Gym Nut? How many times should you workout a week for optimu

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Runningirl7284
Runningirl7284 Posts: 274 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hello! I am trying hard to loose 15 pounds in 5 months and I want optimum results. I have been working out 6 days a week intensely. By intense I mean 2 hours of workout. 1 hour for cardio, running/stairmaster and then an hour of weights. If one muscle group gets too sore then I just don't work out that muscle group the next day and then I'm usually fine by the 2nd day. A personal trainer at the gym advised that you should only need to work out 3 days a week so your body can rest every other day.

I need to know which is true?? Workout as often and as hard as you can or take it easy and work out hard every other day?
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Replies

  • koosdel
    koosdel Posts: 3,319 Member
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    Rest days are when the real magic happens.
  • moochachip
    moochachip Posts: 237 Member
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    Rest days are when the real magic happens.

    It's true. When you work out, especially strength training, you're tearing muscle. After you eat a good diet with protein and when you rest, your body gets time to rebuild that muscle, making it even stronger - And in turn, a lean and powerful you.
  • Runningirl7284
    Runningirl7284 Posts: 274 Member
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    Rest days are when the real magic happens.

    Thanks for the responses! Is it truly necessary to take every other day off though? Why take a rest day if you are not sore? Can't you just work out different muscle groups?
  • sammys1girly
    sammys1girly Posts: 1,045 Member
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    bump...gonna read responses later cuz it's an interesting question...
  • rissadiane
    rissadiane Posts: 355 Member
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    Bump-ing too
  • tunktunk5583
    tunktunk5583 Posts: 76 Member
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    Rest days are when the real magic happens.

    YES!
  • renubhat_82
    renubhat_82 Posts: 549 Member
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    bump...gonna read responses later cuz it's an interesting question...
  • code156
    code156 Posts: 31
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    You should recover after strength training, but generally its ok to do cardio every day.
  • Fubar_Bill
    Fubar_Bill Posts: 120 Member
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    As long as you are not working the same muscle groups 2 days in a row you should be fine.

    Remember: The body builds muscle using the food you ate while you are resting.

    Working out is just your way of telling your body it needs to build those muscles.

    Cheers!
  • kerriBB37
    kerriBB37 Posts: 967 Member
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    I'm very interested to hear what people have to say. I am the same way. I have a goal of 20+ pounds and about 5-6 months to get there. I recently got a Body Bugg and it has a calorie burn of 2400 per day for me.. I'm suppose to eat 1650 calories per day. I find that without working out every day I will never meet that 2400 as I have a very sedentary lifestyle besides the gym. I enjoy working out 6 days a week and I hate taking a rest day for myself! When I first started on MFP, I had a 1200 calorie diet set for me and I really struggled so by working out I was able to eat a bit more. I also do 2 hour+ workouts each day. I do only perform strength training exercies 2-3 days a week though. One day back and biceps, another chest and tri and the other is legs, shoulders and abs. A lot of my cardio includes weights though (ie. 30 DS).. I know the 'magic happens' when one is resting but I don't feel I'll be able to meet my goals without working out a lot.
  • ibdjk
    ibdjk Posts: 1
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    I personally go 7 days a week and do cardio everyday and strength training every other day.. That works for me...I want to tone, but not bulk up and the cardio part is to burn my fat calories....It is very important to give a rest period after the strength training...My goal is to loose 1 pound per week... 16 more weeks to go lol
  • kd_mazur
    kd_mazur Posts: 569 Member
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    rest days are important but that just means you shouldn't work the same group of muscles day after day. If you do legs one day and arms the next day you are still resting your legs for the required day.
  • Charisse1011
    Charisse1011 Posts: 84 Member
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    I do cardio everyday and strength train 2 days a week, I may take one day off...but the other days Im at it...
  • RimRK
    RimRK Posts: 96 Member
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    I'm a gym nut too! I workout 6 days a week, but I do circuit/crossfit like workouts. They are split into Warm up-strength-abs-cardio. All together it takes about 1.5-2 hours to complete.The muscles that are worked are different in every workout I take one day off as a rest day. My friend, who also trains our universty's hockey team insists on it. As the other members mentioned your body needs to recover. I find that I actually lose my weight on the day I take off from the gym :) Good luck love!
  • Elzecat
    Elzecat Posts: 2,916 Member
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    Rest days are when the real magic happens.

    I'd really like to know more about how this works...Any recommendations on good (reputable) reading about this? I know, I can just go "Google" but unfortunately that brings up tons of conflicting views on exercise, strength training, etc. (and alot of crap "diet" advertisement stuff that I don't need lol)

    Thanks!
  • lloydrt
    lloydrt Posts: 1,121 Member
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    your physical appearance is 80% nutrition and 20% physical exercise

    if youre in good physical shape, and only wanting to lose 15 lbs in 3 months, focus hard on your nutrition, and continue a normal routine at the gym, 3 months is enough time, thats only 5 lbs a month ,.......youre young, you'll be fine, good luck.....
  • skedzie
    skedzie Posts: 91 Member
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    I had a trainer tell me that I should work upper one day and lower the next day and cardio and abs everyday was ok....what do you think about that???

    I also do my workout in a circuit type fashion - 3 miles on the bike then abs and say arms back to the bike for 3 more miles off for abs and arms and repeat till I reach 12-14 miles on the bike. Then switch the next day and do abs and legs instead of arms....
  • ClarkAddison
    ClarkAddison Posts: 86 Member
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    I go to the gym everyday but rotate muscle groups so they are rested. On strength days I do some warm up cardio but don't hit it hard. Just get a little sweat going and the blood pumping. It works for me.
  • savlyon
    savlyon Posts: 474 Member
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    As code156 said, recover at least a day after strength training but cardio is fine for everyday, as long as you rest 1-2 days a week.
  • Simona38
    Simona38 Posts: 66 Member
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    Im becoming a gym nut too and Im there every day except Sundays. I work my upper body Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and my lower body Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. I do 45mins of cardio each day too. I think since Im alternating upper and lower body workouts, that's enough rest and I should be fine but Im no expert....yet :)

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