How much exercise a week do you do ( and do you see the results?)

[Tiredemma]

I have recently hit that stage in my life where food appears to be literally sticking to my arse, belly and hips and I can just feel the weight gradually creeping on.
I have run a couple of half marathons over the past few years but my training is hit and miss and I have to be really strict with myself to get out and run.

Last week I purchased monthly membership for a local keep fit group and plan to do 4 classes a week plus my runs. My week should look like this if I am strict with myself.

Monday - 5 k run before work
Tuesday - clubbercise class ( 1hr) followed straight after with 45 mins kettlebells class
Wednesday- 30 min HIIT class followed by 45 mins fitness Pilates
Thursday- rest
Friday - 5 k run before work
Saturday - long run gradual up to about 10 miles as have a HM coming up.
Sunday - rest

I imagine a huge chunk of how I look physically boils down to junk I'm consuming. I suppose I'm asking if those who do exercise, how frequent do you do it and does it "show" ?

[lousummerfie]

I have an active job,and apart from that do 2 hours a week but it's weights not cardio. It's meant to be 30 percent exercise and 70 percent diet but who knows!,weights work for me and change my body shape much more than cardio ever did- however cardio was good to increase my fitness levels,but i would think a mix of the 2 would be best?

[Ithinkwerealonenowtiffany]

Oh i have amazing calves and thighs! Im petite and always have been. She only difference i see is the amount of muscle I have

[Ithinkwerealonenowtiffany]

I only run and walk.

This week:

Sunday: 17 miles run. Then a 3 mile walk in the evening.
Monday: 3 mile walk.
Tuesday: 2.7 mile walk with DH. Was too slow so went for a 3 mile walk with my head torch at my usual fast pace.
Wednesday: 10k run.
Thursday: 3 mile walk.
Friday: 10k with run club.
Today: 6 mile walk.
Tomorrow: 20 mile run

[Leftielefterson]

I go to spin 4-5 times a week, run 1-2 times a week and try and get a long cycle in one day on the weekend. I am definitely starting to see the results.

[CostaLotta]

I go to the gym for 60-90 minutes on my weekdays off, which is 3-4 days a week. I do a bootcamp on Saturday morning and run (5k usually) on Sunday morning. I try to walk as much as possible too. I eat a lot so I don't lose weight but I'm slim and have toned arms and legs. My stomach is a bit pouchy but I had 2 kids and lost 3 stone afterwards, plus I eat a lot of chocolate so I doubt it will ever be flat again.

[Iblinkedandiamold]

For me, the running club I do is free,
My bootcamp class is cheap and P.A.Y G.
The gym thing was a Christmas present as I had said I wanted to try it but it was too much money. Once my sessions are used I wont go back.
My family is grown up and I work from 7.45 to 4.45. So I have the evenings. I dont know how people with young children do it though.
I had to wait till mine till mine had grown up to do it.

[FearOfTheDuck]

I do an hour of powerlifting three times a week, and sometimes fit in a half-hour core class when I can. I walk a lot.

At the moment, how I look is affected far more by my diet than exercise - I'm getting stronger, but my muscles are still hidden by a big layer of fat! I calorie count, and have a goal for protein intake but make up the rest of the calories with anything I want. I'm only losing 2 or 3lbs a month, but it's sustainable and I don't feel hungry all the time.

[dementedma]

Bloody hell, you all do.loads. i swim a couple of times a week and think Im doing well. Where on earth do you all find the time, money and motivation?

[EmmiJay]

Worlds laziest weight lifter here I do weights three times a week. My cardio is power walking everywhere in the area blush My diet is eat heavy in the morning and not after 5/6pm. I've lost 4st over 2yrs and ended up with a very toned top and bottom half and decent middle which I don't mind at all.

[AntennaReborn]

I train roughly 7h a week, 3 x 2h powerlifting and 1h dumbbell / cable machine accessories. No cardio.

I am organised with my food (take lunches to work etc) and I keep a close eye on my macros

It works. I look much better at 40 than I did at 20 and I am much healthier.

I can see the top half of my abs, my arms are super toned, and the cellulite on my legs is gradually disappearing. I am wearing shorts again!

[SimonJT]

This is my schedule (each session is an hour)

Monday weights back/shoulders
Tuesday insanity (interval training)
Wednesday weights arms/chest
Thursday insanity
Friday weights abdomen/legs/bum
Saturday 5k run
Sunday in an actual gym so resistance training, deadlifting etc

I’m also doing the press up and squat challenge, I’m on day 87 of the press up challenge and 33 of squat which I do before bed.

In the week I do it in the morning before work. I do have a very good diet which does make the results more visible, but if my diet or exercise slips it is noticable fairly quickly.

