I'm not into maintenance yet. But I have been reading the new recommendations by the usda for exercise. 90 min a day for maintenance? I manage 6 hours a week to lose. But 9 hrs a week to maintain? That seems like a lot. So I was wondering how many hours of exercise a week you maintaners do? 90 min a day just doesn't seem very realistic.

Hi Shhambo! Congratulations on your wonderful progress!

There's actually a scientific rationale for the new government recommendations. Studies show the vast majority of successful losers exercised for a hour a day, every day, while they were losing and that's why the government is recommending an hour per day for weight loss. It sounds like you're right on track with that exercise recommendation - good for you! But, as you note in your post, even more exercise - 60 to 90 minutes a day - is recommended for weight loss maintenance. The reason for the increase in the recommended time is because other studies, such as from the National Weight Loss Registry, show that's what successful maintainers have to do to keep the weight off.

And somehow most of us maintainers do manage to fit in those 60 - 90 minutes of exercise a day. It's something we've talked about a few times here in Maintainers - you might want to check out these threads about exercise:

• Ninety Minutes Of Daily Exercise Needed For Maintenance?
• Let's Talk Exercise!
• 60-90 mins a DAY? HOW!?!?!? from the Exercise Forum
• and from our Thin For Life book discussion in the Maintenance Library, Move It To Lose It

My personal exercise schedule is 45-60 minutes of cardio - bike, crosstrainer, or elliptical - about six days a week. Plus I lift weights 4 - 5 days a week for about an hour at a time. So I average anywhere from 510 to 660 minutes of intentional exercise a week, which is between 73 and 94 minutes a day. Plus I have a fairly physical job in a gym but don't count that . Those numbers aren't unusual for many of the maintainers - maybe some of the others will stop in and talk about what they do every week.

I think it's not a big deal for most of us to do that much exercise because it's become a very natural and normal part of our lives. We all had to exercise a lot in order to lose the weight and it truly became a lifestyle for us. In addition, most of us have discovered that exercise makes us feel upbeat and energized. Exercise is so much a part of my day, every day, that it would be like skipping my shower not to go to the gym. It would just plain feel WRONG!

If I ever start feeling like my motivation for exercise is flagging, all I have to do is think about going back to being that miserable, unhappy, exhausted 257-pound woman who was convinced that she hated to exercise. Those painful memories always get my butt out of bed and off to the gym at 6:00 AM!

Don't be surprised if the 60 - 90 minutes of exercise just happens naturally for you. You might not even need to think about it once you reach goal - it just may have already become a permanent part of your life.

Shhambo, one other factor to consider in how much time you need to spend exercising is how intensely you do it. NWCR participants average about 400 calories worth of exercise a day. If you walk for exercise, this is about 90 minutes. If you run, cycle, do an aerobics class, or hit the elliptical hard, it might take you less than 90 minutes to burn this amount. Also bear in mind that 400 cal/day is an average--some of us need more (like me), some maybe can do with a bit less. Depends a lot on your genetics, body composition, and how much you like to eat.

Once again, one size does not fit all!

Having said that, like Meg says beautifully above, once we make exercise a priority in our lives, it just seems to happen, whether you need 45 min a day or 120. Do what you can do, and by all means, don't give up if an average number the USDA threw out doesn't fit you! Nobody that has made the kind of progress you have is average.

Good luck.

Anne

wow, that's some great info. Thanks much guys!

The intensity factor is an important point. As Anne noted, walking 90 minutes a day (which might burn about 450 calories) has a very different impact on the body than running 90 minutes (which could burn 1,000 calories). The new fitness guidelines are necessarily aimed at the average person, not the endurance athlete. I can maintain my 120+ lost pounds with less than 90 minutes per day. To maintain, I generally run four times a week (or do equivalent cardio) and log 3 weightlifting sessions a week. One run is usually a long one. But that works out to 45 minutes a day, on average, I'd say. However, I know that If I want to kick it up a notch -- lose body fat, look leaner and tighter, get out of the 8s and into the 6s -- I have to do more than that. It's a balancing act. So I would say don't despair about the 90 minutes. For me, the key is to remember to push beyond the comfort zone at least part of every workout. A few minutes of extreme effort is worth more (at least for me) than many minutes of droning low-level cardio.

--Diamonda