Exercise: Do you prefer to really push it for a short time or go slow for a longer?
 

I have a recumbant stationary bike that I am trying to get in the habit of using every day. Originally I wanted to do a slow ride for 45 minutes each day. The problem is, after about 15 minutes my butt hurts so bad I can't take it anymore. So now I am thinking about pushing as hard as I can for as long as I can. I figure if I can get up to 20 mph for 10 minutes I will burn just as many calories anyway (if not more). So far I can only make it three minutes at 20 mph, but that is still good for 100+ calories!

I was wondering what everyone else's approach is?

Yay for you on getting in regular exercise!!!!!

As for your questions, a lot of the answer depends on your goal. Burning fat vs burning cals... building endurance, etc. I don't think there's one right answer. Many people recommend interval training -- slower regular rate with intense BURSTS.

As for the seat -- maybe you can get something more comfortable??

But do be careful relying on the estimates of calories burned due to exercise. Both on the equipment and in software, they seem to vastly overestimate the calories we burn. I've compared what an elliptical tells me I've burned to what my heart rate monitor says. Both are estimates, but my HRM is typically at about 60-70% of the elliptical. In other words, when the elliptical says I've burned 300 calories, I assume it's really closer to 200.

I like both. There's nothing like the feeling of being able to sustain a good aerobic workout for 45 minutes or even an hour. I love the feeling of having that reserve and capability.

But I also love the feeling of a really intense workout for 20 minutes, 30 max, via interval training. It's a different kind of reserve and capability, and I like having that too!

Now, I'm not really up to either at the moment, but I'm working on it! My goal is one long run a week, and a couple 20 minute intense interval training runs, and maybe one steady 30 minute run.

I kind of do what I feel like doing.

Some days I just want to move for 30 or 40 minutes, and it just happens to be at an average pace. Other days I want to see what I can do, and end up going fast for short bursts.

Anything that gets you to exercise is the right way. It's consistency that's going to be the key.