Weight loss and overall physical fitness both seem to be something with which many people struggle. If you are just starting out on a weight loss or fitness program, you may be asking yourself, “How often should I exercise?” Most people struggle with finding the time to exercise during their busy schedules, but putting the time in to exercise is essential to fitness and weight loss.
When answering the question, “How often should I exercise?” you need to first determine if your goals are weight loss or physical fitness. If you are trying to lose weight, the more exercise you do, the sooner you will reach your goals. Typically, experts in the health and fitness field agree that for weight loss, people should be exercising for 60 minutes, six days a week at their target heart rate. If you are simply trying to achieve physical fitness or heart health, 40 minutes is likely sufficient.
Weight training is an important part of exercise, as it breaks down muscle so that it can be built back up again. This is a big part of achieving overall health. Weight training should only be completed three times a week for weight loss and twice a week for obtaining physically fitness. Try combining weight training with cardiovascular exercising on those three days a week to optimize time. This weekly exercise routine should be done consistently. Doing the routine for a week or two and then having several weeks with no exercise is not going to help weight loss or physical fitness. Consistency and frequency are the keys to getting the most out of exercise.