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How Many Days A Week Should You Exercise?
How much you work out and the number of days you dedicate to exercising weekly totally depend on your goals. Whether you are looking to lose weight, build muscles, or improve general fitness, exercising three to four days per week is enough, though additional time or days spent exercising can have incremental effects.
Authored by: Ashima Sharda Mahindra
Updated May 7, 2025, 20:00 IST
You need to incorporate a variety of exercises in your routine, which include cardio and high-intensity training exercises
While exercise is the best way to not just reduce weight but also ensure your vital organs are working fine, there is always a question that you may be thinking—how many days a week is best to break a sweat? According to experts, the ideal number of days every week for workouts depends totally on your fitness goals.
Fitness gurus believe working out at least three times a week is sufficient for most people.
However, you need to incorporate a variety of exercises in your routine, which include cardio and high-intensity training exercises. So, if you are regular with your workouts, you can give your body adequate rest on other days so that it can prepare for your next workout.
Factors you must keep in mind
Experts believe a few factors you must always keep in mind regarding your workout include:
Daily schedule
Not just making plans, but be sure to stick to them as well, as consistency is the key to achieving your desired goals. For those who do not have access to a gym, always make time for bodyweight exercises at home.
Baseline fitness
Make sure to begin with a slow and low-intensity workout so that there is minimal risk of injury. Slowly and gradually, increase the intensity until you reach your goals.
Health conditions
There are many health conditions that require activity modifications or exercise restrictions. Always consult with your doctors for this.
How many days should you work out for?
Building muscles
For those who want to build muscle mass, make sure to do resistance training two to three days every week with a day of rest between workouts. Lift increasingly challenging amounts of weight to do this and do one-repetition maximum times. Experts recommend lifting weights between 70 and 85 per cent of your one-rep maximum.
Weight loss
If you wish to lose weight through workouts, you must consistently do at least 150 minutes of moderate and 75 minutes of vigorous exercise weekly, along with two days of strength training.
Experts believe that for weight loss, you should make sure to work out at least five days.
General well-being
For those looking towards a healthier and fitter body, exercising two to three days a week can help prevent various illnesses, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer. Experts recommend 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week.
Ways to keep yourself motivated for exercise
To be consistent with your workouts, make it a priority and take time from your busy schedule. To keep motivated, you must:
- Set a consistent schedule for yourself
- Start slow and gradually increase weights and timings of your workout
- Keep yourself accountable
- Schedule activities that you enjoy and involve your friends or family members to make it more fun.
- Keep things interesting by switching it up. Do a variety of exercise activities to keep yourself engaged, like aerobics, zumba, and yoga.
- Track your exercise and celebrate the wins by recognising your achievement.
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Ashima Sharda Mahindra author
Is a prolific writer with a varied experience of over two decades of journalism under her belt. She writes passionately about diverse health topics wi...View More
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