between as a 'workout'. Where another person who works a very manual job in a warehouse, trade or the like might be lifting heavy 6-8hrs every day.
Or someone might jump on the bicycle 3 days a week and ride for 3 hours each time as a 'workout', but a bicycle courier will be riding for far more hours over far longer distances every day.2 -
I enjoy working out, I enjoy working out too much!
Years ago, I was diagnosed with an obsessive compulsive exercising disorder, because I would work out hours a day, everyday, along with anorexia, 1000 calorie/day diet, which lead to heart failure.
It's hard for me not to work out everyday, but I force myself to slow down and take rest days.
Where I used to work out hours, now I keep my cardio at about 25-35 minutes. I alternate 15-30 minute strength workouts.
Day 1 cardio 30 min with 15 min abs and upper body.
Day 2 cardio 25 mins with 20 min abs and legs
Day 3 might be rest day depending on how I feel or
Day 3 cardio 25 min 30 min abs and upper body.
Day 4 cardio 35 min 15 min abs
Day 5 rest
Day 6 rest
Repeat
I also realized I wanted to keep a workout schedule that can be kept up for life... Long term.
For a long time, I've been trying to cut back to 15-35 minutes a day, and really alternate strength one day, cardio one day. I can only keep that up for a week or two then I'm back to above sample!! But, I get pumped up on adrenaline and can't quit!3
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