If you exercise....please can you answer my questions :-)

[fortysomething8]

Hello,

I'm just wondering the following.....

1. If you exercise regularly - how often? How many calories do you aim to burn over how long?

1. If you don't use calories as a way of keeping track, what do you do?

1. For those who don't go to the gym - how do you exercises? Running? Exercise bike etc?

1. Do you use any aids that have really helped you with weight loss/toning up? I was thinking of getting a waist trainer but not sure if it's a waste of money

1. How many calories do you aim to eat a day?

Thank you!

If you exercise regularly - how often? How many calories do you aim to burn over how long?
I exercise a minimum of 3 times a week. I try and do 4/5 but 3 is the number I do without fail every week. I have Les Mills On Demand so that would be 2 body pump and a Grit, plus a Combat and another grit if I have the time. I don’t aim to burn calories.

If you don't use calories as a way of keeping track, what do you do?
Depending what I’m doing I aim to train faster, heavier, longer. I focus on my performance, not the calories.

For those who don't go to the gym - how do you exercises? Running? Exercise bike etc?
I don’t go to the gym anymore but over the lockdowns I’ve used the Les Mills On Demand app and also built up a home gym with a treadmill, weights, punchbag, a step, a box, skipping rope etc. This works much better for me as I have very little time and this cuts out the travel to/from the gym. I’m thinking of adding a spin bike as that’s the only thing I really miss.

Do you use any aids that have really helped you with weight loss/toning up? I was thinking of getting a waist trainer but not sure if it's a waste of money
I wouldn’t say aids but all of the above really help, plus increasing my protein intake. I find I can eat more if I focus on protein.

How many calories do you aim to eat a day?
I don’t know.

1. 3 times a week. Don't count calories
2. Increase in strength, stamina and flexibility. E.g no of reps, heaviness of dumbells, how much i can stretch etc.
3. Chloe Ting, Fitness Blender videos + dance
4. Nah, only have dumbells and resistance bands. You can do all basic moves using bodyweight etc. The fancy aids are a waste of money.
5. Don't know

If you exercise regularly - how often? How many calories do you aim to burn over how long?
"Proper" training is probably 5 days most weeks but I tend to go for a walk for an hour or so on my rest days. I don't use calories as my target.

If you don't use calories as a way of keeping track, what do you do?
I have a coach who does a proper training plan for me. Main focus is on power (cycling). I aim to complete the sessions which will prepare me for my target event.

For those who don't go to the gym - how do you exercises? Running? Exercise bike etc?
Cycling. A mix of outside and zwift. We have lunchtime yoga classes (fairly gentle ones) at work once a week. Walking. Over winter I do a bit of bodyweight strength work at home.

Do you use any aids that have really helped you with weight loss/toning up? I was thinking of getting a waist trainer but not sure if it's a waste of money
No

How many calories do you aim to eat a day?
MFP is set at 1900 plus exercise. On a rest day I tend to be closer to 2100, on a long ride day I tend to have calories left over (despite eating 4000+)

Forgot to say, i'm trying to maintain my weight rather than losing and using mfp is mainly to ensure I take in enough fuel - today's ride burned over 3000 calories so I do need to keep an eye on whether I'm eating enough!

If you exercise regularly - how often? How many calories do you aim to burn over how long?
I don't know how many calories I burn to be honest. I do 2 gym sessions and 2 swims (1km) a week and try to do 10-15000 steps a day.

If you don't use calories as a way of keeping track, what do you do?
See above, I just exercise as much as I think I need to.

For those who don't go to the gym - how do you exercises? Running? Exercise bike etc?
Jusy gym and swimming. I would run but I can't due to a hip problem.

Do you use any aids that have really helped you with weight loss/toning up? I was thinking of getting a waist trainer but not sure if it's a waste of money
No. I got a waist trainer years ago but it didn't do anything.

How many calories do you aim to eat a day?
1200 maximum.

Much appreciate so many responses thank you! Some really helpful tips.

