Working-out twice a day

Are there really any benefits to working out in the morning and evening 5 days a week? What particular workout should be done in the morning? Is weight training okay in the morning?

Has anyone tried this or have any suggestions? I'm already working out 7 days a week in the evening but I just want to burn more if at all possible.

Wed. May 20, 11:51am

I read somewhere that if you workout too much your body will begin to wear down and actually not burn as many calories as you would if you exercised 5 days a week. The recomended amount of exercise is 1 hour per day of cardio and if you would like to do strength training you should only do 10-12 reps each day. Approximately 4-5 days a week.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009, 12:30 PM

I respectfully disagree with the pp...

I was with you on the double workouts until you mentioned already working out 7 days a week! Unless you're training for something like a triathalon or the Olympics (ha) working out 7 days a week, sometimes 2x a day seems to be a bit much...leading to burn out, overuse injury, etc. It would help to know what you are doing now, 7 days a week, for exercise?

I'm wondering if you might see greater results exercising smarter as opposed to just exercising more? If you're not weight training already, definitely add that and drop or shorten one of your cardio workouts. If you're not making every workout count, make a point to challenge yourself every time...then you don't need to workout 7 days a week!

And speaking of weight training...in the morning is fine. It's also great in the afternoon or evening ;)

Give us an idea of what you're doing for exercise!

Wednesday, May 20, 2009, 12:44 PM

Just remember if you're working out to lose weight, this may not be a realistic approach to keep it off long term. You may burn yourself out and then give up on exercise all together...well unless you really like to work out almost everyday..twice a day.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009, 1:12 PM

I personally believe that 14 workouts in 7 days is not only unhealthy, but a little obsessive.

If you're weight training - your muscles need time to heal between intense sessions. One day is usually sufficient for this.

If you're working out to lose weight - I believe that you're going about it the wrong way. Instead of increasing your number of work outs a week, increase the intensity of your workouts. Get your heart rate up - and perhaps incorporate interval training as well . It's a great way to burn fat and it's more effective than a workout where your heart rate stays the same through out.

Also, if you are working towards fat loss - what will happen when you hit a plateau? Will you work out 3 times a day instead? You'll have no where to go because you're already working so hard. You need to shock your body...working out 2x a day, EVERY DAY means you won't be able to change up your routine as easily.

If this is a life change for you - you need to think about the long term....will you continue working out 2x a day, every day, for the rest of your life? Of course not, you'll burn yourself out and perhaps you'll even give up working out all together!

I believe slow and steady is the pace - but you do need to push yourself. Which is why I suggest heavy weight training every other day (legs 1 day, upper body the next, etc, etc)....and interval training in your cardio - getting your heart rate up (even if it's only 10 - 15% higher - you'll feel the difference!) is the best way to burn fat.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009, 1:28 PM

For me personally, my body needs one day a week to recover with no exercise unless it's playing with the kids or walking leisurely.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009, 1:29 PM

I think if the goal is to lose more weight, or lose faster then perhaps increasing the time or intensity of your present workout most evenings. Then one day a week do the 2 workouts in one day (without lessening the intensity/time of the original workout). That might help.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009, 2:23 PM

Started Thread...

Okay the workouts that I typically do are Cardio Kickboxing every other day then leg & thigh, ab and arm workouts on the opposite days. The days I do kickboxing I ride my exercise bike. I also do some weight training using 5 pound weights.

My doctor is the one that told me to work out every day.

Thank you all for your responses it really slapped me back into reality. Im sitting here at my desk thinking of this idea but I know once my alarm clock goes off an extra 30-40 min. earlier I won’t be able to get out of bed!!

Wednesday, May 20, 2009, 2:31 PM

working out every day is not a bad idea but twice a day is a bit much. I usually work out for 3 day straight then rest one.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009, 2:36 PM

Twice a day is just fine, as long as you do provide your body with one recovery day during the week. and aren't working the same muscles out two days in a row.

The only way I started to see real results in my weight loss was going from once a day to 2-a-days. I am doing cardio in the morning for an hour - running or spin class. And in the evening I am doing P90X, so primarily weight training, though some days are cardio based workouts. It was what my body needed to nudge things along.

It takes a lot of commitment, but it can certainly help speed up results.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009, 4:12 PM

I must be lucky! I lost all my weigh at a pretty decent clip, got in fantastic shape, and kept it off *only* working out 4-5x a week for 50-65 minutes!

Wednesday, May 20, 2009, 5:19 PM

PP, how did you manage to do this in only 4-5x a week and 50-65 min? What exactly is your workout routine and diet plan?

