Q: Not sure if you covered this already but what does a good workout schedule look like assuming 4-5 days a week at an hour a clip? And really do I have to lift weights? I am a cardio junkie but put a weight in my hand and I am gone. BTW, I am trying to lose weight.
A: I can’t call it. I mean, it isn’t that simple as “there’s a formula for everyone,” no matter how many times the industry tells you otherwise.
The reality is that creating a caloric deficit between the amount of calories you burn in a day and the amount of calories you take in during the course of a day is going to cause weight loss. In regards to weight, that’s the bottom line.
So really, I don’t feel like this question is about weight loss… it’s more about the speed of weight loss, and that concerns me just a tad bit… especially since the question includes “really, do I have to lift weights?”
Let me tackle the weights part of the question first.
You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. It’s that simple. However, please note – I lift weights because I wanted curves – I wanted hips, I wanted a nice waist, I wanted nice thighs and I didn’t want flabby arms. When that fat melts away from all that cardio, I don’t want bat wings for arms and thighs – because that can and does happen. I didn’t want to look like a ruler, either – my former curves were attributed to the fat that had built up in certain parts of my body. If I was engaging in activity that was going to directly affect those fat deposits… then I’d better do something to replace those curves ASAP if I actually wanted to keep those curves.
There’s also the issue of sustainability – developing muscle helps you in the long term because muscle requires lots of calories in order to exist. Meaning, you burn more calories by carrying muscle; this also means you can eat more without the worry of weight gain by carrying muscle.
There’s also the issue of long term protection that having muscle provides. The greatest issue with women who are middle-aged and beyond is that they often don’t have enough muscle to help them to participate in regular activity… thus causing them to lose the ability to do so. Our elders who fall and break their hips often do so because there’s no muscle there to help them when they fall, as they fall, and in the process of healing from a fall.
So, no.. you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. Just know that there are benefits you miss out on by trying to ignore and avoid it… and there are consequences you’ll have to suffer, as well.
That being said… what does a good workout schedule look like?
It’s hard to say, because everyone’s goals are different. I mean, someone who’s working out to maintain a weight is going to work out less than someone determined to lose 100lbs. I’d also say that the kind of activity being considered as “the work out” matters as well, because some things simply can not – and should not – be done 7 days a week, like strength training on the same set of body parts in comparison to things that can quickly be done every day, like yoga. A person’s eating habits have to be accounted for. These are things that have to be considered. Only you can say for yourself for sure.
For me, I work out 7 days a week but that’s simply because I’m self-employed. I work from my bed, and don’t really have to leave my house if I chose not to do so. Because I’m aware of the fact that I miss out on a lot of the walking and activity that the average person engages in when they leave their house, I work out every day to accommodate what would otherwise be an extremely sedentary lifestyle. I practice yoga, I lift weights and I get in a good run each day. Feels like a lot, but it keeps me fit.
That being said… I’d caution against trying to speed burn and quickly lose any weight. You have to remember that developing a sustainable lifestyle for you and your body is what’s most important here… and the weight will come off from there.
What about you? What does YOUR workout routine look like? Do you lift weights? Spill it!
44 comments
Good article, I find it important to do both cardio and weight training. Im a big girl so I agree with you Erica. I want to tone as I lose weight so i’m not flabby.
My arms are big so it would be ashame for me to lose this weight and have all types of skin hanging. No Thanks.
I personally workout for an hour at least 4 times a week. I do 45 minutes of cardio and 15 minutes of weights. Somedays I do my legs and some days I do my arms, then of course the abs. So far that works for me. Im sore sometimes but that comes with being in the gym. Nothing a goodnights sleep can’t fix.
Dag..I feel like a slacker lol…I workout 3 days a week for about and hour and a half..5 miles on the treadmill no excuses, 20-30 on weights..I’m pretty active,changed the diet, lost weight..So now it’s my zen time, if I don’t hit the gym I feel strange..oh no, I’ve turned into a gym rat lol
I’m in the same “I work out 7 days a week to escape a sedentary lifestyle”, too. I’d say a good schedule is whenever you feel like it’s enough…your body will tell you when it’s tired. Also, if you’re tired not because of the exercise but because you’re bored doing the same thing, it’s a good indication to add some variety. Well, it was for me.
