How Often Should I Exercise To Lose Weight

You guys had some questions about exercising and how much should you work out to see results. So I gathered all of your questions and I’m going to answer them in this blog post.

Let’s dive straight in! :)

SO HOW MUCH SHOULD I EXERCISE?

You want to kickstart your exercise habit and start burning fat as fast as possible. So it only makes sense to work out as often as possible, right? 

Believe me, I get it. And when you’re feeling motivated, it’s SOOOOO much easier to get started, but how much is too much?

IS WORKING OUT 6 DAYS A WEEK TOO MUCH?

A lot of people think that jumping head-first into a 6-day-a-week workout routine is a great idea, and it is for some people. Emphasis on the word “some.” 

If you are a newbie, you might find that 6 days is just too much.

That’s perfectly okay. Start with 3-4 days of good and solid exercise and take 1-2 rest days in between. This lets your muscles recover and gives you a chance to start making strides without pushing yourself to the point of injury. 

If you want to maintain momentum and stay active on those recovery days, do it! Just take it easy. 

Hit up a yoga class, go for a walk around the block, or if you live near the mountains, go for a hike. 

These exercises are gentle enough to let you recover, but still help you burn calories…think of it as an easy aerobic activity!

IS IT OKAY TO EXERCISE TWICE A DAY?

What happens if you’re already fit and want to take it to the next level? You might be tempted to workout more than once a day! But should you?

It all depends on how fit you are, what your fitness goals are, and how intense of a workout you plan on doing. If you’re just starting your fitness routine and all your workouts are intense, working out twice a day may be a bit too much for you. 

But if you’ve been working out for a while and feel like adding a second workout would help you overcome that weight loss plateau, go for it. 

For a two-workout day, I suggest doing low to moderate intensity cardio in the morning. This way, you’ll have plenty of energy for your workday. 

Then in the afternoon, do some resistance training. But try not to do 2 really intense workouts on the same day.

These are just guidelines. You can always change it if you feel like something else might work better for you. 

HOW OFTEN SHOULD I EXERCISE TO LOSE WEIGHT AND TONE UP

Generally speaking, if you really want to see results and continue to make progress, I would recommend that you work out around 5 days a week with one or two rest days. 

Also, I highly recommend that you learn your body type. Knowing your body type will help you adjust your diet and training to get the best possible results.

HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU EXERCISE ACCORDING TO YOUR BODY TYPE

If you want to lose extra body fat and get lean and toned, I suggest you combine cardio and resistance training (I’ll explain why exactly in the next section).

And here’s how you should exercise according to your body type:

ECTOMORPHS 

Ectomorphs are naturally thin and usually they don’t have a lot of extra body fat. This means that they don’t really need to focus too much on cardio. 

The thing about cardio though is that it is amazing for you and it’s important to have great cardiovascular fitness. So I still recommend ectomorphs do some (but it should not be their focus). I suggest choosing a type of cardio that you love and doing it 2-3 times per week.

I suggest that ectomorphs do resistance training 3-5 times per week. Because they find it difficult to bulk up, they can lift weights. Body weight workouts and HIIT still work great though. So you can take your pick :) 

All body types should have at least 1 rest (or active recovery) day per week to give their muscles a break. 

Need some extra help? Check out How to Get Lean Legs and How to Get a Flat Stomach written specifically for Ectomorphs.

MESOMORPHS

Mesomorphs can lose and gain weight (both fat and muscle) relatively easily. Their bodies respond quickly to exercise. They have the potential to make amazing changes to their bodies. 

I suggest regular cardio for mesomorphs, to keep them slim. You all know my favourite cardio is walking. So I recommend walking as much as possible. 

But mesomorphs can also add in a few days of high intensity cardio such as running (and one of those runs can be a HIIT run).

I would suggest resistance training 3 times per week for mesomorphs. And one of these can be a HIIT workout to help shed fat fast. 

Make sure to have 1 rest day per week. 

For more information to help you get your best bod, check out How to Get Lean Legs and How to Get a Flat Stomach for mesomorphs.

ENDOMORPHS

Endomorph body types naturally have a lot of muscle (and sometimes fat). Their bodies can gain muscle / fat very quickly, but may find it difficult to lose.

But with the right diet and exercise, endomorphs can achieve amazing results! 

I recommend a lot of walking for endomorphs. Running can cause bulkiness in the legs (especially if you are short), so try to keep the cardio light. Try to go for a walk at least 5 days per week. 

I suggest resistance training 3 times per week. Keep your resistance sessions bodyweight only or very light weights with high reps. And avoid leg heavy exercises such as squats, lunges, deadlifts and burpees.

Listen to your body. If you need a rest day, take it. Or you can have an active recovery day. But be sure to have at least 1 active recovery (or rest day) per week.

Want extra tips on getting lean and eating right for your body type? Read these two blog posts: How to Get Lean Legs and How to Get a Flat Stomach. These articles are written just for endomorphs.

WHY DO I NEED TO DO CARDIO AND RESISTANCE TRAINING? 

When it comes to exercising, you’ll get the best results if you combine cardio with resistance training. Let me explain :)

Your body needs different types of exercise to get the most benefit. 

Your body uses 2 main pathways when you are exercising – the anaerobic and aerobic pathways. It’s important to work on both of these to get optimal results and get fit! 

So, what do these terms mean?

ANAEROBIC

Anaerobic exercise is a workout that produces energy without oxygen. It does this by breaking down the carbohydrates your body stores from your food. This is typically stored as glycogen in your muscles. 

This process happens naturally, but you have to do the right types of workouts to trigger the anaerobic response. This includes weight training, HIIT workouts, sprinting and running.

AEROBIC

During aerobic exercise, your body generates energy with oxygen. During aerobic exercise, your body produces energy from fat stores. 

Unlike anaerobic exercise, aerobic exercise is something you can do for a while. Think lower-intensity workouts. This includes power walking, swimming, jogging, cycling, and other exercises done at a pace that you can maintain for a long time. 

WHY IT MATTERS

Low-intensity workouts burn fat and help you stay lean. High-intensity workouts help you build muscle and avoid the “skinny fat” look. One without the other leaves a huge gap in your fitness routine.

To maximize your workout for weight loss, you need to combine anaerobic high-intensity workouts with aerobic low-intensity routines. 

The combination of both types of exercise will help you increase your metabolism (by building muscle) and power through those calories and fat stores to leave you looking thin and lean.

The key to seeing results is establishing a workout schedule and sticking to it. 

THE KEY IS DOING WHAT WORKS FOR YOU

No two people are the same and that means the types and frequency of the workouts that work best for weight loss may be different for each person. 

Think about your body type, how you tend to put on muscle, and your current fitness level before you commit to a routine. 

I promise that exercise will help with your weight loss goals. You just need to take the first step and get started. 

Love Rachael xx