Exercise - How many days a week do you exercise and what do you do?
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I do exercise every day, because the more exercise you do the more benefit you will get. But on the weekend i do stretching exercises only.
From Monday to Friday I follow my workout plan.
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mpkpbk2015 wrote: »M in Oz thanks for responding I like the fact you manage to get something done 7 days a week. I am striving to get to that point. Thanks again.
It helps to walk to do things instead of driving. I have to walk to and from the bus 5 days a week. It's not a lot, but it is a start. Then at lunch, I "run errands" - walk errands. Today, for example, I walked to my physio appointment.
After work I usually walk to relax. I spend too much time sitting and it's just nice to get out in the evening and take a walk to get the blood flowing.
My favourite exercise is cycling so that's what I look forward to doing on weekends.
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Currently I'm just exercising 3 days a week immediately after work on a basic Push, Pull, Legs & Core split. I appreciate the efficiency and flexibility of my current routine. Even though the pandemic has put a big hamper on socializing for me, I'd still rather not be spending all my free time at the gym or exercising honestly. At the moment I'm exclusively focused on strength training because I actually look forward to my workouts rather than dread them, and that's what keeps me motivated.1
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M - upper body strength 45 mins
Tu - lower body strength & core 90 mins
W - upper body strength 60 mins
Th - lower body strength 45 mins
F - upper body strength 60 mins
Sa - lower body strength and core 90 mins
Su - high intensity cardio (boxing based) if I am feeling energetic or low intensity cardio + stretching 60 mins3 -
typically 3-5 times a week. anywhere from 30 minutes (my self-mandated minimum) to an hour and a half.
i do cardio (elliptical, mostly but other things as well if I'm feeling up to it. and my 'pool gym' has different machines that are nice to use to break up the monotony of the ellptical) and swim. swimming is 2x a week, and I do at least some cardio on those days as well.
The key is to find what you like doing.... and do that. everyone does what works best for them, and their goals, and so should you 2 -
mpkpbk2015 wrote: »barefootbridg you are on it. I am retired and need to get more cardio in. I didn't realize cardio is frowned upon. I thought is was good to keep your heart healthy and metabolism up. And that weight training was good to keep your bones from becoming brittle . I am learning so much from this post. Thank you
I don't think cardio is frowned upon. Cardiovascular exercise in combination with resistance training provides for well rounded fitness and health benefits. The AHA and other health bodies recommend a minimum of 150 minutes of light cardiovascular/aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of moderate or more cardiovascular exercise and 2 days of full body resistance training just for general health.
My cardiovascular health and fitness has benefited greatly from having a mix of light, moderate, and vigorous cardiovascular exercise in my plan. One of the reasons I try to get out for a walk every day in addition to my more moderate and vigorous exercise is because I have a desk job, and without my walks I can easily be sitting on about 2,500 steps in a day by the time I close up shop and I don't think 4 days of cycling really fully compensates for being that sedentary day to day...If I get my walk in every morning, I usually have over 8,000 steps by 7 or 7:30 AM.2 -
Cycling 5 days a week usually. 2 rest days but I try to get out for a gentle walk if the weather's ok.1
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Run 7 days a week. Lift 4-5 times a week 💪🏻😁2
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Mike and Helen thank you for your input what dedication. I am working toward as I reach the maintenance phase of my journey. I have been putting all my efforts into daily dairy and trying not to mess up there. I have let my exercise program slide. But you guys give me hope that I can do both.0
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mpkpbk2015 wrote: »M in Oz thanks for responding I like the fact you manage to get something done 7 days a week. I am striving to get to that point. Thanks again.
You just do you. Don't compare yourself to others. I workout six days a week and walk like 6 miles on my "off" day. Mostly rowing but add in some lighter weights.
I literally started with 100 steps after blowing my knee out like 13 years ago. While I row on a machine, it's not unusual now to row 6 or 7 miles a day. But it certainly didn't happen overnight.
