Exercise

annolope · Post by **annolope** » Thu Feb 09, 2006 2:45 am

Hi Folks,

Can some of you that have had success give me an idea of approximately how much exercise you are doing per week. I know that most "experts" say that you need to do 1 hour of exercise per day to lose, but I agree that the success of this program lies in doing what you know you will maintain, not what you will get tired of within 2 weeks.

Thanks,

gratefuldeb67 · Post by **gratefuldeb67** » Thu Feb 09, 2006 3:24 am

Hi Annalope!
I generally do about four days of exercise a week, and usually it's between 30 and 90 minutes... On my own I usually eek out about a forty minute workout of a combination of Shovelglove, Yoga and lately I've added crunches.. In class I usually exercise for between 75 and 90 minutes...
The one exercise I recommend for losing weight is walking..
That's something that *I* need to talk myself into doing once it warms up again...
Good luck!
Peace and Love,

Deb

MerryKat · Post by **MerryKat** » Thu Feb 09, 2006 9:04 am

Hi Annolope

I am using the 8 Minutes in the Morning program by Jorge Cruise. This is a weight program where you do 4 sets of 12 reps of 2 different exercises. I do these for about 10 min 5 days a week - 50min per week.

I used this to help me lose weight after my first child and along with the WW I was using then I was at my smallest ever and I was toned. I fell off the wagon with my second pregnancy and just never managed to get back on!

I have done it for the last 6 weeks (only missing the odd day) and this is a major achievement for me. I know most people here feel it is not enough and I agree, but at present this is what I have time for and it works for me. I would rather be doing this little bit consistently than start a major thing that I never do. With 8MM I actually do it!

My suggestion would be to find something that you enjoy and start there.

Post by **reinhard** » Thu Feb 09, 2006 1:28 pm

Don't let that minimum put you off: anything helps, just get started. The hardest, most important part is moving from nothing to something, and doing it consistently. Scaling up from there (if you still think it's necessary, you might not) is easy.

The only exclusive exercise time I have is 14 minutes of shovelglove on weekdays. So 14 * 5 = 70 minutes a week. It does plenty.

But I also walk about an hour a day, to and from work, and during my lunch break. I don't consider this exclusively or even primarily exercise: I do it to get where I have to go, to get a little privacy, to see someplace new, to listen to an audiobook, to think. I don't walk super fast or pump my arms or anything, it's just regular walking. But despite the fact that it doesn't feel like exercise, it is probably the best exercise you can do. It's safe, it's pleasurable, it's useful, it's sustainable, and over time, it's very effective.

It doesn't sound like much, and it isn't, but as I mentioned on the no-s home page, this, plus no-s, lost me 40 pounds in a year and kept it off for about 3 more years. If that's insufficiently impressive, consider that the only exercise Jared of Subway fame did to halve himself was walking -- and he walked even less than I do (about 1.5 miles a day vs. 3).

Reinhard

gratefuldeb67 · Post by **gratefuldeb67** » Thu Feb 09, 2006 2:49 pm

Who cares about Jared!!!!

(sorry Jared, I am joking LOL..)

We all want to look like Reinhard!!!!!!!!!!
LOL....
(Well maybe without the vandyke beard in my case...)

REINHARD IS OUR HERO!!!!
Love,

Deb

navin · Post by **navin** » Fri Feb 10, 2006 1:17 am

How much exercise I do a week varies by the week, but a typical week is something like this:

Strength training at the gym (usually split into 2 30 minute sessions for convenience)

Some running, usually 10 minutes at a time, once or twice a week. Sometimes an odd 5K (30 minutes) thrown in on the weekends.

Hockey (1 hour)

In warmer months, the hockey is replaced by walking or biking.

And then there is the occasional game of basketball, spinning class at the gym, or other random stuff.

So I probably average about 30 minutes a day, usually less in the winter.

annolope · Post by **annolope** » Fri Feb 10, 2006 2:19 am

Thanks for the info folks, it is very helpful.
I am all about the walking thing, I also have a gazel
which is kinda cool, easy on the joints and the feet.
It can be used inside too, since winter lasts till May
here.

