Limited time avail to workout - what are your thoughts?

[VooDoo Lady]

I have 1 hour 4 days out of the week, and 1.5 hours on the weekends to work out.

I am struggling with how to break down my time between cardio/weight training. You all have been saying 3-4 days a week for an hour for cardio - but that doesn't leave much time for weight training....

Thoughts?

VDL

 

[Pink Space Biscuit]

Is this 1 hour/1.5 hours just the times you can make it to the gym while it's open? If so you could always do cardio at home or outside, since those places are open 24/7. Then your gym time could be for weightlifting.

 

[VooDoo Lady]

Actually...this is a self-imposed time limitation in an attempt to create more of a balance in my life....as I work full time, go to grad school one night a week, I have a 4 year old son, and a husband (not to mention the housework, etc..).

PLEASE NOTE: I'm not crying, whining, or complaining here, I realize everyone here has a life outside of the gym...I'm just trying to get the most 'bang for my buck' and make the most of the time I have allotted to the gym.

Thanks

 

[Sassy69]

This is just a suggestion, and may require that you go balls-to-the-wall in the gym, no social time! If you can keep your training to very intense and 40 min or less, and then do 3-4 sessions / week of interval cardio for 20 min. Do the harder training or longer cardio sessions on the weekends when you have a little more time.

It can be done -- remembering that diet is still the larger contributor of all if you are looking to drop bodyfat. I dropped 10 lbs and a decent amount of body fat in 1 month for a trip to cozumel a few years ago. I found a trainer at my gym and told him I could guarantee 30 minutes 5 days/week (over lunch) plus weekends. I usually ended up doing about 45 min and I wasnt' being a cardio queen either. But I did it. If you work your time and commit 200 % to your schedule, you can accomplish a lot!

 

[new@gettinbig]

If you are limited on time make sure you are getting your weights in!!! It is SO important..but workouts solo should only take you 30-45 minutes...dont rest forever between sets and dont socialize etc....get in there and get out. Cardio should be 2nd on your list...do what you can..get up earlier or do what you gotta do...cardio all depends on your goals..if you wanna get lean..then yes find some time to get it in..if not then dont stress over it...gym time will often cut into other things..you gotta decide what is important and MAKE time to do it....we are all busy and have hectic schedules..but you can always make some sort of routine work. Take some major planning and just do it.