Doesn't this depend largely on the previous level of exercise? If I have been doing 0 minutes per week and add in 150 minutes per week, I would expect some effects, for awhile anyway. When my body acclimated to that level of exercise, I would want to increase, but going from 0 to 250 is a recipe for disaster! - 5/21/2013   6:31:07 AM

Wow. Thought i was doing okay getting in my 30 minutes during lunch 5 days/week. Will keep doing the 30 minutes and try to add 20 more while watching tv. What's next? 50 not enough. - 5/20/2013   11:46:45 AM

I shoot for 250 minutes a week, but it hasn't been enough to lose weight. I am a lot stronger & can work longer without having to take a break. Some weeks the fibro is just too bad to exercise 250 minutes. This is happening less & less. - 5/17/2013   4:31:02 PM

I sure that everyone has a unique balance which varies depending on where you are in your weight loss/maintenace journey. For me that does happen to be 60 minutes 5-7 times per week which allows me to maintain my weight and eat until I'm full. - 5/16/2013   9:56:27 AM

i feel that 1 hour and 30 minutes of hard training will help to lose wight in a good manner - 5/16/2013   8:26:56 AM

I have found that 30 minutes a day is not enough for me to see any results. I try to do at least 60 minutes of exercise 5 to 6 days a week and try to incorporate some strength training as well. Otherwise the scale does not move for me. - 5/15/2013   11:10:52 AM

I agree with the article you have to work put on a consistance basic to loose weight. - 5/7/2013   2:21:53 PM

I work out 1 hour and 20-30 minutes a day. Five days a week. It works for me in losing my weight. Notvas much as I thought but I have to cut a little more back. - 5/6/2013   7:22:44 AM

I agree that you do need that amount of exercise to lose weight. Unfortunately with work and other responsibilities I only have time to go to the gym 4 days a week for 30-45 minutes. With this I only maintain my current weight. - 5/2/2013   11:51:45 AM

I'm often very disappointed in articles and organizations that claim "You need to do this or be this" in order to achieve some sort of vague goal. The title of the article implies that you -should- do 50 minutes in order to lose weight. Myself, along with countless others on this site can attest to the fact that this is simply not true. I have lost over 20lbs, others have lost even more, and I certainly do not average 50 minutes a day.

If you are exercising and the scale is moving - or better yet, you are losing inches - then you are doing "enough" exercise to lose weight, by definition. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out. - 4/28/2013   12:45:03 AM

I've been working out moderately 1 hour to 1 hour and a half each day and eat better and have lost 30 pounds in 2 months. So I think it matters. People might say this is too fast but whatever, I'm not going under my calories and the work out isn't breaking me. - 4/26/2013   2:24:36 PM

I think it's important to note that they suggest 50mins of moderate intensity for overweight/obese people. This can be anything from a brisk walk to a beginner's step class, which for the average person is not a lot or very challenging. I do HIIT bodyweight exercises for 25-30mins a day, which is the equivalent of 50mins of moderate level of exercise but I can get away with less time per day because of the higher intensity. This article also emphasizes long term weight loss, which overweight/obese people struggle with especially when hitting a plateau. I think the most important thing we should gather from this article is that one should work up to exercising 50mins per day to keep the weight off for the long term. Also, take into consideration that even walking the dog for 20-30mins a day is a lot better than doing absolutely nothing at all! - 4/23/2013   1:49:24 AM

I agree with crazytrain, that is alot. I too am proof you can loose without increased exercise. I lost 65 pounds with Weight Watchers alone. I can't say I do any exercise , which I am not saying is a good thing, there are lots of benefits to exercising. Just making the point that weight loss doesn't have to come from sweating! - 4/22/2013   4:16:08 PM

I participated in a study that taught the same basic concepts of Sparkpeople. They had us doing 60 minutes of exercise and 90 minutes for kids in order to lose weight along with a healthy reduced calorie diet. Cut it into increments if you need to as long as they are 10 minutes or longer, your body reacts the same. One thing we learned is that you need to schedule your physical activity into your planner just as you would schedule an appointment or a meeting. It gives you accountability as well as no excuse that there's no time. It's important to try a variety of activities to find something you really enjoy so you don't get bored. Sometimes having a buddy to do it with not only keeps you accountable but also makes the time fun and even fly by! - 4/16/2013   1:46:42 PM

