Hi Friends of Oompf, it’s Alvan here. Today we will be talking about how much you should be exercising in accordance to your fitness goals. Have you ever wondered if you’re doing too much or too little in your fitness journey? How much exercise exactly is enough? Should you still continuing lifting weights even if you have hit your goal weight?
Well, this answer depends on your own personal goals! Whether it is weight loss, building muscle mass, improving your general fitness levels or maybe even your mental health.
Every goal requires a different level of commitment and no one person’s fitness journey is going to be the same. It is also important to note that what may work for someone else may not take the same amount of time/effort to work for you.
Now, lets talk a bit more specifically about each goal. Keep in mind that these numbers are just general guidelines and may differ for every individual.
Weight loss: According to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), in order to lose a significant amount of weight, you may need to perform moderate-intensity exercise more than 250-300 minutes per week. This equates to an hour a day for 5 days. This must also be supplemented with a good diet. It is also important to remember that even when you hit your goal weight, you need to continue exercising to prevent gaining back the weight.
Cardiovascular health: American Heart Association (AHA) recommends performing at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week or at least 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week.
The fastest way to cover your weekly cardio quota is to join one of our HIIT classes. They only last 45 minutes, and so with only two classes a week you get plenty of exercise for your heart and body!
It is also recommended that you should do strength training at least two days per week to help preserve and build lean muscle.
Muscle Mass: Increasing your muscle mass is just as difficult if not more difficult than losing weight. Your diet plays a vital role in this and you should be strength training at least 3 times a week, an hour for each session, Something interesting to know is that above the age of 30, you begin to lose about 1% of body fat each year and even more as you age. This syndrome is called Sarcopenia. Hence, even if you’ve attained your goal body/weight, you should continue lifting weights to ensure lesser risk of injury, better posture and a better quality of life.
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