As for the weights, it may help with the cardio. There are a lot of sustained/repeated/overhead arm movements in mine and my shoulders would be ready to fall off halfway through (not helped by spending a lot of time hunched over a computer), so I had to build up some muscle strength and I can go the whole class okay now. So the next step is lifting leg weights to help with all the knee raises, the elliptical isn’t helping as much as I hoped.
I feel the poster on the speed of the weight loss, when your weight loss stops and you can’t really go down on calories anymore, the thought of even more hours at the gym is depressing and seems pointless. So you at least want to check that what hours you’re getting in are actually beneficial. OP, even if you’re not losing weight like you used to or you liked, it’s better than doing nothing and gaining what you did lose back.
I’m so glad you posted this question Erika….you are 100% correct on all points. I work out 4-5 days a week, i’ve taken your advice and started tracking everything i eat, i count the calories, the fat, the carbs, and the protein in everything as well as the sugar. I started that after the 21st of February and i’m seeing results already. I change up my workouts everyday to workout different areas. I’m loving what i’m seeing but not getting to big headed…lol
Now i’m going back up and clicking on the “The reality is that creating a caloric deficit between the amount of calories you burn in a day and the amount of calories you take in during the course of a day is going to cause weight loss. In regards to weight, that’s the bottom line”. i think i need to grasp this one more time to understand what it takes to maintain me at the current weight and how do i determine how many lbs can i lose in a week.
Thanks always for all that you give us…
I love this question. I was wondering the same thing. I exercise 6 days a week. I walk for 45 minutes to an hour then do 20 minutes of abs, arms or thighs. When I started 2 months ago, I was only walking for 15 minutes a day then I started adding minutes over time. Weights are not my thing but that will probably change as I start to see changes in my body. I love your site Erika. Keep doing what you do!
How has the walking been going? Do you see any results ? I think I’m going to start walking more.
Another great Q&A post. I don’t think that enough women stress the importance of strength training (granted, no people don’t have to do it… if they really don’t want to). I remember being afraid of weights – getting up in the front of the gym around all those men? Me? OH HECK NO, how embarrassing. I have sweat in areas that I don’t want people to know I sweat – I just crushed an amazing cardio session and now I am afraid to walk up there because of the sweat caused by it. I can honestly say that your blog is one of the reason I confronted that fear of weights, and I would never turn back now. I actually admire muscular bodies, and while I may not want to be competition cut right now, I can really see why someone would want to be, and I can actually see wanting that to be my goal in the future. Thank you for all that you write, you write real weight loss information/problems and you are straight forward with the information you give. Thanks for not sugar coating it – because sugar was the reason I was fat to begin with!
Erika-
Thank you so much for answering my question. I do appreciate the time and thoughtfulness you gave to your response.
As I read through your response, you gave me reason to pause… as to what was the ultimate reason for my question. Was it really about the workout schedule and lifting weights or the speed? If I had to be honest with myself, it’s a little bit of both. I feel like for the time I am investing I should be loosing more weight. I already hear your voice (the one I created in my head) – it’s a lifestyle change and takes time. I’ve lost 25lbs since April of 2010 so progress has been made but gosh this healthy living thing is no joke and I still have a ways to go.
I workout at a gym and feel as if I am all over the place about it – all centered around loosing weight. One day, Zumba, next Spinning, Thursday – Kickboxing (because I love the teacher) then running – all cardio. I am kind of exhausted by the pace of it. I’ve been reading more about weight training and it’s ability to accelerate/sustain weight loss which also prompted my question. You gave a lot of good points as well. At first blush, weight training seems more purposeful than cardio which probably contributes to my anxiety surrounding it. It requires more systematic thought about working out and the time devoted to training which speaks more to where I am in this weight loss journey and the need to be present in my decisions.
I am thinking about working with a trainer to at least provide me with direction. Hopefully, this will be the difference to get over this hump. Thanks again for your response.
