How Many Days Per Week do you Exercise?

[TromboneAl]

Younger Next Year has me convinced that 6 days per week (40-60 minutes each) would be a good idea, but it just seems like too many.

I did 6 days/per week until about age 49, when I decided to exercise every other day to rest the muscles. One of the best feelings in the world has been waking up and realizing that the day is a "no exercise" day.

I'm doing 6 right now, but I don't like it.

 

[DallasGuy]

7 days a week with maybe 1-2 days off each month. I try to make working out a habit that I do regardless of how I feel, unless I'm sick. Also, I have no qualms about not working out when on vacation or traveling. I run every other day and the other days I lift weights. My weight lifting days are my "days off" since running seems to take more out of me than lifting weights.

 

[Notmuchlonger]

About 4 a week. 45 minutes with treadmill work varies between running and hill interval workouts. 3 days a week some upper body weights. The other 3 days wife and I take an hr walk but I wouldn't call that a workout. Vacations and holidays we usually skip doing anything in exercise nature.

 

[simple girl]

About 5 days a week. I vary my workouts so that after a hard workout, all I do is recumbent bicycling the next day. This is usually forced upon me anyways, because I frequently have pain the day after a hard workout (I have nerve damage and my left leg can only take so much). Somedays, though, I just feel completely wiped out and can't get up the motivation at all...hence the 5 days.

 

[Eyerishgold]

4-5 days per week. I have no problem taking a day off if I just don't feel like working out. I usually only feel guilty if I go more than 3 days without. I haven't done any cardio since around mid November but I lift heavier during the winter to bulk up a little so doing alot of cardio would be a bit counterproductive.

 

[RunningBum]

Al, do you do the same thing everyday? Cross training should hit different muscles, which makes it better for you and easier on you.

Can you find something more fun that you'll look forward to?

 

[Eagle43]

Seven days a week. I do admit that Sunday Morning's walk is lackadasical, but it is an hour in length. When I first began exercising, I would keep a log of how many miles I did. If I missed a day, I'd feel guilty. Since my knees and feet have been pounded too much (20 years jogging), I've quit running and walk 4.3 miles in an hour, with occasional stints on the bike and/or elliptical machine. With any luck, this and red wine will keep me alive until 100.

 

[Rivrider]

During the winter I'll do 5 or 6 days per week between light weight training and walking. Once the weather warms up and I can ride my bike regularly, I'll ride 5 days and use the dumbells the other 2.

 

[donheff]

I do structured workouts 3 days a week. But that doesn't count other forms of excercise like biking, or snowboarding, which I am doing tomorrow.

 

[TromboneAl]

Al, do you do the same thing everyday? Cross training should hit different muscles, which makes it better for you and easier on you.

Right. I do alternate. Running, rowing machine, splitting firewood, biking and surfing. Last three are limited by the weather. Adding weight training soon.

Can you find something more fun that you'll look forward to?

Probably not. I'm just lazy today and bitching about all the stuff I have to do. I have no real complaints.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Does cooking an entire pound of bacon count as exercise?

 

[toofrugalformycat]

Seven days. I'm a gymaholic. It's my main socialization. Plus if I want to remain able to walk I have to do resistance leg work (knee problems). When the weather's good I play outside instead of or in addition to the gym.
If I miss a day, it's like I didn't brush my teeth. Yuck.
It's one of my favorite things about ERing. I have time to work out every day BEFORE I get a heart attack (my dad had the heart attack first, while still working, then took up the gym).
My body (and my father's I suspect) was designed to make it through the winter on a single turnip, I swear. Burn those calories!

 

[Lakedog]

Seven days a week......I usually run 5 miles four days a week and the other three days I exercise for at least an hour (pushups, crunches, weights). I have had the same routine for several years, but travel causes a few blips at times. I have mostly kept to this routine since recovering from an accident several years ago (tree fell on me......fractured vertebra, spinal cord contusion, brokern arm, fractured ribs). I feel great as long as I exercise but not so much when I miss the routine for a few days.

 

[Sarah in SC]

Like Al, I read Younger Next Year and was disheartened to discover that I'd have to keep this up to live healthier! We do two days with the trainer every week, then go in to the gym another 2-3 days, depending on if we get some weekend exercise walking or biking or kayaking.

It is a habit sort of thing, and if I just have to go there on the way home, then I do it. If I have an excuse not to go, it is a guilty pleasure to skip! I can do 5, but I really don't see making 6 times a week like the book advocates.

Why is life so unfair that drinking beer six days a week wouldn't have the same effect? Or cooking bacon? Sigh.

 

[Twinkle Toes]

Does cooking an entire pound of bacon count as exercise?

Only if you chase down the pig first, slaughter it and make the bacon before you cook it.

 

[Khan]

Only if you chase down the pig first, slaughter it and make the bacon before you cook it.

