How long do you exercise for each day? And how do you find the time to fit it into your day?
I'm wondering this to help myself scheduling exercise every day.
I exercise most days for 60-90 minutes. I look at each day and figure out how and when I will fit exercise in. I belong to a gym that is open 24 hours so the way I see it is that I don't really have an excuse not to find the time. It does depend on whether you work, have a family, etc., but I do feel it is important to make the time.
I exercise 2.5 to 3 hours per week. Right now, in the summer, all I do is run 5K 4 times per week. It's what I most enjoy, so I figure I'm most likely to keep at it. In the colder months I go the gym and do 3 classes per week (usually spin, kickboxing, and pump). For many years I used to be "unable" to fit exercise into my day, but I now realize I simply hadn't made the commitment. Once you make the commitment, fitting it in is easy.
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Last edited by freelancemomma; 08-05-2012 at 08:12 PM.
When I am feeling good, I exercise 2-4 hours per week.
But I frequently have to time take off for migraines, etc, and still am able to maintain my weight through calorie counting. Exercise is important, but even if you can't go as much as you'd like, it's still very possible to maintain.
I tell myself it's non-negotiable and that it's something that I have to do.
I have a demanding job with long hours, but no family or even a pet to care for. My time is my own.
But maybe a good question to ask yourself is what you want to get out of your exercise sessions.
There are people who just want to move, for the joy of it, to keep their bodies from falling into disuse ... and people who are just looking for an extra margin of error for a few calories a day ... there are people who want to improve race times for marathons ... and people who want to radically change the shape of their bodies ... and people who want to get a fat dog back in shape while also tuning up their own cardio fitness just a little so they're not out of breath while climbing stairs ... and people who want to become limber and meditative and de-stress ... There's such a wide spectrum. Who am I to tell any of them how much time they've got to clock each week?
I mean, what is your goal and what do you hope to get through exercising? That's partly what ought to determine your schedule and how much time you give over to it.
I've changed along the way from someone who wanted to be as thin as possible to someone who wants to be muscular and to be able to do things that require strength. I am not trying to look like a dancer anymore. I finally accepted that I'm a mesomorph, even if I'm a slightly smaller one, and my forte may be strength. That led me to a different routine than what I followed a couple years ago. And more research into strength training, and it just went on from there. It turned into a hobby. Hobbies take up more time than hygienic routines.
Thanks for all the replies!
My goal is to eventually do 60 minutes a day so life is physically easier. I don't know if that will be enough exercise for maintenance.
Not that much, to be honest. I fit in some 1-hour body-combat or other DVD or jogging session on my days off (twice a week), but the other days aren't so good in that regard. On the other hand, I try to make sure that 'physical activity' is part of my every day life. I.e. I never ride the elevator, I go to town on foot/bike only, I always stand & walk in my classroom (when I could keep sitting behind my desk all day long), I fidget a lot anyway when I'm listening to music, etc. It's not 'real' exercise, but I think it works in the long run.
I don't actually formally excercise, as in go to a gym, or take time out of my day to walk or jog or lift weights. I just don't have time. The reason I don't have time is because I'm too busy push mowing, weeding, hoeing, pruning, trimming, building, cleaning, scrubbing, canning, cooking, etc.
I traded in my old hobbies of surfing the net, reading, sewing and movie watching to more physical home and farm productive activities. Once school starts, my job is also very physical and keeps me on my feet moving for most of the morning and afternoon. (ugh, I dread going back! haha!)
I guess what I'm trying to say is that I have reduced my waking hours moving/sitting ratio from a previous 5%/95% to 95%/5%. It has been working well for me so far!
30-60 minutes most days. More or less depending. I run, jog, elliptical, stair climb, lift weights, do kettlebell exercises, occasionally hit a Zumba class, and hike and walk a lot when it's nice out.
I try to do 45 mins/day of cardio. I just told myself I have to do it to maintain this loss. But every day does not have to be running a 5K. Sometimes it's something like hula hooping in front of the tv at 8pm after my daughter's in bed. Or doing Zumba for the WII. Or walking the dog. As long as I am moving for 45 mins, I'm good. And I find having at least 4 options is really helpful, so I can feel like a have a choice. I do try to do more intense exercise at least 3 times a week, when I do run 5K or more.
I also go to yoga once/week.
Now strength training- that I'm still struggling with. It's my challenge for the fall.
I exercise between 3-5 xs/week. Sometimes I do a fitness DVD (such as 30 day shred), other days I run for 45 minutes outside, other days I use the treadmill at the fitness center in my apartment complex... I do things that make me feel good and bring my heart rate up and make me sweat.
However, I am also careful about what I eat. To me, that is the biggest part of maintaining. I am 4'11" and weigh 109 lbs now, probably eating between 1600-2,000 calories per day. I have been maintaining for about a year now.
Anywhere from 20-120 minutes. It's hard to formally keep track because while I do go to the gym and take fitness classes I will do 10 minute quick sessions of body weight and/or weight training when I can fit it in. It's easy to find time fr those because those can even be done at work.
My philosophy is that some exercise is better than no exercise!
I used to do 6-7 days a week for about an hour each time, but I find the 4 day a week schedule leaves me more flexible and I prefer it. Each day, I do strength training for one body part and cardio.
I also try to do active things on the weekend like hiking or going for a walk around the neighborhood or swimming in the pool, but I don't think of that as exercise.
Coming up on 2 years of weight maintenance after losing 120 lb.
My workout routine has evolved over the years and tends to be very seasonal due to my job. I do marine research and for 4-5 months per year in the summer in FL I am out in the sun all day long and worn out, so I tend to do less structured exercise during my field season.
In an ideal world, and more during the cooler months, I strength train for about 60 minutes x 3 a week (Ok, I would love to do more than that, but it just isn't happening. I have to work to support myself, and sleep, and take care of the dog). I might do some extra cardio at the gym if I have time or energy, usually stairmaster or elliptical. I got a very energetic dog about 1.5 years ago and I wog or power walk her 20-25 miles a week in the cooler months. I used to do a lot more cardio at the gym, but traded it for dog walking when I got my fur baby. In the summer if I strength train 2x per week and do ~15 miles with the dog I'm doing well!
I try to go to a community yoga class once a week. I use it more of a stretching tool and for relaxation/stress relief, not expecting to burn a whole lot of calories. I also try to come up with active hobbies to do with my friends - snorkeling, diving, kayaking, paddleboarding, bike riding, even fishing on a boat is more active than sitting at home at the keyboard. Having fun and getting quality time in with your friends makes it seems like it's not exercise. This can work with family as well.
If you're having trouble fitting exercise in, perhaps scheduling it in first thing or early in the day will help. That way you don't have time to find other things to do, and put it off and off... also I find when I'm in the "habit" it's second nature. When I get home in the winter, I just get the dog and go (in the summer it is too hot right after work, and having the routine vary drives me crazy). I also go straight to the gym after work. I don't let myself go home, change, decide to have a snack, check facebook, etc etc. I just go.
Also, build it up slowly! A goal of 60 minutes a day is great, but don't feel like you must do it all at once. Start with 15 minutes a day, then 20. A few days a week, then a little more often, until you're doing it every day or almost every day. Don't let the idea of doing everything at once intimidate you.
Questions for maintainers