One of the other things to consider is that weight training (or, another fabulous term, “strength training) does not necessarily mean grabbing the free weights or the resistance bands. It can encompass things like yoga or pilates, exercises in which you’re using the weight of your body to strengthen your muscles when you’re in certain positions.
I used to use resistance bands all the time, and got tired of them, but then tried yoga, and found that the workout was a better fit for me because I was using my whole body more, and it didn’t feel like such a drag. Downward-facing Dog and Plank Poses are the two reasons I’m finally getting my Michelle-Obama-Arm-Mojo back. Something to think about if you’re adverse to using the weights.
I agree 100% with you Erika. My goal is to workout daily but it usually ends up around 3-5 days a week and only because I am seeking slightly higher than moderate weightloss. I was a cardio junkie but the machines got too easy and my body was not being challenged enough to get the weightloss I wanted. I spoke with a trainer and he instructed me on the proper way to use the weights in order to maximize my weightloss without bulking up. He also told me to focus on the largest muscle mass in my body which are my thighs so that I could maximize the amount of weightloss I wanted. I have seen a dramatic difference in my weightloss (I can actually see a difference) once I started doing lunges (front, back, side, on a step) every other day. For me, I had to build up to this point. I would not have been able to do lunges a year ago when I first turned up my workout routine. I had to build my core strength first and slowly but surely strengthen my back, butt and thigh muscles with back friendly excercises. Now I have better balance, stamina and strength and I have graduated to the the stair climber! I began with the treadmill, temporarily loved the elipticle, intermittenly used the “sit down” bike (with the wide seat) and now have the stair master. After I get to level 8 on that (I am on level 1) I will try the stair climber and then the final frontier that darn spin class.
Here’s my answer:
I work out 5 days a week. 2 of those days are my light days which are my Zumba days, I consider them light because I don’t do weights on those days.
I vary my cardio at the gym between the stairmaster, elliptical and treadmill. At first I did 30 min cardio and then did about 30-45 min weights. Now I do 45 min cardio, but I do a 30/15 or 15/30 minute with weights in between. I usually do some kind of legs routine everyday, whether it’s a 3 sets of squats or walking lunges with just bodyweight. On leg day I go pretty hard and use weights, then I have an upper body day and then I have an all over day. I know I need to really work on more core/abs but for some reason, I don’t like to do it, but it is so on my to do list. 🙂
I am fortunate to have a brother who is an actively competing natural bodybuilder, so he was able to help me come up with stuff to do in the gym. (He’s so awesome and he’s a lawyer too!)
I started this journey 1/3/2011 of this year and have over 100+ to lose and have lost 20 so far. So I think it’s working. 🙂
GOod Post E!
On average I work out 6 days a week. I try to work out in the morning and evening 4 times a week. It’s pretty intense because I have a body goal I’m trying to attain and I genrally LIKE working out. I do all types of cardio (treadmill, stairmaster, elliptical, rowing machine, insanity, p90x, etc) and I lift 4 times a week. My ideal would be to do cardio/yoga daily and lift 3 times a week.
If you’re a beginner, 3 times a week lifting weights and cardio on off days is a great start. You have to lift weights and cardio to get a complete workout. Strength training + cardio is great. Life happens, and you may not get in as many workouts as you like, but Erika had a good point in another post about doing “something” and not letting yourself slack. I agree!
Summer is 2 months away. Hustle! Jump on it! #TWSS
I’m just getting started again with my workout schedule. I’m one of those folks who’s been losing and gaining the same 50 lbs over and over again. I now realize that if I put some weight training into my workout routine and stick with it, the 50 lbs will stay gone forever. Right now I’m just building my endurance and flexibility back up. Yoga in the morning, walking in the evening before dinner six days a week. I’ve set goals to increase length of my walks and then to add in some weights by next quarter. I like to dance, too so I throw that in on the weekends.
my workout routine is mostly focused on cardio.. your article helps shed light on why i need to lift weights as well.. i slack on the weights… i also need to increase the amount of days that i go.. i brought a couple of fitness dvd’s because sometime i have to workout from home….n
Hi there, I have found that since I started working from home the pounds has slowly started to creep on, as I have become more sedentary, and had instant access to food any time I like. I have been trying to get in some exercise everyday, and given up on my gym membership, bought some free weights and started training at home. Except part of the problem is, by going to the gym, it felt some what like a routine. But now doing it a home, goodness knows I can come up with a million excuses to miss out doing it today. What motivational tools do you use to help you work out everyday, even though you work from home, and could slack off if you wanted to?
https://blackgirlsguidetoweightloss.com/qa-wednesday/qa-thursday-getting-and-staying-motivated/
To piggyback off of this post… would pilates with props (weighted ball, blocks, stick) count as strength training? I’m looking for ways to add strength training into my own work out.