That is a LOT! I lost 60 pounds on Weight Watchers with no increase in exercise, so it can be done. Now I walk almost every day, but not that much!! - 4/14/2013   11:52:26 AM

I wish this article addressed how effective it is to only do 15 or 20 mins at a time, several times a day. Current things I've been reading state that it all adds up, but I don't see how it's possible to achieve benefits without a sustained period of exertion. Seems like starting and stopping would reduce the outcome. - 4/12/2013   8:22:42 PM

I think this suggestion will need to be combined with a good diet, only then you will loose weight, exercise alone will not help you loose weight. - 4/12/2013   4:06:46 PM

I aim for 360 minutes a week but am not losing weight (though I am getting stronger!) - 4/12/2013   1:07:04 PM

I exercise between 10-15 minutes a day at very high intensity. I have found it works wonders. I can't imagine going back to those long cardio sessions. - 4/12/2013   12:57:20 PM

I think it's more important to do what you can do, even if it's only 20 minutes a day. But don't expect a significant change. The more you exercise, the greater the weight loss. - 4/12/2013   10:43:23 AM

These numbers are around my weekly total. I aim for an hour of cardio a day with 3 strength training sessions a week. Often one of the weekend days I take a break.

Don - 4/12/2013   7:07:51 AM

Sounds like a month long streak to attempt to gauge my body's response. - 4/11/2013   9:44:39 PM

How much does one need to exercise? They need a calorie deficit created by burning more calories than they take in, so this means the amount of exercise needed somewhat depends on the calories taken in, obviously. There is no secret number to how much exercise you need to loose weight. Especially as exercise can be done at different intensity levels and one exercise is different than another, and the activity of one person to another is different. Why simplify things to one "magic" number? - 4/11/2013   7:21:38 PM

NO 50 minutes is realistic amount of time Easy fix 2 out of the 5 is the dyas I'm off from work 3 other days to pick for the rest Let's face it most of us on days we are off form work can squeeze in 60 to 90 minutes technically you only need ot figure out 2 days my workouts are my "Me Time" If I'm not happy no one in the house will be happy Most people waste that much time a week on the computer or in fornt of the TV If you are rally serious aobut making helathy life style changes there is always time ! IMHO - 4/11/2013   7:13:00 PM

I am a college student who is not overweight, but has gained weight just in part of getting older and no longer being a teenage athlete. I think 50 minutes is a lot of time for cardio. I've recently gotten back into trying to do cardio every day and I can only manage about 20-30 minutes before I get bored or tired. I'm hoping as I keep it up I will be able to do it longer but I think 50 minutes is a lot for the average american and not because of time management but because of a difficulty level. - 4/11/2013   4:52:07 PM

The type of exercise matters, though. Several studies show that short bursts of circuit training/interval training is more effective than long amounts of steady-state moderate exercise. I'd rather kill several birds with one stone, circuit training with heavy weights a few times a week, then doing interval runs two or three times a week, 30-60 minutes at a time. Some days, though, I can just squeeze in half an hour of walking. As for making time, that is tough, but when it got to the point where my doctor just gave me an icy look and said, "Make time," before walking out of the examination room, I sure as hell made time because I didn't want to be on diabetes, blood pressure, and cholesterol meds, which was my alternative. I gave up lunch so I could walk and do stairs and just ate at my desk while I worked. My boss was also willing to work with me when I needed some flexibility--a couple of 15-minute breaks a day. If a few short bursts a day is really all you can give, it's still better than nothing. - 4/11/2013   1:07:30 PM

this seems a lot for me - I unfortunately work long hours, have a long commute, am single and live alone. I can maybe get 50-60 minutes in on the weekends, but it's virtually impossible doing that in the week - 4/11/2013   12:49:05 PM

I am one of those people who need to get as much exercise as possible to lose and just to maintain. As soon as I lighten up on my minutes or the intensity of my exercise I gain. It comes down to what type of exercise I do. A stroll around the neighborhood isn't going to ever be enough for me .we are not all the same, our bodies don't respond the same, so it's not one rule for everyone. - 4/11/2013   12:21:27 PM

One size does not fit all is true. That said, for me at least, five or more hours of exercise a week leads to my having better mental, emotional, and physical strength. Do what works for you. - 4/11/2013   12:19:56 PM

