(2 Q's)How Long? How'd You Do It!

[lashful]

I hear it every where that to lose weight, 20 minutes a day is fine. But then I hear its best to get at least 2 hours day.

Has anyone here lost drastic weight, healthly? If yes, how'd you do it!

[Trying4Thin]

Hola!

Ok here's the deal...It takes 20 minutes to get to the "fat burning zone." Anything after that will be fat burn if you stay within your target heart rate. You dont have to do 2 hours a day. Exercise is cumulative so it can be broken up during the day. Obviously your results will be slower if you stick to the bare minnimum. The more you shake things up and challenge yourself and your body; the more calories and fat you will burn. It will also help with endurance building and building your self esteem as well. Crazy workouts are ok; but the ones that are most beneficial for weight loss are when you stay within target range. Otherwise you are burning the wrong stuff. The crazier the workout the hungrier you will be afterwards.

Feel free to ask any questions you might have.
When I was on task; I went from 214-145.2 (not there now; but I did do it once). Crazy weight loss and fad diet loss is never long term. You will fight harder to keep what you fought to achieve on your own vs if it was just handed to you in a pill or other quick fix.

Best of luck!
~Carrie

[Missy]

I would say I have lost pretty drastic weight healthily...almost 90 pounds down. I worked out doing weight training with a personal trainer for 8 months. I haven't worked with him since August though so I'm on my own now. Right now I'm working out 5 days a week (40 min weight training, 45 min cardio on the elliptical)...and I eat 6 times a day.

[doriesmith]

Wow! If you had to work out 2 hours a day to drop weight I think we all would be heavier! Who has 2 hours a day to work out and still live a life?!? I do 50 minutes of cardio a day and even that sometimes is hard with being a wife, mom, employee, parent club officer, daughter, sister.... I've lost 22 pounds but have hit a plateau and need to break it to lose the last 18 pounds.

[Trying4Thin]

WB Dorie
Been wondering where you have been!

[doriesmith]

Oh, I lurk alot. I'm kind of a stalker!!! LOL

[dreamthin]

lashful,
Every step you take counts in the exercise world, so you can count all the steps you take over a day and it will give you more exercise time. Try for 10 min workouts three or four times a day or 20 min workouts 2 or 3 times a day. Make every decision to walk farther, never take the short way or easy way. Try to do flights of stairs once or twice a week. Incorporate more moving in each and every day, make it a habit. 30 min every day should be the minimal time for everyone...more is better. I try for 45-60 min per day. My plan is: strength training 3Xweek, cardio qd and toning 4Xweek, stretching 6-12 min day....this is my plan....and sometimes I actually manage it all, lol.
good luck
dreamthin

[Missy]

I also just wanted to mention that I have heard from numerous sources that doing cardio for more than an hour is a waste of time anyways...you will end up over-training which will make weight loss harder in the long run.

[Injuryprone]

You can split up your cardio, one morning (before you eat anything, water and coffee/sweetener areOK) and one in the evening. Weight will bring up you metobolism really high so don't blow that off, its just as important. Normally cardio for more than an hour will just burn your muscle, the more lean mass you have the higher you metabolism can go. I jropped close to 100lbs in 1995. Lets see if this post gets deleted

[Injuryprone]

if you can go above it, do it, your burning more clories and that equals more fat burning. In this case keep it to 1/2 hour if your at 65%, I'm a bodybuilder and try to keep as much muscle on me. So I just walk at about 110 beats per min. You have a different goal, so you can push high during cardio within you timeframe.