According to the Department of Health and Human Services, you need to work out at least 150 minutes a week for moderate exercise and a minimum of 75 minutes for vigorous workouts. How you divide that workout time depends on you. You won’t get the benefits if it’s done all in one day and it could even cause injury. Should you workout every day, or is every other day just as beneficial? There’s no real guidance on this but I have my own philosophy based on science.
Workout every day, but vary your workout.
Strength training should be part of your workout regimen. When it is, you need a day or two between workouts for the tiny microtears in the muscle to heal. Should you sit at home during those rest days? No! The days you aren’t strength training should be devoted to other types of exercise, such as flexibility training and endurance/cardio workouts. Remember, the 75 to 150 minutes is a minimum amount of exercise time.
Doing something every day is better than doing nothing.
While the minimum for moderate workouts is 150 minutes, I believe that between 240 and 300 minutes a week if far better, particularly if your goal is weight loss. You can also increase the intensity and reduce the amount of time spent every day. Vigorous exercise cuts the amount of time in half. If you do a half hour of exercise six days a week with three days of vigorous exercise and three days of moderate exercise, it’s like doing 270 minutes of moderate exercise for the week.
Exercise can include a number of activities.
You don’t have to do deep knee bends to get exercise. You can go for a walk, ride your bike or swim. If you’re running short on time, make your housework part of your regimen. Do it with vigor or turn on the music and dance your way through the tasks. Our programs can guide you with a program designed to help you get the right amount of all types of exercise and become your fittest quicker.
- One interesting study found that you could break your workout into sections, as long as each was at least ten minutes long. If you don’t have time to walk for a half hour, go for three ten minute walks throughout the day.
- As a general rule for those that want to lose weight, doing strength training two to three times a week, straight cardio two days a week and active resting–such as walking, is a good plan. I’ll create a plan designed specifically for you.
- You might think that more is better and do hours of exercise every day, including vigorous strength training. Exercising, particularly strength training, too much can actually negate your efforts to get fit and cause muscle loss.
- Make workouts fun and have a workout partner to share successes and goals. A workout partner will hold you accountable. Consistency and staying active are the keys to success.
For more information, contact us today at Reggie C Fitness