Ask the Trainer: How Long Should I Exercise?
August 31, 2009 at 11:11 am, by jbrown
Welcome to the Ladies’ Lounge! My name is Jessica and I’ll be your resident weight loss blogger. Every Monday, I’ll either be posting tips or sharing the advice I’m giving to my fellow staffers who are trying to slim down. A little about me: I’m a personal trainer (certified by the American Council on Exercise) and I’ve been covering weight loss at a variety of magazines for over a decade. The topic is also a very personal one for me, which is why I’m so passionate about it. I’m fit and healthy now but I used to walk around with about 40 extra pounds on my frame. So if you’re currently struggling with your weight and feeling frustrated, I can relate. I’m not one of those lucky, naturally thin people who has no idea what you’re going through or how hard it can be to change your habits.
Now that my spiel is out of the way, let’s start by dealing with question that was bugging our lovely blog master Amanda:
I’ve read so much conflicting advice on how long you should work out if you want to lose weight: 30 minutes? 60 to 90 minutes? I’m totally confused.
Trust me, you’re not the only one who’s stumped by this. Read on to get the answer.
According to the most recent recommendations set by the American Heart Association and the American College of Sports Medicine, you should do moderately intense cardio 30 minutes a day, five days a week, to stay healthy and avoid chronic diseases. However, if you want to lose weight or maintain weight loss, you may need to log 60 to 90 minutes of activity… which sounds juuust a touch overwhelming.
But before you start wondering how you’re going to do that and maintain some semblance of a life, keep a few things in mind:
1. If you’re just starting to exercise, 60 minutes probably isn’t a realistic goal for you. Aim for the 30-minute guideline first…you may notice your pants getting looser just by doing that much. Check out the fitness section of lhj.com to find workouts that fit your ability and schedule.
2. You can burn more calories in less time by upping the intensity of your workout (when you’re ready, of course).
3. You don’t have to log all that activity in one shot. The effects of exercise are cumulative, so you can break it up into more doable 10- or 15-minute chunks.
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Categories: Health | Tags: ask the trainer, exercise, fitness, weight loss | 3 Comments
3 Responses to “Ask the Trainer: How Long Should I Exercise?”
Written on August 31, 2009 at 7:21 pm, by Jennifer
What is the fastest and best way to tone my sagging rear? This wasn’t a problem area for me even after childbirth. Now that I am in my forties, its all flab and no muscle. I tried jogging, walking, steps, and ballet excercises and still my rear is mush. Good luck with your column!
Jenny
Written on September 2, 2009 at 5:52 am, by Lisa M. Gerry
By now I have a heard a million times that I need to incorporate weight training into my workouts. But I have so many questions: Are the weight machines as good as free weights? How many reps do I need to do to see results? Does weight training really help you to lose weight? Any help is much appreciated! Thank you!
Written on April 17, 2011 at 2:17 pm, by Yoga Instructor
I appreciate the suggestion of breaking the exercise time into 10 to 15 minutes. This makes it much easier to accomplish the goal of working out for a certain period of time. It will help prevent a person from getting exhausted. Thanks for sharing these tips.