Ideally I want to lose 2 stone. I'd be happy then, I have had a child since I was last at this weight so I need to maybe just stop stressing as much. I'll keep going!

Those with dc - how on earth do you find time to exercise? I suppose for me as im a single mum then its hard. I can't leave dcs in the house while I go for a run as they are too young. I suspect a lot of YouTube - for the kids to watch while I'm also doing YouTube workouts!

You burn very little additional calories from exercising

I do, though... 600-800/day. I think it's a lot additional, anyway.

1 - Daily. I aim for 450 calories in an hour. All cardio.
2- I have an app that tracks calories/time.
3 - I use a Virtual Reality headset for my exercise. Loads of games and apps that get you moving, plus it is tons of fun.
4 - not at the moment, but am looking into it.
5 - I don't track calories, but I practice 16:8 intermittent fasting.

When kids were small : active travel. We didn't even have a car. I pushed double buggy miles. I got less exercise then, though, definitely, even if we cycled or walked for every journey.

If weight loss is your goal focus on what you are eating first. Calorie tracking via exercise is usually so vague even between different devices for the same activity. Exercise will build muscle/strength so you might not lose weight if you gain muscle, but should drop body fat/waist size etc.

I cycle so I train with power targets and TSS, so calories aren’t really relevant to me in terms of exercise targets. I generally try to eat 1600-1800 calories a day as I’m trying to shift a bit of excess weight whilst still training hard. This is excluding training fuel but that is from experience of most of our regular meals rather than actively calorie counting.

in terms of training volume I would say I actively exercised 5 days a week, and that covers around 150-200 miles on the bike each week and a couple of gym/strength/stretching sessions. obviously varies a little bit as I’m not a pro athlete I’m just trying to be fitter and faster, so some weeks are more intense but less duration and others are more endurance and long distance.

‘fancy kit’ at home I have a turbo trainer for virtual training on Zwift or Sufferfest if the weather is bad or I want to do specific intervals, and also for the fun side of virtual racing. I then have dumbbells and resistance bands. Nothing gimmicky on the weight loss/toner side though, I think it’s a waste of money if there was a quick fix everyone would have one!

Oh I like the idea of VR exercise. How do I find such things?

I have an Oculus (now Meta) quest. They start at £300. There are loads of apps and games that are perfect for fitness, with a lot aimed at just that.
There is a Les Mills Body Combat app, which a lot of people swear by.

If you exercise regularly - how often? How many calories do you aim to burn over how long?

6-7 days per week. 4 days strength training, takes an hour. 2 days boxing/cardio, 45 mins. I day mobility, stretching, maybe some light cardio, takes an hour. Obviously I can't always do that - the minimum I do is my 4 days strength training.

If you don't use calories as a way of keeping track, what do you do?

I have a program set by my coach and I do it. I have a heart rate monitor and I do monitor calories based on that. It tells me how many I have burned and I then deduct 20%. It's worked out fairly accurate over the years. An average typical calorie burn for me would be 300 to 350 per hour.

For those who don't go to the gym - how do you exercises? Running? Exercise bike etc?

I go to the gym.

Do you use any aids that have really helped you with weight loss/toning up? I was thinking of getting a waist trainer but not sure if it's a waste of money

Dumbells and a barbell. Seriously, a waist trainer is madness. There's no shortcut or magic bullet.

How many calories do you aim to eat a day?

Depends on my goal. Currently wanting to lose weight slowly and fuel exercise so about 1900 average as I burn about 2200.

On most days i try to do 1 hiit style workout such as bodyfit by amy or pma fitness.

Plus 10k-20k steps walking the dogs

Plus I do all the gardening, cleaning etc in the house.

Unless I'm trying to lose weight I don't count calories I just generally eat the same stiff except for every now and again (maybe twice a year) I eat a bit too much and start to put weight on so I diet for a few weeks.

I do a mixture of run, trail run, hike, road cycle or mountain bike around 3 times a week in the colder months, more in the summer months (I live in a national park) - plus walk the dog.
None of it is to lose weight or burn calories. It's all because I love the outdoors and want to spend as much time in it as possible. I have no idea how many calories I eat a day. I eat three nutritious meals a day to fuel my body and support good health, plus treats in moderation.

