How much should I exercise?

S

Sarah_B

New member
So I have been on (around) a 1200 calorie diet for about 2 months now. I know its low, but I get a lot of protein and I have lost about 13 pounds so far. I want to exercise as well, I am just wondering how often. I have been doing 15 minutes a day on the stair stepper. I don't want to do too much but not too little. Is 5 days a week ok? I am 5'6 and 160 pounds currently. Any help would be appreciated. I just want to lose a decent amount by summer and no, I don't feel hungry or like I am starving. Thank you.
 
15 minutes is a good start, but you also should be doing some kind of resistance training along with extending the duration of your cardio up to 30 minutes. Intensity is also important but you make no mention of how intense your sessions are.
 
I just started back with exercise and honestly got none previously as I am always either housebound or hospital bound due to a mental health condition. I am mostly trying to lose weight through diet, so not looking to exercise too hard, but enough to kind of get my blood moving. Right now I am on the lowest intensity because my legs felt like they would die at first and it took me two or three days just to work up to 15 minutes. I also just gave up smoking 2 days ago.
 
Is it ok to only eat 1200 calories but exercise more? I used to be anorexic so I don't want to lose my hair or muscles either.
 
without knowing more details there is no way of knowing if 1200 calories is to little for you, but it is resistance exercise which allows you to maintain muscle while eating reduced calories.

current weight, bodyfat % or BMI will all have an impact on balancing calories and exercise.
 
I have a current BMI of 25.8. What exactly is resistance training? I am not able to go to the gym. All I have is a stair stepper and a tread mill that inclines but I prefer the stair stepper
 
Resistance training is any form of lifting, either just using body weight like push-ups or using equipment like Bands, Dumbbells, Barbells, kettle bells or other makeshift weights.
 
Oh ok. Yeah I read I shouldn't do it because it puts strain on a certain area of my body that is currently inflamed unfortunately. But I did find an app that has a 30 day ab program and that seems to work up a good sweat in me along with the stair climber and it doesn't seem to aggravate my medical problem
 
If you don't include injuries when asking for help then there is not enough information to give individual advice.
 
Well, its not exactly an injury perse..... I guess since this forum is fairly anonymous I have external hemmoroids that are prone to swelling if anything puts pressure around that area at all. Ive had them 15 years and prefer to manage them over the surgery. So I have to be careful about "strenuous activity" I do also have scoliosis and I previously fractured my spine. Although I am not really really sure if laying on my back and lifting weights would affect this or not. Crazy thing is I am only 29...
 
On average at least an hours exercise is a good way to maintain your current weight. This does not have to be intense, just 30 mins of walking throughout the day, and maybe 30 mins of something else. To lose weight try adding in some more intense exercise alongside this, even if it's just 20 minute sessions each day. I've been doing 30 mins walking, 20 mins jogging, and 10-20 mins cardio exercise every day for the past 2 weeks. Gone from 8'4 to 7'10. Also my stomach is really starting to tone from the cardio and already looks much better!
 
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