Tuesday, May 26, 2009, 12:06 PM

5:19 here

First, I love data so I crunched the numbers - using the Harris Benedict equation to figure out my BMR and then did the next equation to factor in exercise to see what I needed to eat to MAINTAIN my current weight.

I stuck to around 1200 calories a day - and while I ate mostly whole/lean/fresh foods, I still ate a little of everything: some processed foods, pizza, dessert, wine, etc - nothing was off limits, and I ate out once a week. I just made sure to stick to my number and I consistently lost 1.2-1.8 pounds per week - just as my calculations 'predicted.'

Eating protein at every meal/snack helped with hunger. If you don't want to do all the calculations - just figuring out your BMR (not including exercise) will give you a good guideline for calorie intake.

Eating contributed to 90% of my success. I could easily go over my calories for the day with a few seemingly harmless handfuls of whatever- you name it - it's hundreds of calories in a matter of minutes. Diligence with food = make or break weight loss for me.

For working out:

I started off each workout with a solid 15 minutes of challenging cardio - usually on the treadmill.

Monday & Thursday: Front of the body resistance training
Tuesday & Friday: Back of the body resistance training
Wed: maybe an hour walk, maybe yoga, maybe an extra day off

That's it. And 5 years later, when I'm up a few pounds, reigning in the eating is Step #1, and the weight comes off. Every time.

Any weight training resource will help you put together a good workout. Abs Diet is great b/c it will tell you what to do depending upon how many days you have that week to workout.

HTH!

Tuesday, May 26, 2009, 2:52 PM

i used to exercise like that when i was younger, from about 12 to 14. however, i was extremely body obsessed at the time, and young, so overstraining wasnt really an issue. frankly though, i dont think its necessary. i stopped losing weight after a while, and found that i could maintain the same weight with much less exercise. it gave me great muscles, but i was probably wasting a lot of energy, fat buring-wise. my suggestion would be to work out twice a day just a few days a week, or twice a day one week and once a day the next. this will keep your body on its toes, and promote fat burn instead of leading to plateau.

Wednesday, May 27, 2009, 1:46 AM

2xs

to the 1st thread re: 2x a day workouts,,,
i tried this a couple yrs ago and I lost 25lbs in 3 weeks!!!
I worked out by doing cardio in morning than weights in evening/night.
After 2 weeks i would switch: weights in morning and cardio at evening.
I did not watch my calories, i just ate plenty and good ratio of all food groups.

I needed to lose lbs and be tone for an acting school and i could tell u that i was in the best shape of my life.
The last blogger gave good advice: to alternate workouts each week.
Try it out, u will be very pleased. GL

Tuesday, September 22, 2009, 6:11 AM

A while back I had a group mate who exercised twice a day (male, grownup, no eating disorders or body dysmorphia) and he REALLY lost weight and got cut. I liked the results and am trying to do that my own way, mixing up different workouts of course.

What I find is that morning isn't so hard, but I don't have a ton of energy in the evening!

Tuesday, September 22, 2009, 8:19 AM

Related Content: How To Lose Weight- The Basics Weight Watchers Points System The Fat Smash Diet The Eat To Live Diet The Beck Diet Solution How To Get The Motivation To Lose Weight		How To Be Successful Using PEERtrainer How To Burn Fat Online Weight Loss Support- How It Works Does Green Tea Help You Lose Weight? Tips On Using PEERtrainer Visit The PEERtrainer Community Diet and Fitness Resources
Fitness Weight Watchers Meetings Learning To Inspire Others: You Already Are Writing Down Your Daily Workouts Spending Money On A Personal Trainer? How I Became A Marathon Runner		Preventive Health How To Prevent Injuries During Your Workout Flu Season: Should You Take The Flu Shot? Are You Really Ready To Start PEERtrainer? Super Foods That Can Boost Your Energy Reversing Disease Through Nutrition
New Diet and Fitness Articles: Weight Watchers Points Plus How To Adjust Your Body To Exercise New: Weight Watchers Momentum Program New: PEERtrainer Blog Archive Review Of The New Weight Watchers Momentum Program		Weight Loss Motivation by Joshua Wayne: Why Simple Goal Setting Is Not Enough How To Delay Short Term Gratification How To Stay Motivated How To Exercise With A Busy Schedule
Real World Nutrition and Fitness Questions Can Weight Lifting Help You Lose Weight? Are Protein Drinks Safe? Nutrition As Medicine?		Everyday Weight Loss Tips How To Eat Healthy At A Party How To Eat Out And Still Lose Weight The Three Bite Rule Tips On How To Stop A Binge