I aim to workout 4 times a week.
No idea about burning calories.
I lift heavy weights. My progress is measured by being able to lift heavier weights months on month and sometimes by visible muscle growth but honestly it's so hard to gain very visible muscle as a woman.
I also do a 5 minute outdoor run after weights. I measure progress by pace and distance in the 5min. I hate running and the 5 min is the most cardio I can stand.
I also do yoga 2-4 times a week.
I vaguely aim for 2000 calories but the focus is to eat well rather than to calories so no sugar, heavily processed foods, starchy carby stuff. Lots of vegetables.

1. 6x a weight. Push + HIT, Pull + HIT, Legs 70-90 minutes. Burn 500-800 calories (tracked via Apple Watch as will all trackers there not 100% right)
2. .
3. I go to the gym but use Les mills for HIT workouts
4. best way to ‘tone’ up is by work those muscles. Waist trainers don’t do this.
5. if you want to lose weight if you need to be in a calorie deficit, Google Marco tracker calculator and it’ll tell you yours based off weight/ height and activity level

1. Run every day- set myself a goal of a daily run of at least 2k. That takes around 10-12 minutes and I know I can find 10 minutes in a whole day to exercise. Most days is more, but that's the minimum.

1. Don't track calories but do keep an eye on carbs and only eat between noon and around 8pm.

1. Running combined with core exercises like planks, squats, lunges etc which can be done at home.

1. Lost 10kg through keto and continue to eat low carb as much as possible. Am lightest ever as an adult and am 44.

1. No idea about calories. Monitor carbs loosely but not calories though am aware of approximate calories for most foods and intermitten fasting means a limited window for eating too much though always eat til am full.

I agree.

I'm all for not eating all your exercise calories but I think 600-800 additional calories a day is something to be factored in.

I walk every day for an hour and do a team sport once per week for 45 mins

No idea about calories

If you exercise regularly - how often? How many calories do you aim to burn over how long?
Depends on the exercise, with weights, alternate days
If you don't use calories as a way of keeping track, what do you do?
Set targets of how far to run, or how many sets of reps, or do classes
For those who don't go to the gym - how do you exercises? Running? Exercise bike etc?
Running, dumbells
Do you use any aids that have really helped you with weight loss/toning up? I was thinking of getting a waist trainer but not sure if it's a waste of money
The weights.
How many calories do you aim to eat a day?
I don't count them, but try to eat plenty of veg and enough protein

You don't really lose weight by exercise alone, but doing plenty of exercise helped me to know what I should eat. I wouldn't want to eat a huge meal just before going jogging

I got to the gym 3 times a week for weights. Measure Improvement by how much I can lift and how many reps.

I don't do calories, but the gym have a diet so a certain size portion of protein/carb/fat at 3 meals a day and 2 protein shakes.

I walk a lot with the buggy in addition.

The biggest help to me is meal planning. Having a variety of breakfast/lunch/dinner to choose from, making the list in advance and planning to have all the ingredients in. Current obsession is blended blueberries/vanilla protein/cottage cheese for breakfast- it's like a smooth blueberry cheesecake yoghurt.

And cooking from scratch also made a massive difference

1. Every couple of days, more or less. I don't track calories.

1. I don't keep track of anything. It's not about that.

1. Running, cycling, swimming, dancing, barre, yoga w/Adrienne & Joe Wicks. Also walking. Not all at the same time. Right now, mostly cycling & yoga.

1. No. Never have, never would.

1. I don't. I eat what and when I want. Sometimes that's doughnuts, and that's ok.

For me exercise is nothing to do with losing weight and calories are important to fuel my exercise and performance, not something to be avoided.

I exercise everyday. Running, cycling or strength work and I eat three good meals a day, enough not to be hungry until the nexteal is approaching. Always real food, complex carbs, protein and lots of fruit and veg.