Some dear friends of ours are 77. In their 60s, he powerlifted and she walked a half marathon a day @ 4 MPH! Until her mid to late 60s! And they still workout in their later 70s. And it shows with how absolutely sharp they are mentally. Doing what you can physically will keep your mind sharp.
Just go at it very slow and gradual. Miniscule additions and listen to your body.5 -
Thanks Mike - good advise I am not comparing just trying to get some new ideas of what to do. And I am so close to my 100 pound goal that I feel that coming up with a sustainable exercise routine will help me maintain once I get there.3
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mpkpbk2015 wrote: »Thanks Mike - good advise I am not comparing just trying to get some new ideas of what to do. And I am so close to my 100 pound goal that I feel that coming up with a sustainable exercise routine will help me maintain once I get there.
Even though I kind of deprecated the "exercise for calories" idea upthread a ways, I still think the bolded is true.
For me, calories alone aren't enough of a reason to exercise. In a wider sense, "maintaining" might be a good sized-piece of the puzzle, though: Maintaining health, maintaining strength, maintaining flexibility, maintaining the ability to do the things I want to do unencumbered by dozens of pounds of extra weight and the pain and limitations that *I know* come with those pounds, maintaining a fun/happy/balanced life. Some of those "maintaining"s were what got me exercising and kept me active even while I was obese, even before losing weight.
I believe someone else mentioned it upthread, but IMO one of the keys to that kind of "maintaining" is finding enjoyment in being active, purely enjoying the thing(s) I choose to do. Most of my active pursuits are a pleasure in themselves, things I'd want to do even if they weren't good for me. Finding those things, IMO is kind of magical (and of course they'll be different specific things for everyone). Fun is easier than duty, it's harder to procrastinate, less likely to be skipped.
Some people think it's fun to set and achieve goals: Run a race, get ten pull ups, do a handstand, whatever. Others like to feel progressively stronger. Some, like me, find a particular activity or activities fun (cycling, rowing, swimming, dancing, martial arts, whatever). Any of that works, and any activity we'll actually do is 100% more beneficial than a theoretically better one we procrastinate and put off.
It wasn't a deliberate plan up front, but when I first started getting active in my 40s (a deliberate decision, to recover from cancer & its treatment), I tried a lot of different things. Even the experimentation was pretty fun, once I got the idea that I had to commit to a new thing long enough to get past the "newbie blues": That feeling of "I'm so awkward, I'll never be able to do this" that pretty much everyone feels when they try something new of nontrivial complexity. But the super easy things get boring fast, IME, and the slightly more challenging ones stay fun longer, some of them permanently or close enough. When I found the right thing (rowing, for me), it drew me into other active things, a positive sort of slippery slope.
So, based on my experience, I'd say try things, see what's at least moderately enjoyable. Don't self limit, try things that have always looked fun. (You may surprise yourself.) Give them a fair try. Keep going, and eventually you'll find something that feels right.3 -
I exercise 7 days a week with Sunday being an active rest day (walking, yoga, maybe a 20 minute spin).
I do Sydney Cummings YouTube workout (daily);
walk 5-10 km (4-6x a week);
spin (2-3x a week);
yoga (2-4x a week).
In better weather I bike about 20 km on trails a couple of times a week as well.3 -
Jennifer thanks for sharing.1
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Ann thanks for your insights. I appreciate it as I get closer to the maintenance phase of my journey.1
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mpkpbk2015 wrote: »barefootbridg you are on it. I am retired and need to get more cardio in. I didn't realize cardio is frowned upon. I thought is was good to keep your heart healthy and metabolism up. And that weight training was good to keep your bones from becoming brittle . I am learning so much from this post. Thank you
Thanks!! I have a lot of work to do though...it's an ongoing battle!!
