Ask Mary Says I'm Not Exercising Enough To Lose Weight?

I'm so depressed.  Recently, "Ask Mary" gave the following answer about how much exercise is needed in order to lose weight:

"Most people need to exercise about seven hours a week.  The US Government offers these exercise guidelines: 

• Adults, to lose weight:  60 – 90 minutes per day of moderate to vigorous activity"  

I had been very proud of my 4-5 hours of weekly exercise, and have lost 60 pounds since September.  I'm very unhappy to know that it's all been an illusion and I'm the same sedentary cow I used to be.

Usually Mary's advice is so sane and moderate - what's this about?  60-90 minutes a day???  Anyone?  

If you have seen great success with your exercise routine, why are you letting this guideline get you down? Remember, it's just a guideline, not a set-in-stone, objective truth for everyone. You have lost 60 pounds!

Stay proud of the work you have done! You have achieved something great.

Guidelines like that are useless without details for each specific person.  Perhaps those guidelines only apply to people who haven't changed their diets (and are thus still taking in lots of calories instead of moderate amounts of calories)?  Also, I thought the most recent government recommendations were 30 minutes of cardio per day.

No matter what, those recommendations aren't tailored to any specific individual--especially not you.  If you've seen results with what you're doing (and losing 60 pounds sounds like some pretty impressive results--congratulations), then stick with what you're doing.  And for heaven's sake, be proud of how much you've accomplished so far! :)  Keep up the good work.

I am sorry but everyone is different. Your fitness level is not Mary's fitness level. As long as  you push yourself hard enough, that is what matters.

Cheer up

that would be the recommendation under the assumption that you're not trying to lose weight from a sedentary standpoint but instead already get roughly 30-60 minutes a day. So, of course this would be maintenance and to lose then you would have to increase it. Where you are starting from is an important point to keep in mind. If you're maintaining your weight only doing 10 minutes of exercise a day then you'd lose by increasing your exercise 20,30 ,40 minutes, anything over that 10 minutes! make sense? :) hope this helps!! 

Original Post by angel46915:

Guidelines like that are useless without details for each specific person.  Perhaps those guidelines only apply to people who haven't changed their diets (and are thus still taking in lots of calories instead of moderate amounts of calories)?  Also, I thought the most recent government recommendations were 30 minutes of cardio per day.

Actually the AHA and ASCM have upped the amount of exercise needed to "promote healthy cardiovascular systemes"  To maintain health 30 minutes of moderate to vigourous activity 5 days a week - but this is if you are already healthy.

Here is a long article from the AHA and ACSM citing the studies recommending the increase in activity in addition to not only doing cardio 5 days a week but weight lifting 2 days

http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/reprint/CIRCU LATIONAHA.107.185649

although 90 minutes of activity a day may be extreme - if you are just walking then this is probably how much would be needed to improve health.  If you are doing HIIT however you only need to do 20 minutes. 

Everyone is different.  Any statistic, no matter how well thought out, is not going to work for everyone.

Personally, if I only got exercise 4-5 hours a week, I wouldn't lose a thing, and I wouldn't feel as good as I do now.  I do much better with 10-14.  My exercise isn't all about the weight loss, after all, it's about getting fit and being healthy.

I dislike those recommendations because they never clarify what type of exercise they mean.  I know they say "moderate to vigorous," but one man's moderate is another man's extremely vigorous--they should really give examples.

Usually when they do studies on this sort of thing, they use a "rating of perceived exertion," which is sort of a standardized scale of how hard you feel as though you're working.  Basically, "moderate" feels about the same to everyone, but you may need a different amount of effort to get there.  So recommendations like this actually are fairly useful and can apply broadly, though I think they should give examples as far as "moderate means i feel that i am working fairly hard, and i can still carry on a conversation" or "hard means i feel i'm working very hard, and i have difficulty carrying on a conversation."

Thanks to all of you for the discussion, and for the atta-girl's!

FYI:  When I said I felt depressed, I was being sardonic.  I am delighted with my progress, and totally satisfied with doing what I am willing and able to do exercise-wise.

I WAS surprised by Mary's information, because for years I've been hearing "a minimum of 30 minutes three times a week" which always sounded low to me but I thought that was the conservative "establishment" norm.  So 7 hours a week was a shock!

From what I'm hearing from all of you, it's like everything else - each person has to find what works for them.  I'm going to stick by the quote that a CC-er cited a while back:  "The best exercise is the exercise you are willing to do!"

This kind of stuff is crazy making for me- makes me feel left out and alone.  This kind of exercise assumes a body is healthy and can exercise without paying for it.  What about us folks who struggle with exercise due to pain limitations?  What about us?  Is this web site mainly for the buff folks?  I did walk about 2 miles today- a major back to it milestone.  That took over a month of physical therapy and I pray my back and sciatica doesn't clench up when I try to sleep tonight.  And yes, I am trying to lose weight.  I can't use machines like treadmills- that's what helped send me to the physical therapists.  I hate feeling like I am the odd ball on the block.  I have lost weight through my affilation with this web site but its been a struggle.  Doesn't mean I am giving up.  Just not losing 5 to 10 pounds a month!  Good luck with your journey. 

It definitely sucks being odd man out.  Since the broad recommendations handed out are for your average joe schmo, you're absolutely right that you're being left out.  But don't let it get you down.  Everyone has to do the best with what they can.  Read whatever information you think is useful in your journey, but take it with a grain of salt and know that it may not apply to you the same as everyone else and that, yes, your road is likely harder than most people's.

