Health x Wellness
How Often Should You Work Out?
Set your exercise goals accordingly to get the best work out results in the long run.
If you’re returning to health and fitness, you might want to figure out the frequency and intensity of your work out in order to lose weight, have a healthy lifestyle or simply keep your heart healthy.
You have to know by now that too much of anything is bad for you. That is why it is a must to have at least one day of rest during the whole week if you plan on working out for 6 days straight. It is important for your body to recover and allow the muscles to repair instead of overworking them. This can lead to several injuries.
For those who are just starting out, it is advisable to exercise every other day and aim for a total of 150 minutes of exercise per week. Do not push yourself to start with vigorous exercises at this point since you’re just starting to condition your body to get stronger.
Once you get used to the intensity, you can choose other workout routines that will challenge your body even more. You can do resistance training, weight lifting, cardio, walking or running or simply working out on the elliptical.
Below are some tips to help you decide how often you should sweat it out on the gym:
1. It is not recommended to weight train every day since your muscle fibers need to heal for about 24-48 hours. Keep in mind that resistance exercises stress your muscles, eventually leading to small tears and muscle fatigue.
2. You can do cardio workouts for 20 to 60 minutes a day for 3 to 5 days a week. Cardio exercises help you burn more calories and lose weight so brisk walking, swimming and low-impact aerobics will be the best choice for you if you plan on shedding off the pounds.
3. Do not forget to stretch after working out to relieve your muscles from all the stress and fatigue. Most people overlook stretching exercises, thinking they’re not as important as the actual routine.
4. Choose a variety of workout routines every week to train different parts of your body in getting stronger. You’re more likely to feel bored and unmotivated if you do the same exercise over and over again.