That cardio thing...personally, I like cardio. It makes me feel better and I know it's good for the heart and body. MY brother is a trainer, as are a few of my friends. And I work in a prison, which is just full of muscled people. lol. The general consensus from most of them is that cardio is a waste of time and that bulding muscle is more important in the long run, and that re: weightloss, having more muscle leeps your metabolism rolling. My brother regularly tells me to "stop all that garbage cardio"
But I disagree, and I like it and I know that I need it. So I do it. 0 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »mpkpbk2015 wrote: »barefootbridg you are on it. I am retired and need to get more cardio in. I didn't realize cardio is frowned upon. I thought is was good to keep your heart healthy and metabolism up. And that weight training was good to keep your bones from becoming brittle . I am learning so much from this post. Thank you
I don't think cardio is frowned upon. Cardiovascular exercise in combination with resistance training provides for well rounded fitness and health benefits. The AHA and other health bodies recommend a minimum of 150 minutes of light cardiovascular/aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of moderate or more cardiovascular exercise and 2 days of full body resistance training just for general health.
My cardiovascular health and fitness has benefited greatly from having a mix of light, moderate, and vigorous cardiovascular exercise in my plan. One of the reasons I try to get out for a walk every day in addition to my more moderate and vigorous exercise is because I have a desk job, and without my walks I can easily be sitting on about 2,500 steps in a day by the time I close up shop and I don't think 4 days of cycling really fully compensates for being that sedentary day to day...If I get my walk in every morning, I usually have over 8,000 steps by 7 or 7:30 AM.
So...yeah. I dont disagree with you. I just somehow ended up with a lot of people in my life who are trainers who aren't all about cardio. I like it, I do it and i think it's important.1 -
I agree the key to good health in my limited scope and opinion is striking a good balance between cardio and strength training. My doctor told me at my last physical that as I age if i want to avoid brittle bones and hip fractures I need to do more strength training but he also said not to neglect my cardio for my heart health.1
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barefootbridgey wrote: »mpkpbk2015 wrote: »barefootbridg you are on it. I am retired and need to get more cardio in. I didn't realize cardio is frowned upon. I thought is was good to keep your heart healthy and metabolism up. And that weight training was good to keep your bones from becoming brittle . I am learning so much from this post. Thank you
Thanks!! I have a lot of work to do though...it's an ongoing battle!!
That cardio thing...personally, I like cardio. It makes me feel better and I know it's good for the heart and body. MY brother is a trainer, as are a few of my friends. And I work in a prison, which is just full of muscled people. lol. The general consensus from most of them is that cardio is a waste of time and that bulding muscle is more important in the long run, and that re: weightloss, having more muscle leeps your metabolism rolling. My brother regularly tells me to "stop all that garbage cardio"
But I disagree, and I like it and I know that I need it. So I do it.
Yes, cardio is not frowned upon by people knowledgeable about cardiovascular health but by people worried about their gainz.
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Crossfit class in the evenings Monday thru Thursday. I try to get out and have a nice walk one day on the weekend if weather permits, that is typically a leisurely walk and probably more of an "active recovery" day.
I also meal prep for the week, which keeps my nutrition on track.0 -
Hi! I try to do cardio and weights three times a week. I golf (walk the 9 holes) two to three times a week and I just started playing pickle ball once a week. The weather is nice so I try get out on my bike when I can. I walk everyday but realize my body is used to this as it is something I have done forever so I try to get in some type of exercise that is new and something I do not do everyday. Hope this helps! Good luck to you!!1
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I'm 61 and lost 90 pounds but over the last five years I've seen a 10 pound creep that I'm now diligently working on to get back to my happy weight.
I do lots of different things so that I don't get bored and so that I don't get any overuse type injuries. I do yoga a couple of times a week (once in a class and once at home). I do strength training a couple of times a week at home. I cross country ski or snowshoe usually every other day in the winter. Every Spring I re-start C25K and run till late Fall. In non-COVID times I did spin class and deep water running class during the "shoulder season" (roads too icy to run or bike, but snow not good enough to ski or snowshoe). My favourite activity in a normal summer is paddling on a dragon boat team twice a week but that wasn't possible this past year. I was able to spend more time kayaking and canoeing though. Every so often I'll do a youtube HASfit workout. I have two dogs that need walking every day (if I don't take them skiing or snowshoeing with me), and I walk three times a week with a group of women.