But also know that you're not the worst off--a lot of people can't even walk the two miles you did today.  Be proud of your achievements and only compare yourself to yourself.  Everyone is different, and everyone struggles with different things.  It is hard when you feel like you're constantly being smacked in the face with reminders that you're different, but you still have to learn to be happy living in your own skin.

Have you thought about making a group for people with sciatica, or maybe even a broader group for people who find themselves limited by pain or other problems?  I'm sure you're not the only one on this site who feels frustrated by such an issue.  It would probably help to know that you're not alone and to trade plans with people who are more similar.  Who knows, maybe you could even help out someone else who's every bit as hurt and frustrated as you are.

Okay, This only and educated guess taking past and present into consideration...

The recommended amount of exercise USED to be 3-5 times a week, now suddenly it's EVERYDAY. Well what's change in the general public? They've gotten lazy and obesity is a rising problem, as we all know, because what is considered exercise? Walking, running, cardio, weight-lifting. I THINK this is targeted more so for obese people.

SO my guess is that it's not That you have to exercise Vigorously for 60-90 minutes a day, they just want everyone to be "active", moving, walking, more for at least 60-90 minutes a day.

That's my guess, becuase i don't think anyone is expected to workout "to the max!" 7 hours a week, Just stay Active!

Java, well said!  I exercise 10-14 hours a week, but most of my exercise is walking.  I'm not going to the gym and going nuts for 2 hours a day.  I mostly walk, and I mix it up with other activities, like my mini-tramp, biking, classes at the Y, and some gentle weight lifting.  7 weeks ago I was at 205, I'm now at 189, but I am still rebuilding my fitness level, so crazy intense workouts are right out!  That's a big reason why I exercise 10-14 hours a week, because my intensity level is still pretty low, but that's what is working for me.  Two years ago, before I had a major backslide, I started at 230 and majorly unfit.  I could only walk for 15 minutes at a time.  So that's what I did.  I was amazed at how quickly I made progress and got stronger.  I have known friends that had to start lower than that, for various health reasons, and one woman I know could only walk 5 minutes at a time when she started.  The day she walked a whole mile for the first time was a very cool day!  My point is that we all have to start with what we've got, no matter how little that is, and work on building our fitness level.  One shouldn't compare one's progress to others, but look at how one's individual progress is improving.

Well said, plaidpooka!  Your story is very inspirational for those of us who are/have been discouraged by how much we have to lose or how unfit we are.  I hope you share it often.  There's no excuse for not starting where you are and doing what you can!

PS:  Another government program (www.smallstep.gov) says to "get physically active at least 5 days a week, for 30 minutes or more."  This is a great website, BTW, lots of little changes anyone can make to improve their health...

Original Post by poetnw:

This kind of stuff is crazy making for me- makes me feel left out and alone.  This kind of exercise assumes a body is healthy and can exercise without paying for it.  What about us folks who struggle with exercise due to pain limitations?  What about us?  Is this web site mainly for the buff folks?

Take heart poetnw!!  The American Heart Association website does have recommendations for elderly and disabled- I know being put in the "elderly" box when you are not can be depressing, but the recommendations for them might help you workout pain free!!!

Original Post by megsambit:

I dislike those recommendations because they never clarify what type of exercise they mean.  I know they say "moderate to vigorous," but one man's moderate is another man's extremely vigorous--they should really give examples.

this is precisely why they don't give examples: my 5k is much more taxing than a marathon runner's 5k.  exertion is relative to fitness, so effort is individually determined.  if you feel like your effort is vigorous and you sustain that for 45 minutes, does it really matter what that looks like objectively?

i don't understand what the gripe is in this thread.  exercise is good; sitting on your ass is bad; and mary's recommendations are for "most people."  nobody's going to bang on your door and haul you off to boot camp if you only exercise 5 hours a week.

Original Post by pgeorgian:

 recommendations are for "most people."  nobody's going to bang on your door and haul you off to boot camp if you only exercise 5 hours a week.

Wish they would some days!!!  Wouldn't it be great to have "workout police" who come haul you off to a gym - or make you walk around the block a few times!!!! 

Original Post by pgeorgian:

  nobody's going to bang on your door and haul you off to boot camp if you only exercise 5 hours a week.

Not only do I enjoy my vigorous exercise free days, my body NEEDS them.  It worked to help me lose 40 lbs, and it's all that's currently required for maintaining and physical fitness.

Although I suppose if some idiot wants to try to physically force me out of my house, that would inspire a "vigorous" @ss beating, so their intent might be met anyway.  How many swings with a cast iron skillet constitutes a workout, do you think?

Original Post by santonacci:

How many swings with a cast iron skillet constitutes a workout, do you think?

Heh, heh -  Depends, what pound skillet are you using?

Very lively discussion!  I started this thread because I was interested to know CC members' responses to the Ask Mary answer.  Like any of us who are successfully losing weight through changing our lifestyles, I've found the level and type of exercise that works for me...

I was also curious to know if there were lucky people out there who literally have 90 minutes a day to devote to exercise.  Work takes up 13 hours a day for me (4 days a week), and if I get my 7-8 recommended hours of sleep, that just leave 4 hours a day to eat, bathe, exercise for 30 minutes, gab on CC and have sex with my husband.

Wait, how many calories have I been missing there???

Original Post by mad4moon:

I was also curious to know if there were lucky people out there who literally have 90 minutes a day to devote to exercise. 

I used to work out about 2 hours a day but I also sufferred terrible insomnia would wake up at 4am workout for an hour get ready for work then do another hour workout after work. 

rest is important too.