How many times per week do you aim to train? Now let me ask that a different way… How many times do you actually train? The most perfect training schedule doesn’t mean anything if you can’t actually do it.
You might think that you’ll lose more weight if you can do more workout sessions you can do. That makes sense. All forms of exercise expend energy, and resistance training bumps up your metabolism so you burn calories after training.
But it’s not necessarily true.
The best way to lose weight is to have a training schedule you can stick to, and a calorie intake that supports your activity levels.
And that’s good news for busy people like you who struggle to exercise every day!
The problem of a “perfect” goal
Let’s imagine a scenario. You pledge to train 6 days a week. You work out how many calories you can eat and still lose weight.
Monday – training felt great, food is prepped, so far so good.
Tuesday – you have to get up at 5:30am to train (but you made a promise!)
Wednesday – you’re already tired, and feeling really hungry, but you get the training done. You overeat in the evening.
Thursday – you take a day off training and your food cravings are intense
Friday – back to training, you’re feeling sore and still thinking about food
Saturday – training is really difficult to fit in today, leaving you no time to make healthy food
Sunday – hooray, a rest day from training, you’re exhausted and skip your regular walk
The beauty of a realistic goal
Now imagine a reasonable scenario. You know you can only train 3 days a week and wish you could do more, but you can’t, so that’s that. You work out how many calories you can eat and still lose weight.
Monday – no training today (busy day), healthy food on point
Tuesday – easier day, you enjoy a stress-free workout.
Wednesday – no time to train as kids need you, the family enjoys a healthy dinner
Thursday – you feel refreshed for another workout and get a reasonably early night
Friday – you don’t feel too hungry and enjoy a walk after dinner
Saturday – your 3rd workout of the week, feeling a bit tired but no workout tomorrow
Sunday – thank goodness no workout as today is busy!
The best training schedule for you
Be realistic. How hectic is your schedule? Does your commute take up a huge part of your day? How much time is taken up running the kids about or getting to meetings?
The best training schedule is the one you can stick to on your busiest week.
Set up your workout schedule so you can hit it every week, no matter what life throws at you. If that means just 3 sessions a week, that’s fine.
But what about weight loss?
If exercise burns calories, and you’ve accepted that you can only train 3 times a week, how can you lose weight?
Simple – by tailoring your calorie intake to your energy output.
If you train 7 times a week, you get to eat more.
If you train 3 times a week, you’ll need to eat less.
But don’t forget, plenty of other things can increase your calorie output. Can you walk more during the day? Can you replace any short car journeys with a walk?
The secret to successful weight loss isn’t training every day of the week.
It’s training when you can and setting your calories accordingly.
The smartest way to make fitness your routine
Weight loss isn’t a sprint. The best approach is sensible, strategic, and patient.
How many times a week can you train? Drop me a message and I’ll help you set up your weight loss calories.
Coach Joseph Webb.
‘The number one rated Personal Trainer In Henley and Oxfordshire’