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How Much Should I Be Working Out?

Hello Fitness Gurus,

I had my 6 month check-up with my Nutrionist and doctor on Tuesday.

I am currently completing 30 mins on my elliptical, 4 days per week.

Plus, I add some arm exercises with 5 pounds of weights for about 5 minutes.

My nutrionist felt that was sufficient.

However, my doctor thought

that I should increase to 60 mins., 4 days per week.

What has worked best for you?

Am I doing enough, not enough?

Frankly, I am confused.

Your responses will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

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  • Butterthebean
    Butterthebean

    It surely depends on what your goals are. If you're still trying to lose weight, I would agree that you need more than 30 minutes. Some people like at least an hour 4-5 times per week. I find it

  • JamaicanGirl2011
    JamaicanGirl2011

    Thank you all for your comments! I will build up slowly. I am thinking an extra 5 minutes per workout per week until I get to 60 mins????

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Hi, I'm not a fitness guru at all, just an old ex-bodybuilder. . .but from what the books say, work out 30 minutes 3x per week including cardio and strength training. Back in the day I would work out 4 hours x 5 days a week and 6 hours on saturday and sunday. . pure bloody hell. . . .now i don't do anything hahahaha.

I have heard that for folks with serious weight problems that 60 minutes is a minimum. Yikes! I am not a fitness guru, this is just what I have read. I sometimes don't quite get the full time in, sometimes get in more, and I always take 1 day off per week.

It surely depends on what your goals are. If you're still trying to lose weight, I would agree that you need more than 30 minutes. Some people like at least an hour 4-5 times per week. I find it easier to do only 45 minutes but workout at least 6 days a week.

If you want to do more than just lose, if you want to become a fitness freak, you might consider working up to at least 1 hour per day 6 days a week.

I don't like taking days off, but I do give myself an easy workout day once a week instead. Every one is different, and your body can only do what it can do. Whatever you do, if you increase your workouts, build them up SLOWLY.

  • Author

It surely depends on what your goals are. If you're still trying to lose weight, I would agree that you need more than 30 minutes. Some people like at least an hour 4-5 times per week. I find it easier to do only 45 minutes but workout at least 6 days a week.

If you want to do more than just lose, if you want to become a fitness freak, you might consider working up to at least 1 hour per day 6 days a week.

I don't like taking days off, but I do give myself an easy workout day once a week instead. Every one is different, and your body can only do what it can do. Whatever you do, if you increase your workouts, build them up SLOWLY.

Thank you all for your comments!

I will build up slowly.

I am thinking an extra 5 minutes per workout per week until I get to 60 mins????

My opinion, 30 min is not enough and 5 min upper body wts is also not enough. Recommend as others have said at least 45-60 min of cardio most days of the week and wt. lifting 15-30 min three days per week. Try to do some leg work like (squats/lunges) to tone up the legs and glutes. Good luck to you and you are doing great.

  • Author

My opinion, 30 min is not enough and 5 min upper body wts is also not enough. Recommend as others have said at least 45-60 min of cardio most days of the week and wt. lifting 15-30 min three days per week. Try to do some leg work like (squats/lunges) to tone up the legs and glutes. Good luck to you and you are doing great.

FindingMeMe,

Thank you!

Lunges is one of my weakness! Now squats, I can do.

Maybe I can get some butt implants and be done with it?? :)

FindingMeMe' date='

Thank you!

Lunges is one of my weakness! Now squats, I can do.

Maybe I can get some butt implants and be done with it?? :)[/quote']

I need some butt implants to.. i am so very flat lol. ;)

Congratulations on your weight loss success already!

I was told by my surgeon to step the exercise up too.... so I went from 30 min on elliptical and added 30 minutes fast walk on highest incline on treadmill to take it to 60 minutes total. Do this 3 times a week and you will see some good results.

My personal trainer says high incline+moderate speed= calorie burning machine! He is right- I went from a sloooooow loss to 2.5lbs/week consistently. My gym has a special treadmill that goes up to 30% and when its available, I use that one and really work it out!

Also- I was getting bored with my workouts so I added a class at my gym once a week. Really has helped working muscles I didnt know I had, made my workouts interesting and has gotten me more involved with my fitness.

Go fitness girls! :)

My surgery is late October and my current pre-op is 1500-1800 cals and:

4-5 days per week --> elliptical (45 min)

3 days per week --> couch to 5K

5 days weight lifting

* chest&tri's (mon&thurs)

* back&bi's (tues&fri)

* legs (wed)

Golf on Saturdays

If I skip any day above I do 30DS that day instead.

Following this plan I have lost 25lbs and went from the biggest belt notch to the smallest since the 4th of July!

  • Author

Congratulations on your weight loss success already!

I was told by my surgeon to step the exercise up too.... so I went from 30 min on elliptical and added 30 minutes fast walk on highest incline on treadmill to take it to 60 minutes total. Do this 3 times a week and you will see some good results.

My personal trainer says high incline+moderate speed= calorie burning machine! He is right- I went from a sloooooow loss to 2.5lbs/week consistently. My gym has a special treadmill that goes up to 30% and when its available, I use that one and really work it out!

Also- I was getting bored with my workouts so I added a class at my gym once a week. Really has helped working muscles I didnt know I had, made my workouts interesting and has gotten me more involved with my fitness.

Go fitness girls! :)

CaliKat,

Thank you!

I will definitely try that!

Congratulations on your weight loss!

Way to go!

  • Author

My surgery is late October and my current pre-op is 1500-1800 cals and:

4-5 days per week --> elliptical (45 min)

3 days per week --> couch to 5K

5 days weight lifting

* chest&tri's (mon&thurs)

* back&bi's (tues&fri)

* legs (wed)

Golf on Saturdays

If I skip any day above I do 30DS that day instead.

Following this plan I have lost 25lbs and went from the biggest belt notch to the smallest since the 4th of July!

Donny,

Excellent!

Thank you!

You need 60 minutes a day of good heart pumping cardio 4 days a week to LOSE weight. Then I would add a half hour weight regimen for toning and strength.

Good morning. My only word of advice is to look at your life style. Do you enjoy it? How much spare time do you really have? I personally only enjoy early am workouts. Nothing after a hard work day. If you enjoy what you're doing now and don't want to become a "slave" to exercise which eventually causes you to stop doing it, then keep doing what makes you happy and helps. In my many attempts to lose weight and keep it off, I would exercise as much as I could, I'd reach my goal and think that was enough. I learned with this surgery to do something at least 4-5n days a week, but not to become a "gym rat" and or exercise every chance I get, but enjoy and look forward to doing something that makes me happy and feel good. Consistency

is key. I wish you the best of luck.

  • Author

You need 60 minutes a day of good heart pumping cardio 4 days a week to LOSE weight. Then I would add a half hour weight regimen for toning and strength.

Fluffylibra30,

Thank you!!

  • Author

Good morning. My only word of advice is to look at your life style. Do you enjoy it? How much spare time do you really have? I personally only enjoy early am workouts. Nothing after a hard work day. If you enjoy what you're doing now and don't want to become a "slave" to exercise which eventually causes you to stop doing it, then keep doing what makes you happy and helps. In my many attempts to lose weight and keep it off, I would exercise as much as I could, I'd reach my goal and think that was enough. I learned with this surgery to do something at least 4-5n days a week, but not to become a "gym rat" and or exercise every chance I get, but enjoy and look forward to doing something that makes me happy and feel good. Consistency

is key. I wish you the best of luck.

Happy1957,

Thank you!

You are absolutely right.

I enjoy the elliptical and walking so I will stick to those activities.

You are absolutely

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