Yep!
Thank you so much for replying!
I’ve got significant weight to lose, about 100lbs. Similar to Erika I am pretty sedentary as I’m currently job searching. Anyhow, I work out 7 days a week. I start out my day doing yoga for 10 mins. On odd days I usually do the Ellipticals for 30 minutes followed by bike or rowing machine for 20 minutes. From there I do squats and some light weight lifting. Then on even days I do a 5k training (running) with 2 days of rest from running per week. At some point later in the day I do bicep curls, other arm exercises and ab work.
I probably work out a little too much, but I enjoy doing it.
Although I am still nailing down a regimen, the one I have consists of Spinning, running and vinayasa yoga with plans to switch it up once I get on a groove. Would Vinyasa Yoga count as cardio, strength-training or both?
My workout routine includes doing P90x. I lift weights and do cardio with the program. I’m going to start Insanity next week,but upset it doesnt have resistance training. I still have fat to shed, so hopefully the muscles I built with P90x,will show even more.
How do you feel about eating fruit cups with in light syrup? Also, I read what you wrote about “processed foods”. I bought some skinless breast strips (they come in a bag), but they only have 2g of carbs. Even though it’s not many carbs is still bad since it’s in a bag???
Is the “light syrup” some variation of “high fructose corn syrup” or “corn syrup” or any other variation?
I run speed intervals for fat loss and cardio and I do ballet for muscle definition and flexibility.
I have been on a weight loss journey for going on 3 years now. I finally got my butt into gear because I was getting married, otherwise I would probably still be 250lbs! When I first started out it was pretty much 7 days a week. I too was a cardio junkie, my fiance kept telling me to lift and I was pretty much like nope. Well now I look back at our wedding photos and wish I had listened. After the wedding I actually put back on 20 of the 50lbs I had lost. The second time around I made SURE that I was going to strength train this time so when I came back around to 200lbs again It was a tighter better 200. I am now down to my high school weight of 175 and I look better @ 27 than I did @ 17. My schedule around work means I try to get in Monday -Th & Sat for at least an hour. I rotate between the AMT elliptical ( because I HATE the other kind) the treadmill and the spinning style bike. I do my strength training on my days off because that is when I have the most time. Sometimes life happens and that might mean I only get 3 or 4 of my 5 days done but I make it count.
I have been on a weight loss journey for going on 3 years now. I finally got my butt into gear because I was getting married, otherwise I would probably still be 250lbs! When I first started out it was pretty much 7 days a week. I too was a cardio junkie, my fiance kept telling me to lift and I was pretty much like nope. Well now I look back at our wedding photos and wish I had listened. After the wedding I actually put back on 20 of the 50lbs I had lost. The second time around I made SURE that I was going to strength train this time so when I came back around to 200lbs again It was a tighter better 200. I am now down to my high school weight of 175 and I look better @ 27 than I did @ 17. My schedule around work means I try to get in Monday -Th & Sat for at least an hour. I rotate between the AMT elliptical ( because I HATE the other kind) the treadmill and the spinning style bike. I do my strength training on my days off because that is when I have the most time. Sometimes life happens and that might mean that I only get 3 or 4 of my 5 days done but I make it count.
