Because everyone’s bodies and fitness goals vary so widely among gym-goers, the answer to this question isn’t the same for everyone. It’s also important to remember that when it comes to your fitness journey, recovery is just as important. Finding that sweet spot between how many fitness classes your body needs vs. how many it can handle each week isn’t a one size fits all. And while our workouts are based on rounds of strength conditioning and treadmill cardio intervals,  we also have double-floor spots available for those desiring a focus on strength conditioning only.  In many cases our personal trainers may actually recommend this in order to achieve certain outcomes.

Here, our personal trainers of Body Machine Fitness offer free monthly 1-on-1 consultations in order to gain insights and offer a prescription into frequency of classes and weight ranges for different exercises, as well as macro guidelines in order to get you where you want to go.

How Often Should I Work Out for Weight Loss and Muscle Gain?

According to the current Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, adults who wish to maintain their weight should dedicate at least two full-body muscle strengthening workouts and about 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity and each week. The higher the intensity of the aerobic activity, the less time required.

Under those same guidelines, those who wish to lose weight are simply advised to do “more” than that. Nutrition is a big piece of this goal, and how far you want to go with all of it will depend of course on how much weight you want to lose. Again, our personal trainers will work with you hand-in-hand to layout a protocol customized for you.

While doing our workouts will undoubtedly bring great results, having a customized program will accelerate your results for the same amount of time and effort.  For example, losing weight and gaining muscle are somewhat diametrically opposed to each other. Should you focus on weight loss first, or building muscle first?  But don’t worry, our trainers will tailor the program to find the sweet spot for your individual needs.

Listen to Your Body. Trust Yourself.

HIIT workouts like we offer at BMF are a great way to meet your weight loss and muscle building goals efficiently since by definition, high intensity intervals followed by quick recovery periods already place you ahead of the weekly recommendation with just a few sessions each week.

Whether you are in the dedicated cardio portion of the workout or the weight-lifting segment, high intensity cardio bursts hold the key to success in both areas. And because we target different muscles in new ways each day, you will also get your full body strengthening needs met in every session.

So exactly, how many classes does this translate to?

The answer to that question is still going to depend on how your body feels. No one knows that better than you!

Check in with yourself to make sure you aren’t over-training and building in enough rest days (again, our trainers will help you!):

  • Are you sore? (In a good way or in an I-might-have-injured-myself way?)
  • Are you feeling irritable or fatigued? (could be lack of sleep but could also be a sign of over-training)
  • Have you stretched or taken one of our recovery classes? (mobility and stretching is paramount)
  • Do you need a break? (take it!)
  • Are you dying to take an extra class this week? (come!)

For a beginner, three to four classes a week may be optimal in the beginning. But as you build endurance, you may find that five to six, or more HIIT sessions may start moving the needle faster. Some BMF addicts can come to class every day (and sometimes 2 times per day) with no issues at all.

And never forget, all of the trainers here are highly-skilled professionals who are eager to give guidance around all these questions and more. Whether you think you are doing much or need to do more, we got you!

Ready to see results? Join us for group fitness classes in Plano and Ft. Worth!

How Long Will It Take to See Results?

Have you ever done a ten-minute ab workout and immediately lifted your shirt to see if your six-pack is showing? No judgment–we’ve been there too. It’s natural to want immediate results when we start working toward any goal.

Let’s be blunt: you want your workouts to work for you. In an effort to get a chiseled bod as fast as possible, many newbies make the mistake of thinking that the more hours and energy they put into their physique, the better it will be.

This is a myth. You don’t need to spend two grueling hours a day in the gym to benefit from strength training. BMF’s 45-minute HIIT sessions are efficient and science-backed to get you quick results while having fun along the way. And by following your trainer’s recommendations, you can achieve your goals even faster. Even without personal coaching, because our workouts are so effective, many of our members notice improvements in their exercise performance and body composition after just 30 days.

Get Addicted

Working out should be a pleasure, not a punishment, and if you can safely do so, you should work out as much as you want—for many Body Machine Fitness members, that means five to seven days a week. No, we don’t cast a spell on them—we just use neuroscience to rewire the brain to crave exercise. See for yourself! Sign up for a free fitness class today.

(Warning: side effects may include big smiles and big gains.)