Thanks again,
Annolope

Kevin · Post by **Kevin** » Fri Feb 10, 2006 7:52 pm

Five sets of 60 pushups scattered throughout the day. I'm trying to work to 100 reps in a set. I was doing more sets/fewer pushups, but that just got too intrusive.

Three/four days a week: 3 sets of 7-10 pullups, 15-20 dips, 15 rows, 20 "diamond" pushups. Working to increase these week by week. The boy does this bodyweight exercise with me, which is good for his 12-year-old-self. He's not doing these numbers yet, but he's getting stronger.

Six days a week: Walk for 45 minutes (this as much for my Australian Shepherd as for me: as it clears his head and makes him happy, it does me, too).

SG has been relegated to the back burner for now, but I'm ready to start introducing it again. I like changing up my training.

BTW, if your main goal is to lose weight, walk for exercise. IMHO, it's the best.

creaky · Post by **creaky** » Sat Feb 11, 2006 4:49 am

I walk at my morning break (15 mins) and 30 mins at lunch. I also walk my dogs for 25-30 min M, T, Th, and Friday, then twice a day on Sat and Sunday.

I do the shovelgloving M-F for 10 mins. I'm slowly increasing it each week. I've added pushups, lunges and squats.

Once I get a recumbent bike, I'll go back to riding the bike each day. I miss riding but my wrists were hurting me too much.

Creaky

iheartsamberg · Post by **iheartsamberg** » Sat Feb 11, 2006 4:40 pm

To be honest, I've been lacking in the exercise department for a couple of weeks, but my usual routine is about 20-30 minutes of cardio at least 4-5 times a week. I don't usually do any strength training because I don't want to bulk up - I used to do arm exercises and found that my arms looked to big and muscular. The same with my stomach!

Jammin' Jan · Post by **Jammin' Jan** » Sat Feb 11, 2006 5:30 pm

typical exercise for me:

tai chi/chi kung: 20 to 30 min./day

strength training with dumbbells, calisthenics, or shovelglove: 15 min./day

walking when it's not winter in Minnesota: 45 min./day

I do this most days of the week, although there are some variations depending on my schedule, the weather, and what's on tv.

JWL · Post by **JWL** » Sun Feb 12, 2006 6:06 am

Well, here's the daily ideal, M-F:

1. do a set of gentle yoga and/or tai chi to warm up, especially first thing in the morning. "Breath of Joy" is a favorite.

2. a 14 minute routine of shovelgloving

3. more strenuous yoga, including The Wheel (a bridge), downward and upward dog, etc

4. a good leg exercise. Preferably I will walk, and preferably I will go up a reasonably vigorous hill. I know once I've gotten used to brisk walks up steep hills (ie, I don't slow down when I go uphill) that I'm in better shape. If I don't walk, I'll do at least one set (usually around 2-3 dozen reps, depending) of "Hindu squats."

I work on weekends, so then my ideal is to walk to and from work, which is a good 25 minutes each way, a mile and a quarter downhill to work and a mile and a quarter uphill coming home. Also, on breaks from work, I will do stretches and some light yoga at work.

The above is my ideal. And I've managed to sustain that ideal but only for short periods of time. In practice I probably average 3 days per week of exercise, and walking to work probably only once a month if that. It's cold in Maine this time of year, and walking home when I get out at midnight isn't much fun.

I'm looking forward to spring.

david · Post by **david** » Sun Feb 12, 2006 2:58 pm

Every weekday morning I do "stuff" for about 20-30 minutes. This includes shovelglove, bodyweight exercise, skipping rope, stretching, and occasional weightlifting. I try to mix it up and have switched routines every month or two for the last couple of years.

Also every weekday I try to walk before work, during breaks, and often during lunch. This usually adds up to two or three miles per day. Every chance I get I take stairs. In fact, if I need to go up two floors, I'll go up four and come back down. This has done wonders for my knees.

I practice a martial art called aikido anywhere from 4-6 hours per week at the dojo and also do some training every day at home. Sometimes the training is rather strenuous and other times it's a walk in the park.

Also for at least a few minutes every day I ride my Indo Board. This is like a snowboard perched on a horizontal, rolling cylinder. (Check out indoboard.com).

This seems like a lot when I type it all in but I integrate it seamlessly into my day so I feel "off" if I don't do this stuff.

thanks,
David