[Iblinkedandiamold]

At the moment I exercise 5 days a week. Monday treadmill running for half an hour, followed by half an hour of excersise following a video in the gym. The thread mill running is in a pod thing hard to explain but they say it's the same as running for 1.5/2 hrs on a fairly level road.
Tuesday running club. 5/6 km. But my bootcamp starts back next Tuesday so will trade running for that. Wednesday more thread mill running, excersise depending on how I am feeling.
Thursday another 5 or 6 km with club
Friday rest but will be replaced with bootcamp next week
Saturday 5k park run.
Sunday rest, but if weather is nice I will go for a walk with my mum in the forest near us followed by a cuppa.

I was seeing results when I was strict with myself with my diet.
Now I run and excersise because my diet is rubbish so no, I am not seeing the results I should for the excerise I am doing but mentally yes I am seeing the benefits. I feel great.

[thenewaveragebear1983]

I do a 5/6/7 km run on Monday and Tuesday, a 1hr circuits class on Tuesday pm, a long run (12-15k) on a Thursday, bootcamp on Saturday, long run on a Sunday, totalling around 35-40km a week and 2 hours hiit. I do around 16-18k steps a day on average.

Do I feel it? I feel it if I don't do it as it affects my emotional well-being quite rapidly if I don't run. I'm resting an injury at the moment and I feel awful. I haven't got the balance right at the moment though and my diet has gone to ruins. Without a doubt it's the diet that affects how I look more than the exercise, but the two go alongside each other for me really.

[MythicalBiologicalFennel]

I meant 30 minutes not 30 hours

[Runningonempty84]

I run 4-5 times a week, totalling 30-50 miles depending on what I'm training for. One of those sessions is a targeted speed session; one long run, usually a Parkrun too, and then steady miles for the rest.
I also cycle to and from work every day, which only totals around 35 mins, but it's hilly and hard work.
I try and do a weights session too, but sometimes that falls by the wayside.

Yes, I see the results. I'm a toned-ish size 8-10, whereas before I started running and cycling I was a wobbly 12-14.

OP - your training week looks unbalanced to me, if you're training for a HM. Are those short runs targeted (ie, do they incorporate hill reps/intervals/speed work etc) or are they just steady 3 milers? And are you aiming for a time at the half?

[MythicalBiologicalFennel]

I do a 20 minute fitness dvd 4-5 times a week. Then 30 hours of weights (as heavy as I can) once or twice a week. Yes I see the results - especially from the weights, the changes to my figure were quicker and more noticeable than with just cardio.

[PlugUgly1980]

I run 5-6 times a week, totalling between 35-50 miles depending on how much time I have at the weekend. I'd try and fit another 5k in your schedule or gradually increase your 2 5ks to 10k each which will help with half marathon training too.

[Blueandredandblue]

I weight train 4 times a week and run 3 times a week. I look fit and toned to my eyes but I do t think people see me and think wow Red is so fit. I look like an average woman. I'm moderately slim at size 8, but have wobbley thighs and a slight bit of wobble covering my abs. I'm strong though, and I know I'm very fit. I have good posture and have worked hard on my personal weak areas. I like to get faster and stronger but I compete with myself and don't compare myself to others.

[Dirtyjellycat]

I am in awe of how much exercise you all do. I was thinking I’d be doing well if I did 30 mins of cycling 3-4x per week (starting from being a couch potato). Feel my efforts are a bit pathetic now!

[WingBingo]

Lose

[WingBingo]

I have been running 3 times a week for 2 1/2 years. Generally two short (5k) and one long (10 -20)k.

I only began to loose weight when I started to cycle to work 3 times a week - 6 miles each way and fairly hilly.

I know I need to add in some strength training too. My legs are really toned and my but firmer but that’s it.

[Andallofasuddenitsover]

I do weights a few times a week, Pilates/yoga when I can, sometimes walk and do exercise at home most days. I’ve lost three stone and I’m very very toned. Seeing the progress is pushing me on. I love exercise these days.

[AndromedaPerseus]

In addition to cycling at least 1 hour daily I do the following:
Mon: 1 hour HIIT/ body conditioning
Tues: rest
Wed: 1 hour HIIT/ weights
Thurs: 1 hour Swimming
Fri: 2 hours ballet
Sat: 1 hour step Zumba
Sun: 1 hour Pilates
After 3 months of this I was very toned but no change in body weight I had to reduce my calorie intake to lose a stone

[SummersB]

There is a great saying: You can’t outrun the spoon.
Yes - exercising will build up muscle. However, it will not turn fat into muscle. So you can be really toned but if it’s covered in a layer of fat you won’t see it.
I do a mixture of cardio and weights several times a week. I have also lost weight due to cutting out a lot of crap. I have lost weight and I definitely look more toned. However, for all my new definition to show properly I would hab to lose more weight again and I’m not prepared to do that because a) life is too short, b) I would have to starve myself and c) my face would look like a drug addict’s if I lost more weight. So I just stay as I am, enjoying my reasonably fit and strong body and the impact that having a mostly healthy and active life has on my mental health