Should You Work Out Every Day to Gain Muscle and Lose Weight?

You want to get in shape and feel more confident in your body. You know it’s important to be active, but should you work out every day? Knowing how often to exercise and what exercises to do is challenging. Fortunately, by following the right fitness program, you can find a frequency that fits your busy schedule and helps you achieve your fitness goals. So, should you work out every day to gain muscle and lose weight? Keep reading for my recommendations!

Should You Work Out Every Day to Gain Muscle?

If you want to gain muscle, it’s essential to do weight-lifting exercises that focus on increasing strength and sculpting your muscles. But should you work out every day to gain muscle? Not necessarily. If you focus on lifting, you do not want to work the same muscles every day. You’ll want to alternate between upper-body, lower-body, and full-body workouts and add a couple of cardio days. 

If you’re new to weight training, starting slow and gradually increasing your frequency is essential. I recommend starting with two to three days of weighted exercises per week and taking rest days in between. You’ll likely be pretty sore at first, and it’s important not to push yourself too hard. Be sure to focus on your form and build your endurance as you increase the frequency and output of your strength training.

If you’ve been working out for a while, weight training five to six times a week can help you gain muscle. Still, it’s important to take at least one rest day. This will give your body time to recover from your workouts and help prevent injuries. You can take a day off or do an active rest day, where you go on an easy walk or bike ride or take a yoga class to stretch and shake out your sore muscles. 

Should You Work Out Every Day to Lose Weight?

If your fitness goal is to lose weight, it’s important to diversify your workouts with HIIT training, AMRAP circuits, weight training, and cardio. But should you work out every day to lose weight? It depends. While it’s definitely important to move every day, you don’t need to do an intense workout daily to achieve results. 

I recommend doing four to six workouts throughout the week, focusing on strength training days, cardio-only or HITT/AMRAP days, and active rest days in between. This will give your body time to rest and heal while pushing you closer to your weight loss goal.

How to Develop the Perfect Workout Schedule for You

Consistency is key when trying to gain muscle or lose weight. Rather than worrying about whether you should work out every day, I encourage you to find a fitness program that supports your lifestyle. Too often, people become hyper-focused on their fitness goals that it takes over their life. Or, they go hard for a few weeks but get burnt out by trying to work out every day. To avoid both these scenarios, here’s how to set yourself up for success and find a frequency that works. 

Know Your Why

Staying motivated to work out multiple times each week is much easier when you have clearly defined fitness goals. So, before you develop a fitness plan, write down one to three goals you want to accomplish. Be as specific as possible while also being realistic. For example:

• I want to lose 5 pounds per month until I’ve reached my goal weight of 145 pounds so that I can lower my blood pressure.
• I want to tone my arms and legs to feel stronger when playing with my kids. 
• I want to make fitness a consistent part of my life by working out for at least 25 minutes four days per week, so I can continue to do the things I love throughout my life (as I get older).

Whatever your goals are, make sure they are realistic and important to you. That will help you stay consistent and motivated in your fitness routine.

Be Realistic About Your Time

You don’t have to work out every day to reach your goals. And I know this is great news for busy women with many things on their plates. You can prioritize your health and wellness by committing to a workout routine that’s realistic for you. 

If you only have three days a week to exercise, don’t commit to four days. If the best time for you to exercise is during your lunch break, don’t force yourself to get up extra early in the mornings. If you want to exercise from home, don’t purchase a gym membership. Be honest with yourself about the time you have to dedicate to your fitness routine and find a program that works for your lifestyle. I always say it is about consistency, not perfection. I would prefer you do one circuit of a workout than skip the entire thing because you don’t have 30 minutes of uninterrupted time.

If you feel excited and energized about daily movement, you can work out every day. If you feel like exercising four days a week with active rest days in between fits your busy schedule, do that. If you’re not sure of the best frequency to reach your fitness goals, reach out to me–I’d love to talk to you about the best plan to reach your goals. 

Find a Plan that Keeps You on Track

Once you know your goals, it’s time to find a fitness program that helps you reach them! The ALFitCrew is designed to help busy women build strong, toned, confident bodies with at-home workouts that fit their schedules. 

The ALFitCrew program includes a variety of training styles, live and on-demand workouts, and instant access to me as your personal trainer. Each exercise plan is designed to fit your schedule, with 25-45 minute workouts you can do from home. You can learn more about the ALFitCrew and how it can help you reach your fitness goals. 

Workout with the ALFitCrew Fitness App FREE for 7 Days

There’s no need to sacrifice your health and fitness just because you’re short on time. With the ALFitCrew fitness app, you can get a great workout whenever and wherever it’s convenient for you. I write detailed workouts each week with written instructions and video examples to help you get the most out of every exercise. Plus, you can customize your workouts to target specific areas, such as your core or arms. 

Whether you’re a busy mom or a busy professional, the ALFitCrew fitness app can help you fit exercise into your busy schedule. Start today with a 7-day free trial and get instant access to workouts to help you reach your fitness goals!