By Sean Shearon
“How often do I need to work out?”
Great question. To really answer it, let’s ask a few first:
1. What’s your goal?
2. What are you doing right now?
3. How much time can you realistically commit (80% confident)?
4. How often do you actually enjoy working out?
5. What’s your work/social/family schedule like?
6. When do you want to achieve that goal?
These questions help paint the picture of where you are and where you want to go.
⸻
The Big Picture
The ultimate end goal should be:
• 180 minutes/week of aerobic work
• 180 minutes/week of resistance training
That’s 360 minutes of movement to create a strong, lean, capable human.
But here’s the thing: even 20 minutes, 2x a week is a big win if you’re starting from zero. Everything in between can be a great fit depending on your life.
⸻
What About Fat Loss?
At Prevail, fat loss is a common goal—but we zoom out to see the bigger picture.
• Exercise makes up only ~10% of the fat loss equation.
• Going from 0 to 3 workouts/week may move the scale—if nothing else changes.
• But doubling your workouts (3 → 6 days) doesn’t guarantee more results. Hunger often rises too, and energy in = energy out evens out.
The real driver? Nutrition and consistency with habits. Exercise helps, but it’s the spark—not the fuel.
⸻
Beyond the Scale
Exercise isn’t just about weight. At Prevail, we use training to help you:
• Reduce pain
• Increase capability & durability
• Build muscle & strength
• Improve conditioning
• Feel better (yes, “science”)
• Grow community and social connection
• Improve function
• Lower body fat as a byproduct
In other words: exercise is the lever that elevates every part of your life, not just your body composition.
⸻
Frequency & Intensity
• More is not always better. Chasing intensity often leads to burnout or injury.
“If you don’t take a rest day, your body will take one for you.”
⸻
The Prevail Approach
Our system is intentionally built around 3 workouts per week—enough to create strong, capable, adventure-ready humans. From there, we coach you on whether you’d benefit from more.
For reference, our instructors average 5–6 days of movement, mixing:
• 3–4 days of strength/muscle training
• 2–3 days of conditioning, walking, hiking, or play
⸻
Bottom Line
“How often should I work out?” depends on what you want for your highest self. The answer lives in your goals, schedule, and values. Exercise is the tool—you decide how often to pick it up.