You need cardio and weightlifting to lose weight. I must admit that I have not done any weightlifting in a while (3 months) because I have been doing a lot of running outdoors. But I promised my self that I will restart at the end of the month.
i work out 4 days a week.2 days on 1 day off 2 days on.i do 1 hour at the gym.25 mins cardio,20 mins abs,15-20 mins weights.i love squats and lunges.it has done wonders for my bum and thighs.they look great…well much better than they used to.my abs are the worst part of me but i have 2 young kids so it will take a while to completely get rid of the belly
I do 4 days a week, an hour each day. Mondays I attend an intense boot camp that varies with a strength or cardio workout each week. Tuesdays I’m with my trainer, I do carrion for 30 mins then train with her on weights (total body) for 30 mins. Wednesday is Zumba, and Thursday is a repeat of Tuesday. I find it to be very helpful to have a trainer and classes. Keeps me accountable because the trainer and friends in the classes are looking for me, and I’m getting great workouts. I can see a difference, and I’m much stronger than I ever was doing it on my own.
Good question. I’ve been wondering the same thing. I’m just getting started (well, again). Right now I’m in grad school, so twice a week I’m in class until pretty late at night. I decided not to let that be an excuse so I purchased an elliptical machine. My goal is to get early so that I can do 30 minutes every morning before work. For the past couple of weeks it’s been more like 4/7, but I’m building. I’ve also been getting to classes at my gym 2 or 3 evenings a week. So for the days I miss a workout, there are other days where I get two. I want to do enough to make difference, but not so much that I burnout early. Trying to make sure that I’m listening to my body when I’m overdoing, but not being a bum, lol. Weightlifting is on the agenda once I’m ready to push myself some more. I hope I’m doing the right thing, and I’m damn sure gonna try.
I tend to work out 5-6 days per week. I do The Firm workouts (old school style with the “Transfirmer”, or “Fanny Lifter”). I alternate the days of heavy resistance and days or light or no resistance (weights). I used to run. I actually miss running but allergies have gotten the best of me, and I really hate the treadmill.
The great thing about working out at home is that I am miles away from everything and so waking up early and getting the workout done sets the tone for my day.
I am 46 and trying once again to get myself in shape. I started out at 260lbs and am down to 237lbs last weigh in. I got serious about my weight loss in December of 2011 after my husband passed. I average 5 days a week at the gym I do cardio every time I go to the gym and have a personal trainer two days a week to do strength training. I am on a 1200 calorie a day meal plan.
At first to maintain all of this was hard but as I see the weight coming off I am starting to feel stronger and have more confidence in myself and like my body more. I know it is going to take me a while to get to where I can say i just need to maintain but the journey is interesting to say the least and i would suggest to anyone that is on their journey to take it one day at a time. If you fall off track don’t stay off too long because it seems harder each time you have to start over. Love yourself enough to keep moving forward.
I actually enjoy going to the gym and I love the elliptical machine. I am going to make it this time. I really like this site and find the information very useful.
Since June 2012 started my journey doing bikram yoga. Now this month is 4 days of cardio exercises such as boxing, tabura, cardio kick boxing, and more. Sometimes I do Bodyweb TRX classes. For two days a week I do hot pilates and or yoga or power yoga and or pilates. Now I been working on my nutrition. I am trying to figure out how much to eat when I burn over 600 calories in a workout. I have been eating 1600 calories on those days. My weight goal is 128. On a yoga or light day I take in 1300 calories.
I recently got back into the swing of things with my workouts.I have to constantly remind myself that this is a process and that it won’t disappear over night.I work out five days a week.I alternate cardio and strength training.I have recently started running.My goal is to loose thirty pounds by the end of the year.Stick with it and don’t give up.
Thanks for this article. I workout 6 days a week for 45 mins to an hour before work. I’m a 2nd grade teacher with two small children so working out before the family wakes up gets me going for the day and it’s already done. I do cardio for 45 mins and the 30 minute circuit 3 days a week. On the weekends when I have more time I hit cardio and weights a little harder each time I go. I haven’t seen much weight loss but I feel stronger, my mood is better, I have more energy and overall I feel good about myself.
Help…I am 66 years young…..just in need of where to start!! I have a membership at the ymca with a wellness coach….and I do joyful joints in the pool 3X a week…not eating healthy though…not sure I really no how to eat right either….like I said “HELP”…!!!!! I am very very active….God has been very good to me….however,.in recent months I have began to have pain and numbness in my feet….my Doctor thinks it may b Gout….I think it may b Neuropathy? My weight is over 200 pds….and I’m told I carry it well….is there such a thing as wearing ur weight well ???? LOL Thanking u in advance 4 any advice u may have !!