Apparently with latest research on exercise it is definitely a situation of one size does not fit all people....what works for one is not what works for someone else. - 4/11/2013   12:00:09 PM

I'd much rather fit in a half hour or so of planned exercise, and follow that up by being naturally active the rest of my day. Recommendations like this really just make me want to throw in the towel and say "why bother?" (Also, after my second baby, I lost all my pregnancy weight by working out to a half hour TV fitness program, which with commercials probably only amounted to 18 mins of good cardio. I think you just have to do what works for YOU.) - 4/11/2013   11:43:43 AM

At present I aim to do a total of 90 mins 3 times a week in the gym; usually spin class, weight training and walking or the cross trainer. I also follow pilates videos at home for a minimum of 60 minutes a week. So far, although I ve not seen a great deal of weight loss I have shrunk my waist by 12 centimetres. I am pleased but want to see weight loss too - 4/11/2013   11:36:05 AM

90% of weight-loss success is based on nutrition and the old calories in versus calories out equation. There are not enough hours in the day to exercise-away our splurges on ice cream, chips, hamburgers, fries, pizza and muffins. Once I grasped this moment-of-truth, I was able to loose 30 pounds. FYI: Exercise is a gift I give myself everyday.
- 4/11/2013   11:24:28 AM

Research - even from some of the most reputable peer reviewed sources - must always be doubted. There are SO many factors that simply cannot be controlled. I personally think this is pretty ridiculous. Would you tell that to a nurse who is on her feet 12 hours a day? What about a young mom who is running after her children? What about a mailman? You can't make blanket statements like that. - 4/11/2013   10:28:11 AM

The secret to weight loss is to consistently burn more calories than you take in. Exercise helps burn calories and developing muscle helps your body burn more calories.
Mild to moderate regular exercise, even that which doesn't do much for your calories is beneficial for health.
How you get to the right calories versus calories out depends on you. Some people find it easier to increase burn, others to decreases calories. I've been both ways in my life. - 4/11/2013   10:19:14 AM

I've gone from 250 to 200. I still need to lose about another 30-40 lbs. It's mostly about diet. Avoiding processed carbs and sugar, eating mostly fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, occasional meat and fish. I run at least a mile a day. More is hard on my ankles. I made the mistake of overdoing it, injuring myself and couldn't run for close to year without pain. I'm working at losing a pound a week. I suspect as I get closer to goal that I'll need to amp up the exercise, but that it will also get easier when I'm not carrying around all this extra weight. - 4/11/2013   10:17:38 AM

Weight loss is at least 80% diet, and at best 20% activity. You can run and lift all day long and all it will succeed in doing is making you fit/fat if you're still a slave to food. And you'll still be hungry. Probably hungrier. Why does no one ever mention that exercise "works up an appetite"? Get your food straight first. When you no longer crave everything in sight and quit eating when you're not hungry THEN you should add exercise because it's good for you, NOT because it helps you lose weight. Ditch the sugar, ditch the starch (which is just sugar in an easier-to-use format), ditch the food that comes in boxes, and THEN see how you feel. I lost 25 pounds eating 2200 calories a day without any exercise at all. It's Chemistry, not Math! - 4/11/2013   8:37:51 AM

I exercise 70+ minutes almost every day, probably 6 days a week average, keep my calories at the low end of the recommended amount and have only lost 4 pounds in 2 months. Because of arthritis everything I do has to be low impact, no getting down (or mainly back up) from the floor, no deep knee bends, a lot of limitations. For the last week I've been making sure I burn at least 500 calories a day and so far have gained back over a pound. I don't think it's the amount of time spent as much as the level of intensity you are able to accomplish. - 4/11/2013   8:02:14 AM

There's general guidelines and what works for you. Unfortunately for some people the amount of exercise they do seems to have little or no effect on their weight. Still try to get in 30mins most days! - 4/11/2013   7:28:32 AM

I usually put in an hour five days a week. I do a 30 minute walk in the morning and 30 minutes at Curves after work. It's doable but everyone's different. Some may need less and some more. I just feel like I need to push myself constantly because what I was doing wasn't working for me. I push myself when I work out and I have fun doing it. - 4/11/2013   6:56:44 AM

