Do I Need to Work Out Every Day?

It is not necessary to work out every day, particularly if you’re doing any intense form of exercise, say running, fast bicycling, etc. On the other hand, if it’s a moderate-intensity exercise(walking, light swimming, etc.), you can aim for around 30 minutes of activity every day.

If you want to work out every day, then ensure that you have a good balance of different types of exercises including cardio, strength training, flexibility, and balance exercises.

How much should an average adult exercise every day?

As per The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, the below exercises guidelines are recommended for the average healthy adult:

Cardio or Aerobic exercise: 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week or a combination of these 2 types of activities.

Strength training: Aim for at least 2 strength training sessions per week focusing on all major muscle groups. Try to do 1 set of 12-15 reps of various exercises using weights/resistance bands.

How many times a week should I work out for weight loss?

Cardio: 

Go for 2 days of moderate activity and 2 days of HIIT or vigorous activities. Switch up your routine by trying a different cardio exercise every few days like running, swimming, dancing, etc.

Strength training:

Aim to do 2 to 3 days of strength training per week. Full-body workouts that incorporate a lot of compound exercises including lunges with a lateral raise or squats with a shoulder press are particularly effective.

How many times a week should I work out for muscle gain?

Cardio: 2 to 3 days of cardio per week should be sufficient. Keep your sessions short (say 25 minutes) and high-intensity.

Strength training:

Research suggests that you need to train each muscle group twice a week for the best results. So you could break that up into 2 days of upper body and 2 days of lower-body sessions.

The amount of strength training required will also depend on your current fitness level. Your workout schedule would look like this:

• Beginner: 2-3 days per week (full-body sessions)
• Intermediate: 3-4 days per week (split into one muscle group each day or 2 days of upper and 2 days of lower)
• Advanced: 4-5 days per week (can have a 3 day on, 1 day off schedule)

Whatever your fitness goal or fitness level, ensure that you have at least 2 rest days / active recovery days per week.

Effects of overtraining

Working out daily is fine as long as you don’t push yourself too hard, and take necessary rest when you’re ill, injured, or had insufficient sleep.

It’s important to listen to your body and scale back on the intensity of your workouts if you experience symptoms such as cramps, nausea, dizziness, severe muscle pain, etc.

Overtraining can have negative consequences including feeling depressed, tired, anxious or demotivated, insomnia, and overuse injuries. It can even affect your adrenal glands and thyroid hormone balance.