Well, if you think it’s neuropathy, absolutely run that by your doctor. There are tests for that and that’s indicative of stuff that can’t be observed or managed from info on a blog, mama.
If you have a doctor, hopefully you have good insurance and can get some kind of physical therapy to help figure out where you are physically and in your ability to work out. I’d say to consider just regular walking, but if you’re experiencing numbness then even that could be difficult. 🙁
As far as carrying weight well, I answered that in a Q&A for you. Best wishes, mama. 🙂
The lady who wrote in wasn’t asking for the perfect workout schedule, just A schedule…
30 minutes weights including abs is a good warmup and strengthening to then get through 30 minutes of cardio including stretching afterwards.
She could alternate upper body one day, lower body the next, abs every day.
Or do what one guy told me he does and do 1 hour of weights, upper and lower body, and the next day 1 hour of cardio, or 45 minutes of each of those with abs and stretching thrown in the other 15 minutes. This way if he misses a day he doesn’t have a workout missing, he just picks up where he left off.
That’s the type of thing she wanted, a practical suggestion…the response was too vague…if men ask this question in a men’s forum they get specific answers and even if they vary, then the guy gets options…just saying…
Could also have told her to incorporate the weights into her cardio workout such as ankle weights, arm weights, and or inclines and sprints…these all build muscle, as do body weight exercises like pushups and planks…
Yeah, sure, but… who wants to workout using a schedule that doesn’t work for them? If I am going to workout, I want to use the best program for me, my schedule, my long term wellness and MY physical goals. Only ego would allow someone to say “just do what I do, of COURSE it’s the perfect workout – *I* do it” and ignore the individual needs of each body.
My response was vague because there isn’t enough information to give the kind of answer YOU think she should’ve received. I gave advice on how to decide for yourself what you need and build from there because that’s what I do. I’m not interested in cookie cutter approaches – which is what giving “just A schedule” would’ve resulted in – and I find that understanding what can be done with that kind of time FAR more valuable than someone just giving me their schedule and sending me off.
As you mentioned, there are plenty of other websites on the Internet where people can find that kind of information, and I wish them well as they go digging for it. 🙂
I do at least an hour of cardio ( treadmill/elliptical/bike/rowing machine)in the morning before I start my day and p90x mid afternoon. I am trying to ease my way back into the gym but i tend to avoid it since the guys in there like to spend more time talking then doing. I am underway and our gym is the size of a large walk in closet. in my head the p90x is my weight training. I have found that doing challenges with friends is a quick and easy way to sneak in some push ups or squats through out the day. BTW your blog is what gets me through my 6 hour watch on this extremely long 9 month deployment !
*salutes you*
As I am really trying to loose 100+ lbs I try to do 6 days a week. 4 days strength training 2.4 mile walk everyday and cardio id say about 4 days as well. The eating bad stuff is my issue but a sistas workin it out…. (ps I love love love the site..can we say ultimate inspiration 🙂
My weight journey started when I started working from home 2 years ago. I had the same realization as Erika. Once I started at home, my bed is sometimes my office. I made a vow at the time that I would get up and get in at least 60 minutes of exercise Monday through Friday to make up for the lack of activity. As this quickly became a habit and I saw that although I lost a good deal of weight (86 lbs) my body still looked virtually the same. Weight lifting changed the shape of my body and gave me the energy and strength to do more as I got stronger. I also was determined to make this a lifestyle so I didn’t go in with a “lose it fast” attitude. I took my time and learned what triggered my emotional eating, what issues caused me to fall off target. This has also helped me to continue on my fit lifestyle journey. I currently workout 6 days a week with 1 active rest day. I am currently preparing for a Triathlon so my workouts consist of bootcamps, 3-4 days weightlifting, 6 days of cardio and at least 3 days of Yoga. My active rest day is usually a nice walk and/or yoga and I use this day to clean the house and do laundry. I’m a marathoner so I liken this journey to endurance and not speed.
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