One of the reasons I've started CrossFit is to transition to working out less. I was previously working out 6-7 days a week, and it was just eating up SO much of my time. Crossfit recommends 3-4 sessions a week. We'll see how it goes.

Absolutely. My 5 mile run around the lake takes an hour plus travel. I used to run every day. Way too much. Unless you're training for an event or are addicted (as I used to be) there's no reason for it. I even hear that the runner's high is better if limited to 3 or so times a week. Getting that high and feeling mellow is my motivation, so it's whatever gives me that chilled out feeling. Having a messy house is not it.

If your body seems to "like" working out everyday, I don't see a reason to stop. I just try to make sure personally to get 2.5 hours in each weak for my heart. I find I rarely go much over that, I'm not sure I try to keep it there, but I am old enough to be limping if I overdo it.

The New York Times is a terrible source for health advice. So is Apartment Therapy. Back to design posts please.

Well if you're just working out to remain healthy, why does it matter if technically more calories are being burnt in 4 work outs over 6? You're likely already at a good weight, so just keep doing what you're doing.

It depends upon what you mean by "working out" - reading the "2 and 4 work out a week groups " were strength training once or twice a week, and that is the optimal amount of strength training to increase your muscle mass and thereby up their calorie burning. Strength training more often then that does not give your body time to respond to the exercise with muscle growth, therefore the more frequent exercisers had less muscle and did not raise their calorie burning!
Here is a link to a Gym that only ALLOWS their clients to work out 1 -2 times per week - they have lots of info as to why this is the optimal way to do it!
http://bodybyberle.com/

I think it's true that your body does need a break. I usually work out 4-5 times a week, and I decided to try it every day for two weeks. During those two weeks I didn't see much movement on the scale. I took 4 days off and the next time I weighed in I had lost 4 pounds! The body needs time to heal itself and build your muscles back up.

I decided to work out less so that I don't get burned out and stop doing it altogether. My goal this year is to keep working out fun and enjoyable, don't do it if don't want to, and stick at it for at least 8 months straight.

Am I the only person who found this article ridiculous? "I would get soooooo much done if I didn't work out so much". Really?

@RealDeal - I did, and almost all of fitness/health advice from the mainstream media is total garbage, so it's extra irritating to see it on a design blog.

if you like working out, keep working out, who cares what the study says

I put together a standing desk at work, so that I don't feel quite as beholden to daily exercise. I figure that if I'm not sitting down 8+ hours per day, I can get away with walking the dog in the evenings and running 3-4 days a week.

I also work out six times a week -- but only two of those workouts are my hard-core weightlifting. The other four times I either do simple cardio or yoga. I feel like that keeps me active without putting undue strain on my joints or system.

@toastercat If you have such a problem with a health/lifestyle question, dont click the post and spend your time commenting on it. Please remove your negativity from this otherwise positive site.

The New York Times most likely sparked this same question in many of its readers and I agree the body needs time to recover between workouts, 4-5 times a week works well for me.

It sounds so silly, but it's valid. Before starting to train for a half-marathon this year, I was working out 2-5 times a week, so my training schedule shouldn't be such a big deal. But now that my routine is more structured and there are consequences for slacking off, I'm completely overwhelmed. I feel like I have no time for anything, and everyday is a 12+ hour day. It's crazy, and kind of sad! Maybe it will be easier when winter is over.

I don't know how people with kids handle life.

Amen, toastercat. At least if we're going to get health-related articles, it'd be nice if they were accurate.

I have weeks where I don't get to the gym as often as usual, and I can tell it's harder when I go back after a few days off. Everyone's body is different.

Amy, my 5 year old LOVES the child care area at the gym, so I have days where I'm going because he wants to go there and play. In my case, having kids actually gets me to the gym more often. :)

I used to train 3 times a week before work. I was a salesclerk in a big store, and among my task were to fill in a huge wall of shoes, which turned out to be ' going up and down the stairs' training a daily thing. Basically, I trained 1h30 3 times a week, and then I walked, carried heavy loads, and used my body for another 8 hours, 5 days a week. At some point, I noticed I could not run on the machines any more; I had taken a habit of running 10 minutes, and had gotten pretty good at it, meaning that I was comfortable doing it, yet feeling the effort. I also had some muscle training afterwards, with weighs and other machines. Then, something happened: I couldn't run more than 2 minutes without feeling atrociously nauseous, and it got very, very hard. Even the weighs were hard. I didn't worry at first, I was healthy and had bad days. But it when on for a long time. I talked with a friend of mine, who was in sports a lot, who said my boby simply was choosing between the cardio and the muscling, because I was overdoing it.

This comes to say that yes, less is more. I think you also have to consider what you do as a living in your choice of schedule. Overdoing it can, and I was lucky on that, bring very serious health issues, unfortunately. Balance, balance, balance.