Fifty to sixty minutes a day seems like a lot, but that's only because I have not rearranged my schedule to fit it in. I can maintain my weight on 30, but to lose I need to spend a CONSISTENT 60, six days a week. My goal for 2013 has been two 30-minute sessions a day. I take the smorgasbord approach because I need variety in my workouts. My list of possibilities includes walking, swimming, dancing, weight lifting and yoga. I tend to eat close to the top of my recommended range. I might lose faster if I consumed 1200 instead of 1500 calories/day, but at that level my energy drops, and it's counter productive. Better for me to eat more and exercise more. I am retired, but busy with lots of activities. Finding the time to exercise is a choice for me, and I'm working on making that choice. - 4/11/2013   6:54:05 AM

At first glance, it would seem like a lot, but from all the articles and news I've read, it doesn't have to be a 50 minute cardio session and then strength training. From what I've read the biggest take away is that sitting for long periods of time is not good so even if a person does an hour work out session, if they are sedentary the rest of the day, it's not good so my goal is to break up my sitting periods which happens because of the type of work I do. I'm using excuses to get up once in awhile and walk around. I would like to find a pedal or some kind of exercise equipment that can be done while sitting so even when I'm sitting, my legs are still moving so that when I can't get up from my desk, I can be in a state of perpetual motion. - 4/11/2013   6:00:40 AM

There was a time when I thought 1 hour a day was an impossibility but now I routinely get in that much and I'm really aiming for about 75 minutes. The big surprise for me came when I got a total body movement monitor (think fitbit or active link) and realized that it still adds up if I take a 15 minute walk in the a.m. and another one in the afternoon. Then I only need a 45 minute workout at the gym. Not so arduous after all and I am much fresher and awake when I get back from those walks that if I'd sat at my desk all afternoon!

so - Yes. I think 50 minutes a day is a reasonable amount of exercise - for weight loss or good health. - 4/11/2013   5:39:29 AM

I do 50 minutes+ 5 days a week already and I am maintaining.
I think everyone is different and need to find your own 'path' that works best. - 4/11/2013   5:17:30 AM

I don;t think two people are alike, and what may work for one may not work for another one. I think it all depends on the effort you put in. if for me doing 15 min each day is making me sweat then is good, and will do something in the long run. if you are fit and well musscled and 30 min feels like a joke then yes you will need to burn some more. I would be so pleased with me to do my 15-20 min each day of mixed exercises !!!! I do not care much about loosing the weight but more about shaping up. don't get discouraged, know your body. - 4/11/2013   3:02:40 AM

Devices such as pedometers and FitBit et al help motivate people to be more active throughout the day. Turning off the TV helps, too. Our bodies are build to move.
If I were not so worried about injury, I'd try more HITT training. I think more intensity will create the calorie deficit for weight loss. - 4/11/2013   12:33:47 AM

Some good thoughts here - I do not think in terms of how many minutes i do each week. I am thinking I need to relook at my weekly goals and do some adjusting. I certainly can do more - I am not losing weight and certainly need to. I know I would feel so much better and be able to do more.

Good article.
barb - 4/10/2013   11:02:21 PM

30 minutes of intense cardio is what works for me, plus 30 minutes of strength training alternated with pilates, yoga, barre and stretch 5-6x/week. (Combined with a plant based, clean diet!)
Right now I'd only like to lose a few vanity pounds but overall have kept my weight in the same range for over 12 years+, even after 2 kids. =)

- 4/10/2013   6:12:58 PM

Any one can do it if I can..... I do Zumba for an hour 3 days a week and do cardio (treadmill, elliptical, & stationary bike) 4 days a week for at least an hour & weights 1 day a week. And I am going to try and add kickboxing somewhere in there. Oh and I walk a mile every morning. Oh did I mention I weigh 280 lbs??? I figure if biggest loser hasn't killed anyone yet then it won't kill me. You can only do what you tell yourself you can. So don't waist time on the couch like I did for years......GO!!! Get your health back!!!! - 4/10/2013   5:11:43 PM

I do 50 minutes 5 day a week of cardio and 60 minutes 4 days a week of strength training. I sometimes do more. This is all because I love to workout. I can usually make 2000 minutes a month of working out. Working out for me is not a chore. I find that I like the results I see when I work out..........love those muscles forming. - 4/10/2013   4:06:21 PM