Poll: How often do you work out?

[arebelspy]

The "How do you work out?" thread: https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/ask-a-mustachian/how-do-you-work-out/

Got me wondering.. how often do you work out?

Be honest!  Not "how often would you like to..." or "how often should you..." or "in an ideal world..." Take the last year for example.  How often did you work out?

So I guess I'll phrase the poll as "How often did you work out in 2011?"

Then you can put your explanations / excuses in the comments.  ;)

And remember the YMOYL motto: No blame, no shame.

[CptPoo]

I shoot for 2-3 times a week, but only get there once a week sometimes. One of my jobs is for an apartment complex that has a workout facility, so I try to work out whenever I get called over there for a job.

[velocistar237]

I put "not at all" because I consider my bike commute and walking everywhere to be regular activity, not exercise. I haven't lifted weights or gone running since 2010.

Excuse:
But I have two kids, and I'm still working, waah, waaah!!

[zinnie]

More than 4 times per week. I wonder what my actual average is, but the few weeks where I only do something 3 or 4 times I feel terrible.

I usually run on my lunch break 4 times a week and go on a long run or long bike ride one weekend day. And I do yoga whenever I think of it. I probably average 5 days a week over the course of a year. I have a lot of stress. It helps... :)

[Eristheunorganized]

I do Judo 2x a week at the YMCA. I try to do lifting and yoga on my own, but I don't always manage it. 15 minutes of yoga after you wake up is pretty amazing though.

[onehappypanda]

I try to do something at least 2-3 times a week, like strength work and running. It keeps me sane.

If all else fails, I bike/walk enough to not be a total couch potato, but I consider those normal daily activity for me and not necessarily workouts. Unless it's a particularly long trip.

[chrissyo]

I shoot for 'proper' workouts 2-3x/week, sometimes 4x if I am aiming for a particular goal. I usually aim to do a mix of compound lifting and interval training, but will occasionally do just one or the other and other times focus on steady state running if the weather is nice and/or I am training for an organised run.

In addition to the gym, DH and I typically have one long (7-10+ miles) walk at the weekend, and we naturally walk a somewhat quick pace. Recently, we've also started walking home on Friday evenings, which is about 4 miles or so.

[Parizade]

Like velocistar, I don't consider my active lifestyle "working out." If I were pressed to categorize my hiking, biking, paddling, skiing snowshoeing, etc I would file it under entertainment or mental health. The physical benefits are welcome but secondary.

I do use the free gym at work occasionally, when weather is too unpleasant for outdoor fun.

[kolorado]

As a busy mom of three kids I thought I was going to be the slacker of the group when I honestly voted 2 times a week. I define "work out" as a fitness activity, yoga, or strength training with a duration of 20 minutes or more. My sessions are usually 40 minutes though because once I start I don't like to go back to being "mom" again for a while. It's me time. I do stay busy other days of the week keeping after my toddler and playing with my older kids. The trampoline is fun. :D
I'm the homemaker parent to young children so if I don't "work out" I would not have regular activity with real health benefits. When the kids are grown a bit more and can keep up with me more I can take that up again.
Yoga and Zumba are my favorite workouts. Hikes and swimming are my favorite active lifestyle activities.

[AJ]

Well, now I feel like a wimp for including hiking and biking in my totals :(

[Mrs MM]

I put 2-3 times per week, since I do crossfit 3 times per week (these are really hard workouts too!).  I also bike every day and I will be adding one run/hike in the mountains day to my schedule as soon as the weather cooperates.

Interestingly, I went down to working out 2 days a week and realized that I started to feel pretty "blah" a lot of the time.  It seems that 3-4 times per week is optimal for me.  It keeps me energetic, fit, and happy.

