Working out twice per day in an attempt to burn more calories and thus lose weight more quickly can be done safely if you respect a few key points. To lose body fat, create a caloric deficit, burning more calories than you consume over time. Two workouts in per day will contribute to creating this deficit and promote weight loss. You do not want to over-train or put yourself in a position where you're susceptible to injury, so limit your fatigue and add variety to your workouts.
Step 1
Work out once in the morning and once in the evening. Following this schedule will give your muscle groups the greatest amount of rest between workout sessions.
Step 2
Follow a two-a-day workout schedule only every other day. Your muscles need adequate rest and recovery time if they're going to adapt and be able to handle the frequency of your workouts. Therefore, work out twice per day only on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays or on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. On the other days, only complete one workout.
Step 3
Make your two workouts on the same day different activities. You don't want to run two times in the same day, because the impact that occurs each time you land from a step puts stress on your muscles and joints. Complete a higher-impact activity such as running, climbing stairs and jumping rope in the mornings, and a lower or non-impact activity in the evenings, such as riding a bike or an elliptical machine at the gym.
Step 4
Lift weights at one of your workouts. Although you won't burn a huge amount of calories while you're lifting weights, with consistent training, you will increase your total amount of lean muscle mass. This will equate to an increase in your overall resting metabolism, meaning you'll burn more calories throughout all times of the day. Over time, this will make a big impact on your weight-loss success.
Tips and Warnings
- If you find that you're becoming too fatigued with two cardiovascular workouts in one day, another way you can split your routines is to do lower-body weight training and cardiovascular workouts in the morning and upper-body weight training in the evening. This will allow you to get two workouts in per day without overworking your muscle groups.
- Listen to your body and take time off where you feel like you're too fatigued to have a quality session. Over-training can impair your performance and make you susceptible to injury.
Things You'll Need
- Watch timer
- Athletic shoes
- Cardiovascular machine
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