How many times a week do you do it?

[Michael]

Presently, I do 6 days a week on my elliptical machine for an hour. I want to join a gym for weight training, but I'm still trying to find a partner to join with me.

[ok.book.guy]

So walking will not cut it alone? Does everybody tend to agree that we need to go to the gym in addition to walking?

[Jules]

Hi ok.book.guy,
You don't have to join a gym, but you do need to do more than walking. A gym is a convenience, to get out of the weather, to have other people around, to have access to machines that make it easier to work out.

Walking is benefical, but 1) it's not a full body workout. It will not build muscles all over your body which is necessary to really get your metabolism up. 2) Your body will adjust to walking. It may really help you lose weight for a few months, but the body adapts itself and will sooner or later become accutomed to walking a lot. 3) It gets boring to do the same thing all the time. It's easier to stay interested in exercise if you have some variety.

There are lots of options that do not include a gym but do include variety, exercise more than just your legs, and are cheaper than a gym. Lots of us use exercise DVDs to help (such as the BL DVD), bike ride, chase after children, play sports, walk dogs, swim, etc. I hope some of these suggestions are helpful, each person has their own preferences. I use a gym because I am a student and its included in my tuition, plus I enjoy the group classes offered there. To each their own, but if it's not working or hard to maintain -try something else.

[endo]

usually 5 days a week, alternating. I try not to get into set times and such, don't wanna plateau at all. I alternate some mornings, evenings, lengths on the treadmill between 40-70 minutes or so, but I do a set muscle routine 4 days a week. I actually use a resistance band, not weights at this point. It's great, and work surprisingly well. Got it with my "6 Week Body Makeover" kit. I do those exercises and my own cardio routines. And just watching what I eat.

[ppcflyer]

I workout on my "Image 8.25" elliptical 2 or 3 times each day! I love it! At first I could only do 2 or 3 minutes at a time. Now I can go 30 minutes each time. In 2 months I have lost 33 lbs.

[doriesmith]

I do 50 minutes of cardio six days a week. 30 minutes of elliptical one day, 30minutes of treadmill the next; both followed by 20 minutes on the recumbent bike. On my day off, usually Sunday...I still will take a leisurely walk of about two miles. It's relaxing...I can think and plan and it gives me a little time off from my three sons, ahhhhhh peace...(the only female in my house of four men! LOL).