How Often Should You Work Out? Here’s How to Decide, Based on Your Fitness Goals

No surprise here: Working out is very, very good for you. “Exercise is one of the most powerful medicines for our body for so many reasons,” says Jay W. Lee, MD, a family physician in Southern California and a member of the board of directors of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). “It reduces stress, boosts energy, and is good for our mental health.” 

But exactly how many days a week should you work out to reap those benefits? It’s understandable if you’re feeling confused. There’s some conflicting information out there, and what’s more, the best weekly workout cadence for you might not be quite right for someone else. 

When in doubt, regular exercise—whenever you can fit it in or whatever it looks like—is always better than none at all, Dr. Lee says. But there are some expert-recommended best practices on exercising to meet your goals, whether that’s gaining muscle, increasing cardio, or simply maintaining good health. Read on for everything you need to know about how often you should work out.

How Many Days a Week Should I Work Out?

This question actually has an official answer: According to the most recent Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, adults should aim for about 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week, plus at least two days of muscle-strengthening activities such as strength training. But if you prefer to work out more intensely and less often, the guidelines say 75 minutes of vigorous intensity exercise can also help you meet your goals, as long as you’re still including muscle-training sessions.

As for how to fit in those 75–150 minutes throughout your week? Peloton instructor Mila Lazar suggests aiming for between three and five workouts. “That’s a solid, sustainable goal,” she says. “This is a good balance between physical activity and recovery, and it helps mix or incorporate a variety of exercise classes.” (Just remember to give your body at least 48 hours of rest between strength training muscle groups for proper recovery.)

For example, if you’re a beginner or strapped for time, your weekly workout schedule might look something like this:

“More experienced individuals can push towards five days, depending on their fitness level and goals,” Mila says. If that describes you, your week might look like this:

These are good-to-aim-for schedules, but don’t be discouraged if even the beginner routine feels too action-packed at first. “We know [150 minutes] isn’t feasible for everyone given busy lifestyles and the responsibilities of, well, life,” Dr. Lee says. “That said, I encourage patients to exercise when they can and in a way that they enjoy—that can look like walking, jogging, dancing, biking, or even cleaning your house vigorously.”

And in case you missed it, the Peloton App takes the guesswork out of your weekly workout routine with Personalized Plans. This feature creates a customized training schedule every Monday morning based on your workout goals, using in-house fitness experts’ knowledge and top-of-the line technology to do so.

How Often You Should Work Out Based on Your Goals

It’s absolutely not a requirement to have a specific goal when exercising. (Working out because it’s good for your health is reason enough!) But Mila says it can sometimes be helpful to ask yourself what you’re hoping to achieve through your workout routine, since this can help keep you motivated. 

If Your Goal Is: General Wellbeing

“For general wellbeing, workouts should include a mixture of activities that are enjoyable enough to participate in regularly,” says Lindsy Jackson, a physical therapist and owner at Movement Managed PT in Littleton, New Hampshire. Aim for the general guidelines (about 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week plus two strength sessions) and do your best to target all muscle groups equally, she adds. 

Mila also recommends making time for flexibility, too, such as by taking a yoga or Pilates class.

If Your Goal Is: Muscle Growth

“To build muscle, you’ll have to strength train more frequently,” Dr. Lee says. According to Mila, that might look like four to five days of physical activity with an emphasis on resistance training. She recommends split routines, which include strength moves that target both the upper and lower body, as well as progressive overload, which increases the stress on your body gradually.

If Your Goal Is: Cardiovascular Health

If you want to push yourself to do more aerobic activity for your overall heart health, Mila suggests three to four cardio workouts a week, focusing on a mix of moderate- and high-intensity sessions. (The Peloton App can be really helpful with this, she notes, since you can choose from a range of Rides, Runs, and other classes at different intensities.)

If Your Goal Is: Weight Loss or Gain

Mila recommends four to five days of cardio and strength-training workouts if you want to support a weight loss goal. It can also help to increase the amount of overall aerobic exercise you do, Dr. Lee says.

If you have a weight gain goal, “I would focus on strength training three to five days per week paired with appropriate nutrition to increase lean muscle mass,” Mila says.

Tips for Staying Consistent with Your Exercise Goals

Whatever your goals are, the most important thing is that you’re able to develop a routine you can stick with over time. Here are a handful of tips from the experts to help you stay consistent:

What Other Factors Can Impact Your Workout Cadence?

“Exercise isn’t one-size-fits-all,” Dr. Lee notes. While the routines above may make sense for the majority of adults, they might not be right for you. That could be because you have a health condition that requires you to take more rest days, for example, or perhaps a highly stressful schedule that makes finding the time challenging. Do what’s best for your body, your goals, and your life.

Your environment can play a role too—if you live in an area where outdoor workouts are difficult or you don’t have access to a gym, it can be helpful to develop a routine that can be done at home with or without lots of equipment.

The Takeaway

The official guidelines on how many days a week to work out suggest aiming for about 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise weekly, plus two muscle-strengthening sessions. A generally solid way to meet these benchmarks is by working out three to five times a week. But some activity is always better than none, experts say—so don’t stress too much if your routine doesn’t always match up with these recommendations. The most important thing is to get some kind of regular exercise and find activities that you enjoy doing.