Cectic - Raw Foodism

 

[Khan]

I slacked off in late December, but am now back to three times a week and slowing increasing repetitions.

Starting in February I will be walking thirty minutes per day (unless the weather is really nasty).

I think I don't want to exercise, then like it once I start, and feel better after having done so.

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

3 mile walks with DW with five-mile jogs alternate days, at a pretty leisurely pace. When the temperature is over 85 I do 8 minutes jogging, 2 minutes walking til I get to my 5 miles.

I look forward to it most days. Plug in the iPod with the Nike gadget, wear a pulse monitor when it's hot just to be safe. Been doing it for years - no - decades.

 

[Nords]

Probably not. I'm just lazy today and bitching about all the stuff I have to do. I have no real complaints.

3x/week martial arts, 1-2x/week surfing, and some yardwork. I really hate Chris Crowley-- even Bill "Body For Life" Phillips isn't this fanatical.

We're also contemplating a black belt test in Jan 2009, which means extra workouts to buildup our pushup/situp/running muscles. I haven't run since I retired from Navy physical fitness tests in late 2001.

 

[deserat]

3-5 x weekly - 2-3 x weights along with 3-4 x aerobic - either hike (10 miles this weekend), snow skiing or badminton on weekends - running and elliptical and bike at gym for aero - 6 days would be hell, however, I can see as the metabolism slows, more aero is necessary - I have been doing some interval work - if done right it kills, but is fairly efficient - my weight workout is circuit - try to failure, 2x through. Running is getting harder on knees and back. Bacon is great, especially from Costco already cooked

 

[Insanity]

Right now I workout four, five, sometimes six days a week, but that's because my weight-loss program seems to have stalled at 178 lbs. I lost 20+ lbs to get down to 178 +/- 2 lbs and have held that weight for about two years, but I really need to get down under 165 and have to do something to make that happen.

Working out is hardest during the winter months, when cold/wet weather keeps me indoors instead of out hiking or bicycling (which I really enjoy), so my workouts are limited to doing stuff in the gym.

I'm really looking forward to warmer, drier weather this year. I have a new bicycle, a 2007 Specialized Roubaix that I've been drooling over for two-plus years and finally bought this month as a $1170 winter-close-out special. Yay!

It's 31 degrees (F) outside :-(

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Only if you chase down the pig first, slaughter it and make the bacon before you cook it.

How about driving to costco, managing a 3 year old who wants every toy he sees and to play in the red dune buggy they have out front, dodging 47 people who are all standing around with carts akimbo while they wait for a tiny bite of some crappy food sample, negotiating a line of people at the exit and dodging 12 drivers who would rather kill a pedestrian to get a parking space than park 10' further away?

Shoot, now that you mention it, i'm going pig hunting in the morning.

 

[Ronstar]

generally 7 days a week - I may miss 2-3 days a month. I do cardio on one day, weights the next, then cardio, etc.... Cardio is either 4-5 miles on treadmill, hiking or biking. Weight days I alternate with either push exercises (pushups, incline press, triceps, dips, mil press) or pull (seated rows, upright rows, curls, lat pulls).

 

[retire@40]

Younger Next Year has me convinced that 6 days per week (40-60 minutes each) would be a good idea, but it just seems like too many...

Look at it this way...

1 hour a day for 6 days a week = 312 hours a year

If you do this for 60 years, you just used up about 2 years of your life working out to live an extra 10 years (maybe).

Now you have to decide if it's worth it.

 

[dumpster56]

Right now I workout four, five, sometimes six days a week, but that's because my weight-loss program seems to have stalled at 178 lbs. I lost 20+ lbs to get down to 178 +/- 2 lbs and have held that weight for about two years, but I really need to get down under 165 and have to do something to make that happen.

Working out is hardest during the winter months, when cold/wet weather keeps me indoors instead of out hiking or bicycling (which I really enjoy), so my workouts are limited to doing stuff in the gym.

I'm really looking forward to warmer, drier weather this year. I have a new bicycle, a 2007 Specialized Roubaix that I've been drooling over for two-plus years and finally bought this month as a $1170 winter-close-out special. Yay!

It's 31 degrees (F) outside :-(

178 and you want to get to 165. Ya gotta starve yourself on this area. Yes I am at 179 and the only way I get to 165 when I am racing is to cut out all alcohol, all breads/pasta go to the veggies steamed, salads no oils but vinegars, low fat chicken and fish, no fatty sauces and calories of only 1000 a day. It will get you to that weight but you will be hungry at times until your body adjusts to the lower caloric intake. But when you put on those 32 inch waist jeans and have that flat gut it was all worth it!

Oh and workout 2X a day, yes about 2 hours of running and cross training a day for 2 months will get you to the place of the 165!! I am on this plan as of yesterday. My goal is 165 by april 1 08, I am at 179 this morning.