How much time should you spend exercising?

Posts: 671
9/24/12 5:45 P

It depends on your reasons. If you're training for an event, you might want to exercise longer. Also, if you're going on all day or week hike, bike ride, etc, you might want to be sure before you go that you have the strength and endurance. I'm planning to walk from Georgia to Maine next spring.

I exercise at least two hours a day. I plan on doing some practice walks with a pack in the near future. I know I can walk for seven or more hours a day I've done that with my kids. I don't know if I can do it walking up and down mountains with a pack. There are people that train for the AP trail by doing. I might end up being one of those.

People at the Y talk about three day bike trips and triathlon training. There are people there that swim for two hours at a time. It depends on your goals. For fitness alone, thirty minutes a day is enough. Many studies show there isn't many added health benefits for working out longer.

current weight: 112.8

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Posts: 844
9/24/12 4:43 P

Yeah, I really love my walks on my lunch break. There is a lovely nature trail behind my library and I can walk the 2+ miles in a little over 30 minutes. It is very calming and puts me in a great mood for the afternoon.

I've also tried adding a little yoga into my day because I want to improve my flexibility. I do a full, hour-long yoga class once a week and an hour-long pilates class once a week.

I've been trying to vary my workouts so I don't get bored. Kickboxing one day, swimming on another, Zumba, aerobics, cycling, and then strength training 2-3 times each week.

I gradually increase my workouts. At first starting with just a walk at lunch, then I joined the YMCA and started swimming, then I tried a few of the classes...and now I just love working out. I really look forward to exercising and feel so great afterwards.

current weight: 134.0

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Posts: 5
9/24/12 4:37 P

At least one or two hours walking. I walk when I wake up in the morning and in the evening. I try hard to remember to stretch.

Posts: 33,304
9/24/12 3:25 P

It's not so much that more than 60 is bad for you, as that someone doing that much *might* be setting themselves up for failure, and *is* doing more than necessary.

For general health and weight loss, up to 60 minutes a day is recommended. It's often best, especially for fitness gains, to simply get more out of those 60 minutes than spend more time exercising - do intervals and push yourself and work HARD those 60 minutes. Make them count. :)

However, adding in some yoga and walking to your day in addition to a (tough?) 60 minute class is not excessive exercise. I would say if you are enjoying this routine, that's FINE! The only problem is if you feel that you HAVE to do that much exercise "or else I won't lose weight". No, that would be false. But if you just LIKE to do that much exercise, go ahead!

People who exercise more need to ensure they're fuelled more. You can't work out 2 hours a day on 1200 calories. :)

As long as someone is adequately fit for the amount of exercise they've chosen to do, appropriately fuelling themselves, and have a realistic approach to weight loss, there is no actual problem.

The problem is more like people who spend 3 hours a day in the gym sweating up at the cardio gear in the false belief they have to do this for some reason.

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9/24/12 2:39 P

That is subjective.

For cardio exercises, if you have time and you are new to exercise, it may be a better idea to go slower but longer and gradually increase the intensity of the workouts as you get fitter while reducing the exercise time.

But if you have been exercising consistently for many months, it may be the time to increase the intensity and reduce the exercise time. I run random intervals 35mins those days that I don't lift weights. For many months, I used to run 2 to 3 10Ks, but after starting the weight lifting, I have reduced the distance I run to 15K weekly but increased the intensity.

For strength training, a full body workout should not take longer than 40mins if the exercises are properly chosen. I lift weights 2 to 3 times a week and each session is full body, and each takes me 37mins if I don't have to wait for the power rack available.

On the other hand, it is a bad idea to leave the gym exhausted after working out too long. Such workouts give the wrong message to the brain: That exercise is excessive, exhaustive stress. Exercise must be a mild stress, just about right to provoke improvement in fitness, but not so large that it wastes the body. Otherwise it will not be sustainable over the long run.

Edited by: MPLANE37 at: 9/24/2012 (16:30)

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Posts: 636
9/24/12 2:28 P

To keep myself from over-exercising, I limit myself to two hours per day. Not for any scientific reason--SP only awards SP points for up to two hours, so I figured that was a good stopping point.

From what I've read, 60 collective minutes per day is best for minimal, with each workout lasting at least ten minutes. So 6 ten minute workouts, or two half-hour work-outs, or a 15-minute and 45 minute work out should all provide decent health benefits. If you're stuck for time and can't get 60 collectively, then 10 minutes for one day is always better than none. And there is such a thing as over-exercising, which creates muscle fatigue, exhaustion, and not only prevents you from getting healthy but also deteriorates your progress.

I'm no expert, but what you do *sounds* just fine. You're doing plenty, but not over-doing it.

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Posts: 24
9/24/12 1:35 P

IMO what ever gets you moving would be the right answer. I do 30-45 minutes a day but I make sure it's high intensity. I run for 30 minutes 4 days a week, do bands with cardio for 40 minutes 2 days a week and on the 7th day I take a brisk 45 minute walk. If I did anymore than that I'd hate it and wouldn't do anything at all. With short intense workouts I burn up to 300 calories and actually enjoy doing it.

current weight: 136.7

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Posts: 844
9/24/12 1:26 P

I have heard some people say that you should exercise at least 60 minutes each day and others say that there is no benefit to exercising for more than 30 minutes. So how much time should I spend exercising each day? And are there disadvantages to exercising more than 30 or 60 minutes in a day?

Some days, like today, I do a 60 minute aerobics class in the morning and will go on a 30 minute walk at lunch and then probably do 20-30 minutes of yoga when I get home from work.

Is that too much? I really enjoy it, but I don't want to do something that might be bad for me.

current weight: 134.0

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