Help me come up with a plan?

  • For about a month I've been exercising every single day. My mom says it's fine, but everyone else is telling me it's way too much. What do you guys think? I bike for 40 minutes, then I do 30 minutes to an hour of tae bo (either Ab Bootcamp, or Billy Blank's cardio). I also do squats, sit ups, push ups, etc.

    Should I step it down to exercising only every 5 days?

    If so, how should I break my routine up? If I'm not doing it obsessively every single day, I don't know what to do.
  • sounds like a lot. as you lose weight you will need to increase or change your exercise to continue to see results. You should also consider maintenance. Do you want to exercise like this for the long term?
  • Quote: sounds like a lot. as you lose weight you will need to increase or change your exercise to continue to see results. You should also consider maintenance. Do you want to exercise like this for the long term?
    Well yes and no. I took basically some time off to focus on weight loss. So I have until about October to do nothing but eat, sleep, and exercise. So I want to get as much in as I can. And maintenance is 30-40lbs away, so I'm not worried about it right now.

    I just don't know how to break up what I'm doing every single day over a period of 5 days.
  • Listen to your body. If you're tired, take a day off. I exercise every day most weeks, or at least 6 days a week. I do lighter days and more intense days, and I never lift weights 2 days in a row. But I LOVE to work out. I'm not doing it because I'm obsessing, I'm doing it because I enjoy it. So if you're having fun and not obsessing, I say go for it. Just make sure you have easier days so you give your muscles a chance to recover. The recovery time is when your muscles rebuild themselves and get stronger. So if you're doing push ups one day, do squats the next, and mix up your cardio so you're doing something different every day and so you have some lighter days mixed in. Your body will tell you when it's time to take a break. Just be sure to listen to it.
  • I think its a bit much cardio, maybe you could switch it up some. Heres a link regarding too much cardio:

    http://www.marksdailyapple.com/chronic-cardio/
  • It looks good to me -- I like tiffany0809's suggestions.

    If you want a rest day, but not really an off day, you might try some yoga or a long stretching workout. Or, you could try a long hike or outdoors walk where the focus is on being active more than on getting your exercise minutes in.
  • Let me guess, these people who are telling you it's "too much" are not exercising, are they?

    As the saying goes, the person who says it cannot (or should not) be done, should not interrupt the person doing it.

    Listen to your body and do what you want. And leave those people in the dust.
  • How's this look?

    Monday: Abs and legs min 30 min, Ab Bootcamp 30 min
    Tuesday: Chest and Butt 20 min
    Wednesday: Day off
    Thursday: Back 18 min, Tae bo cardio 40 min
    Friday: Arms and abs 40 min
    Saturday: 40 min bike, 8 min tae bo workout
    Sunday: Day off

    That way I'd still be getting a good work out for the week, but I'd be taking 2 days off at least. Still too much cardio? I just have no idea how to break it up.
  • I'm still not clear on why you are feeling the need to change what you are doing? Are you injured? Do you want to back off? Is a medical professional telling you to back off?

    If your previous plan was working for you, keep it. Ignore the people telling you it's "too much".
  • Quote: I'm still not clear on why you are feeling the need to change what you are doing? Are you injured? Do you want to back off? Is a medical professional telling you to back off?

    If your previous plan was working for you, keep it. Ignore the people telling you it's "too much".
    Because I don't want to a)burn out b)have a heart attack or some lame crap like that. I didn't consult a doctor before I started anything, I don't even have insurance. I just don't want to kill/injure myself.
  • How does your body feel? how long have you been at that schedule?

    It doesn't look like too much to me. I bike that much or more almost every day, and will often swim, go to 1.5 hours of yoga, hike or something else the same day.

    Our bodies are amazing, and the more we do, the more we can do.

    I biked 1.5 hours this morning, and I just biked back to the beach to swim for 1/2 an hour after dinner.
  • If you have already built up to this fitness level and are handling it, then I don't think it is too much. (If you are just beginning, then I would say different about starting here.)

    If you are tired of this routine, you could change it depending on your fitness goals. What are you trying to do? Get ready for a race? Get stronger? Learn a new sport?

    A common way to split cardio and weights over two weeks is like this

    Mon Lower Body Weights
    Tues Cardio
    Wed Upper Weights
    Thurs Cardio
    Fri Lower weights
    Sat Cardio
    Sun Rest

    Mon Upper Body Weights
    Tues Cardio
    Wed Lower Weights
    Thurs Cardio
    Fri Upper weights
    Sat Cardio
    Sun Rest

    A.
  • Quote: If you have already built up to this fitness level and are handling it, then I don't think it is too much. (If you are just beginning, then I would say different about starting here.)

    I began 3ish weeks ago, and I began with 30 min of biking, then bumped it up to 40, then added tae bo. So I'm used to it, but still sorta beginning.

    I want to lose weight/inches on my stomach, but also need to work on my arms and thighs.
  • I think you're doing fine... You're body will tell you when you're tired and then that's the time to listen to it.... You're friends are just worried and not used to seeing you workout like this because you never did before and it's kinda shocking to them...

    In a bit though you may have to increase the intensity of your cardio, doing hills or HIIT (high intensity interval training) for a change of pace...

    The way to lose weight/inches on your stomach, arms and thighs is to keep doing cardio, to lose the fat, keep weight training to increase muscles. As you lose fat the muscles will pop and voilą lean trim arms, thighs, stomach not THAT easy of course, but you know what I mean