how do you balance the remainder of your life when you exercise 3 hours per day?

You got me! I could not exercise three hours per day unless it was part of a job or something. I envy anyone who can devote that amount of time to fitness! If you are doing that, more power to you!

thanks, I'm only doing it until I get to my desired weight and then I'm cutting down to 3 days a week

Please be careful you don't over train. 3 hours a day for 6 days a week is extreme! I don't want to be negative and I congratulate you for your will power but you're doing way too much. If you over train you're looking at the possibility of really damaging joints or muscles or possibly getting a type of 'fatigue syndrome' - feels like flu.
I only say this because it happened to me and set me back months some years back now.
An hour and a half per day is plenty ... Maybe half an hour cardio mixed with an hour of free weights or similar? Or take a class plus half an hour of stretching ...

Again, well done for exercising, but please listen to your body and take it a little easier...

x

thanks annabel33, I understand what you are saying. It took me almost a year to build up to this level. dang when I started I could barely walk 1/4 of a mile. Yes, I will listen to my body and thanks for the reply

Man, when I was in college, I used to work out 2 hours a day...and thought that was a lot. My body was in tip top shape, but it started to become an obsession...so much that I was giving up time with my family, friends, and boyfriend just to work out. I think its great that you have so much stamina and drive, but drawing off personal experience...just make sure you listen and respond to your body, and take into consideration how your life outside the gym is being affected.

Hey Zesty...
I used to run marathons at my fittest and would spend an hour and a half or more in the gym from 6am every morning apart from Sunday. That's when I over trained.

I know how it feels to be in tip top condition and you just want to bust a gut to get to your goal, but there's one thing about exercise...
That is, too much can actually negate what you've already done. Not only that, but the extra day or two you're putting in may not make any difference whatsoever to your fitness level overall!

When you exercise, essentially, your muscles 'tear' and need to recover sufficiently. If you're not allowing that recovery time, then you're heading for trouble. My advice, NEVER force yourself into the gym to exercise. If you're fatigued and need to rest, take the time out to meditate or to do a little yoga. It's so important you let your muscles heal in between your exercise.
You don't want to start going backwards or putting in all that effort for negative results.... That's more damaging mentally than anything.
If you're training, mix it up a little. Bike one day, walk or run the next, weights one day, none the next ... Day on, day off .... Don't train the same muscles over and over without giving them chance to recover. This way, more benefit for you all round.

And there is a problem with addiction too... You get down and depressed if you're not at the gym for one day... That's a sure sign you're over training.

x

Can you post some details of your training programme?
I mean if your sole reason for the 3 hours/day training to lose weight, maybe there are some more effective ways :-)

Cheers:
Eva

Yes, I agree with everyone. I can tell you from recent experience, just a few weeks ago, for 2 weeks straight, I exercised 2 hours per day, 7 days a week, eating between 800-1200 calories and keeping carbs at around 20g, and you know how much weight I lost? 0 pounds. Yep, that's right, nothing. So, during the third week I completely cut down my exercising to just 30 minutes, added some strenght training, raised my calories and carbs, and I have lost 3 pounds this week. It is no where near as much as I was trying to lose each week, but it is plenty for the amount of exercise that I am now doing, and for my santity. I was really starting to lose it by day 14. So, I am a firm believer that too much of anything is a bad thing, including exercise. It's better to just try different exercises, times, trainings, etc, to find which is most effective for your body. Chances are, if your body needs time to recover, it will shut down and all that work will be pointless!

I'm wondering if that is what is starting to happen to me, MrsLBrown............

I do high intensity step aerobic for AT LEAST 63 minutes, five days a week, and I have not lost any additional weight, but then again I have not gained any either!

I may have to cut back though, because lately I have been feeling tired and afterwards my feet kill me !!

Waaay too much, Husker... You aren't giving your body time to heal up. Very dangerous. Cut it back to 3 times per week with gentle exercise like walking in between for the other two sessions.

There's no mention as to why kind of exercise you are doing, but I can say with near 100% certainty that you really are NOT exercising with much intensity. If you can go 3 hours you could not possibly have enough intensity to do your body any good. Even at low intensity that type of insanity could really start to break your body down. Also, if you are exercising for that amount of time I would question a low carb approach. Your body will eventually have to start breaking down protein for fuel, and there goes any muscle mass.

Another problem is that you should really think about an exercise program not just to get you into shape, but as part of your lifestyle. Three hours a day will not fit into your life long term. Three hours a week (maybe 45 minutes X 4 or 60 minutes X 3) could fit into the rest of your life. What will probably happen (If you do not get sick or injured from overtraining) is as soon as you hit your target mind, body, and spirit will say enough is enough, and you will become a couch potato and swing back the other direction. You may say that will not happen to you, but it is human nature.

Just my 2 cents.

Brett

Another thought to consider is that when you do hit goal and ramp down your exercise that your body may start to put on more weight because you are not stimulating your metabolism like you used to.

As many others have already suggested it would be best to do shorter intervals (1 hr) more often during the week (4 - 6 x). That type of program is sustainable long term and makes it easier to become a life long haibt, as exercise should be.

3 hours!! OMG I'm getting tired just watching your avatar Zesty!

"I completely cut down my exercising to just 30 minutes, added some strenght training, raised my calories and carbs, and I have lost 3 pounds this week."

Wut kind of exercises r u doing and how many days a week r u doing it? Also, HOW DOES EVERYONE MANAGE TO KEEP THEIR WORKOUTS TO 30 - 45 MINUTES? I complete my workouts within an hour to an hour-and-a-half.
Should i do only 1 type of workout for the body part im working on? Because i do about 2 types of work outs for my chest alone, including other body parts, such as my triceps (in the same day) as well.
PLEASE someone help me out here..

THanks.........