I stopped having a gym membership a few years ago and now strive more for "functional fitness". In other words, I do lots of fun things that help me to be fit, instead of focussing on the fitness process itself. Yoga and weights are just something that I do so that I'm stronger and have better balance, which means I can enjoy skiing and paddling more. I'm not sure if that makes any sense, but it does when I think it in my head 😆 Also, if I have a choice whether to exercise inside or outside, I'll always choose outside 2 -
Ridiculous59 congrats on your 90 pound loss . You'll lose those other ten pounds I can tell by the way you write you have determination and a get it done spirit. I have loss 98 and have 2 more to go to reach my goal. Then comes the battle to maintain. I like your point about overuse and boredom my biggest two enemies.1
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MrTantan thanks for the link I have heard of Planking but have never tried it. I will check it out since I am stuck in the house because of the snow and ice advisory in North Texas for the next 5 days.1
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tduranti you seem to have struck a good balance and have a good variety.1
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right now, typically about 6 days a week. I've cut down on my walking quite a bit recently (because of covid public transport was shut down for a while, I ended up with knee pain due to walking 10+km every day to get to work), but I still do weights probably about 4x a week and some kinda higher intensity cardio typically on my weekends1
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Netitheyeti like your avatar - covid has put a kink in a lot of peoples exercise rountine. I know mine for sure. I stop going to the gym completely because they were all close for a long time in Texas and when they reopened I didn't feel comfortable going back. Glad your keeping up with your routine. I tore my MCL & PCL in my left knee about 20 years ago so if I do too much my knee bothers me.3
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Except for the few days per month when I am out of commission, I am active every day. This takes many different forms, often weather dependent. I prefer to get my cardio outside. Lately I've snow shoed and shoveled. We walk our cat, a much slower pace than walking a dog, but a perfect pace for also doing trail maintenance - I bring along my clippers. We also picked up all the trash that's been deposited in that section of the woods over the decades and got the city to pick it up, as this area is conservation area they own. This time next month I could start gardening by planting peas, but I will probably wait until April 1. I garden extensively April - June, and less so late August - October. I swim in the summer.
I have a variety of activities to do when the rain or heat traps me indoors.1 -
barefootbridgey wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »mpkpbk2015 wrote: »barefootbridg you are on it. I am retired and need to get more cardio in. I didn't realize cardio is frowned upon. I thought is was good to keep your heart healthy and metabolism up. And that weight training was good to keep your bones from becoming brittle . I am learning so much from this post. Thank you
I don't think cardio is frowned upon. Cardiovascular exercise in combination with resistance training provides for well rounded fitness and health benefits. The AHA and other health bodies recommend a minimum of 150 minutes of light cardiovascular/aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of moderate or more cardiovascular exercise and 2 days of full body resistance training just for general health.
My cardiovascular health and fitness has benefited greatly from having a mix of light, moderate, and vigorous cardiovascular exercise in my plan. One of the reasons I try to get out for a walk every day in addition to my more moderate and vigorous exercise is because I have a desk job, and without my walks I can easily be sitting on about 2,500 steps in a day by the time I close up shop and I don't think 4 days of cycling really fully compensates for being that sedentary day to day...If I get my walk in every morning, I usually have over 8,000 steps by 7 or 7:30 AM.
So...yeah. I dont disagree with you. I just somehow ended up with a lot of people in my life who are trainers who aren't all about cardio. I like it, I do it and i think it's important.
Hmmm...I actually find that odd. My trainer gets on me because she thinks I don't ride enough and would like me at 5 days per week rather than 3 or 4 When I trained with her husband, he was the same way.1 -
I purposely exercise 6 days a week, with Sunday being a recovery day (though sometimes I go for a quick 1-2mi hike). I do a combination of cardio (dance, kickboxing, etc), strength (dumbbells, sandbag, macebell, etc), and one day dedicated to yoga.1
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