How often should you exercise(go to the gym) a week? How many minutes each time?

These two questions have been plaguing me for a long time.

At first I started out 5 days a week, then I found I could not commit, either due to not wanting to go that much or just being busy.
Now, I am on 4 days a week, but lately I end up going 3 times to the gym, then taking that 4th day to either do some alternate exercise (pilates, tabata's, etc).

I pay quite a bit a month for my gym membership, and I don't want to quit going. But I feel that for the amount I pay I should at least go 4 times a week. Just going 3 days is making me feel guilty.

What do you all do?

Thanks!

*Disregard* Duplicate posting.

You really just have to listen to your body and figure it out by trial and error. 5 times a week may be a bit too much if you're just starting out. Nobody has the same exercise regimen, so what works for 1 person may not work for another.

You may be getting bored with your workouts and maybe that's why you don't want to go. Nobody says that you have to slog away on the elliptical for 60 minutes (again, that may work for some and not for others), you can break your cardio up in different timeframes on different machines/activities so you don't lose your motivation.

My workout routine is pretty basic, I do 60 minutes 6 days a week of cardio and I also do 30-45 minutes of strength training 6 days a week.

But according to your ticker you've already lost 18lbs which means that you're doing something right, and that's the most important thing. Just keep working at it and you'll fall into a rhythm that you're comfortable with.

Start wherever it is you are at. Then build up toward what it takes.

For me I know it is 4x a week at 45 min a pop, if not 60. Doesn't matter what the workout is -- change it around so you don't get bored. But clock your time.

I also follow fitcysters since I have PCOS but there are some good links in the middle of this page about this topic under the heading

"How MUCH exercise is needed for weight loss?"

http://www.fitcysters.com/forum/topi...ht-fast-w-pcos

A.

Thanks all

Right now I try to do 4x a week, 45 minutes cardio each time and 20 minutes weight each time. I either do one machine for 30 minutes and another for 15 or I break it up into 3 machines for 15 minutes each and alternate machines each day.

I run 3X a week (C25K), Pilates 2X, and fitness ball/zumba on Saturdays.

Some times 1 of the pilate sessions gets skipped but that's pretty much my week - I take Sundays off usually.