[Mrs MM]

Well, now I feel like a wimp for including hiking and biking in my totals :(

I was just thinking that everyone seems pretty hardcore about what they consider working out.  The key is intensity.  Some people might go to the gym, but their workout may not be as hard as your bike ride.  Biking and hiking definitely counts!!  :)

[zinnie]

Well, now I feel like a wimp for including hiking and biking in my totals :(

I did that too--I don't think workout has to mean "gym," I was just thinking more along the lines of heart rate significantly raised for at least 30 minutes...

[onehappypanda]

Well, now I feel like a wimp for including hiking and biking in my totals :(

I was just thinking that everyone seems pretty hardcore about what they consider working out.  The key is intensity.  Some people might go to the gym, but their workout may not be as hard as your bike ride.  Biking and hiking definitely counts!!  :)

That's true. Also, in 100% honesty: I do think hiking and biking count as workouts, I just don't include them in my count because then I'll feel like it's a chore. As long as hiking and biking are fun activities, I'm more compelled to do them. It's a mindgame I play with myself. I'm decidedly un-badass about it.

[zoltani]

The daily bike miles i ride don't count as a workout for me, though some people I know would think so.  Every other day I try to do some push ups, or a little free weight work.  No major stuff, and I don't know if that is working out either really. 

Anyway, I voted 2-3 times a week because I bike everyday for transportation, but the push ups or free weights take thought and motivation, so for now I'll call that a workout. 

[j3000]

After about 1.5-2 years of experimenting and refinement, I've perfected a no-equipment, no-space workout that requires only about an hour of time only twice a week.  I used to do 3 times a week, but I learned that rest periods are just as important as work periods, and following my body I was slightly overdoing it at 3x a week (MWF).  Now I do MTh, and ever since doing this a few months ago, my strength has improved immensely.  I hope to detail my routine in the work out thread soon.

[dahlink]

Lately I have been slacking off.  I need to work off some of these newer rolls that are forming.  I meant to start this week but it didn't workout =P  maybe next week I'll get back on the horse.

[frugalman]

I work out five days a week, 5:30 AM, 45 mins before I go to work. See the following link for why this is a good idea: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704350304574638331243027174.html

I've lost 70 pounds in two years, feel GREAT and now take no meds.

P.S. I'm a 62 year old desk worker who just got tired of being fat and sick.

[Adventine]

In 2011, I used to set apart a specific amount of time maybe 3 or 4 times a week to work out, but I've recently gotten into walking from the train station to my office every day. That's 20 minutes of leisurely walking per trip, so 40 minutes a day, not counting several flights of stairs inside the station itself. My calves ache every day now, but I like falling into bed tired. I sleep better, because it's a good kind of tired.

[retirementbound]

Last year, I trained for and ran my first half marathon. I'm hoping to step it off to a full marathon by the end of this year, but have a couple more halves planned before that. I'm currently running 3-4 miles every weekday, either before work or at lunch, and have a 6+ mile long run (mileage depends on the training schedule) on Saturdays with a local group. I had been doing some strength training after work for a few months, which I felt really helped me with my speed, but lately work's been keeping me late and by the time I get home I just want to relax. Hopefully I can get strength training worked in again!

[what]

I currently run three times a week, between 5 and 15 km per outing, depending on my training schedule. I'd love to start strength training on the off days; my excuse is that I live in a small apartment with no room for weights, and I refuse to spring for a gym membership.

My money mustache comes before muscles, I guess.

[James]

My routine varies a ton.  During the summer I run 3-4 times per week.  In the spring I clear trees, rake the yard, garden, etc.  In the early winter I am usually very consistent at Snap working out 2-3 times per week.  During the later winter I get lax and only get to snap 1-2 times per week, often skipping a week or two as well.  Then spring comes, and I start running again, and I'm clearing the yard, and my belt gets to the next hole...  :)

[cdttmm]

Martial arts 3x per week
Running 3-6x per week (depending on when I'm racing next)
Yoga 1-2x per week

Although I work out regularly, it is almost always in the evenings.  I wish I had a bit more discipline as I'd like to get back to consistently doing an AM and a PM workout 5-6 days per week.