For those of you who workout at the gym...

how long do you usually work out for? An hour? 2? Longer??

DH surprised me this weekend w/ a new gym membership that is a lot closer to home for both of us & I really want to get back into the swing of things. I generally only workout for a 1/2 hour if I do the circuit or I will do an hour of cardio - but break it up between 20 min arc machine, 20 min bike, 20 min treadmill. DH thinks I need to go longer in order to see results. I figured I'd ask around to see if I am indeed doing enough or if I really need to do a lot more. TIA for your help ladies!

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Posted by Tomlaur0808

how long do you usually work out for? An hour? 2? Longer??

DH surprised me this weekend w/ a new gym membership that is a lot closer to home for both of us & I really want to get back into the swing of things. I generally only workout for a 1/2 hour if I do the circuit or I will do an hour of cardio - but break it up between 20 min arc machine, 20 min bike, 20 min treadmill. DH thinks I need to go longer in order to see results. I figured I'd ask around to see if I am indeed doing enough or if I really need to do a lot more. TIA for your help ladies!

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Absolutely not longer than an hour of cardio. In fact, that could even be too much cardio! It's 90% diet and nutritin so no matter how much you do if your diet isi not in check the cardio/weights won't do as much. I lift weights 4 times a week- back/bi, chest/tri/shoulders, legs, abs and do cardio 5-6 days a week usually between 20-45 minutes at each time!

ETA: I used to spend 3 hours a day doing cardio. Yes I had a problem. I would take three spin classes a day..sometimes four. and becaus emy nutrition wasn't good I didn't see the results I wanted..yes I looked thin but it was unhealthy! I was in the best shape ever at the time of our wedding doing 3 20 min sessions of cardio and 3 weight training sessions a week because of my diet.

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Posted by MrsDrinkh20

I was in the best shape ever at the time of our wedding doing 3 20 min sessions of cardio and 3 weight training sessions a week because of my diet.

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Totally agree with this! You don't need to go crazy with hours at the gym to get into shape. You can be super time efficient by combining weight/resistance exercises with cardio spurts (a trainer taught me this). I don't/can't spend more than 45 mins in the gym and still get a really good workout in!

I think you are fine. Here's my schedule if it helps!

Sunday:
20 minutes stairmaster
20 minutes treadmill
20 minutes abs

Tuesday:
10 minutes stairmaster
30 minutes treadmill
20 minutes legs

Thursday:
30 minutes stairmaster
10 minutes treadmill
15 minutes arms
10 minutes abs

I usually do an hour cardio class.
If Im doing weights I usually do about 1/2 hour but if its a strength class its an hour.
If I used the cardio machines I usually do 25 min on 2 separate.

It depends on the day but I usually do about an hour of cardio and then either weights or yoga. . I think the key is to mixing it up bc any exercise you do all the time will stop being effective in the same way. .

i do an hour of cardio 6x a week and then 45 mins of strength training 2x a week. Prior to the wedding, I was doing some 90 minute cardio sessions...got a tad obsessive.

MrsH2o if you know something I don't about the cardio, please let me know -- can you really do too much? I wouldn't mind doing less!

Make sure to add strength training to your cardio! That is how I really changed my body shape!

Good luck ! :)

I usually work out about an hour, 4 times a week..

On average I do 1 day of mega weights with light cardio, 2 days of mega cardio (spin class),and 1 day of 1/2 cardio, 1/2 light weights.

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Posted by MrsDrinkh20

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Posted by Tomlaur0808

how long do you usually work out for? An hour? 2? Longer??

DH surprised me this weekend w/ a new gym membership that is a lot closer to home for both of us & I really want to get back into the swing of things. I generally only workout for a 1/2 hour if I do the circuit or I will do an hour of cardio - but break it up between 20 min arc machine, 20 min bike, 20 min treadmill. DH thinks I need to go longer in order to see results. I figured I'd ask around to see if I am indeed doing enough or if I really need to do a lot more. TIA for your help ladies!

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Absolutely not longer than an hour of cardio. In fact, that could even be too much cardio! It's 90% diet and nutritin so no matter how much you do if your diet isi not in check the cardio/weights won't do as much. I lift weights 4 times a week- back/bi, chest/tri/shoulders, legs, abs and do cardio 5-6 days a week usually between 20-45 minutes at each time!

ETA: I used to spend 3 hours a day doing cardio. Yes I had a problem. I would take three spin classes a day..sometimes four. and becaus emy nutrition wasn't good I didn't see the results I wanted..yes I looked thin but it was unhealthy! I was in the best shape ever at the time of our wedding doing 3 20 min sessions of cardio and 3 weight training sessions a week because of my diet.

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Laurie,
Lauren is 100% right, without a proper diet all the gym going in the world won't make you see a difference. I am 41 years old, it took me YEARS to figure out that working out and dieting are mutually exclusive! You can't lose weight without changing poor diet habits, no matter how much cardio you do. I was in the best shape right before my wedding bc I started eating better...go figure! The gym definitely tones things up, but it's all about what you eat that makes you lose weight. Good luck and good for you that you started a gym program!
Also I will say a little prayer for your job interview tomorrow morning, good luck!!!

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Posted by Cassie15

I normally work out for at least an hour. Sometimes I try to squeeze in two hours. I do treadmill, bicep curls, arm curls, weights, crunches, sit-ups, squats, planks, ab work machine, leg extension, and warm-ups before and after working out. I would save the treadmill for last and do everything else for at least a half hour for 30-40 reps. I think the difficult part is consistency. If you stick to your schedule and you go at least 3-4x/wk. then you're more likely to see results. Sometimes I slack off and I end up going 2x/week. Also, DH works out and speaking from experience since he lost 20 pds on his own (from 178 to 158) doing cross-training, PX90 (ladies, don't even attempt it unless you have a lot of endurance, I gave up after a week), he tells me not to stick with a work-out routine b/c the muscles need change to grow so you have to confuse them by switching up your work-outs. Once the muscles get used to a routine, there won't be much change or difference in terms of toning & weight loss.

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Yes once u begin t o feel your workout becoming to easy then its time to change it or increase weight or speed depending upon what you are doing.