HOW LONG TO GET IN SHAPE

How Long Does It Take to Get in Shape?

If you’ve ever stayed up watching late night movies, you’ve probably seen commercials promising miracle total body makeovers.

You know the kind. “Just 30 minutes of exercise a day, three times a week, and you could have a totally ripped body in as little as six weeks.”

It sounds good, but the truth is, there’s no quick way to get fit.

“If a gym, trainer, or class promises to make all your dreams come true in six weeks, run — don't walk — in the other direction,” New York-based certified personal trainer Lisa Snow, president of On the Mend Customized Fitness and Massage, told Healthline.

Even “natural” exercisers won’t see fitness miracles any time soon.

“Some people seem to put on muscle at a much quicker pace than others — although nobody is going to look like Vin Diesel overnight,” said Justin Fauci, a certified personal trainer and co-founder of Lean Muscle Project.

If you doubt that six weeks isn’t enough time to get fit, take a look at a 2004 study by researchers at the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse, which was published in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.

The researchers put a group of 25 sedentary men through a six-week exercise program — either three 20-minute cardiovascular sessions each week, or three 30-minute high-intensity, total-body strength training sessions.

Yes, it sounds a lot like those miracle fitness commercials.

A group of panelists rated the men’s appearance at the start and end of the study based on photos. After six weeks, the ratings were unchanged. Even the men’s ratings of their own appearances were pretty much the same after six weeks.

Also, objective signs of fitness — like percent body fat, number of pushups, and oxygen efficiency — didn’t improve over the course of the study.

So if six weeks isn’t enough time to get in shape, how long does it take?

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Time depends on goals

The answer to this fitness question depends, in part, on what you mean by “in shape."

“How long it takes to see fitness results will vary depending on what your goals are,” Eliza Kingsford, director of Wellspring Camps, and author of “Brain-Powered Weight Loss,” told Healthline. “Are you looking to improve time? Get stronger? Lose weight? Lose body fat? The answer to how long it will take to get fit will vary for each one of those goals.”

A beginner wanting to run a 5K race will take less time to get in shape than someone training for their first marathon or triathlon. And they will need a different training program than someone getting ready for a weeklong backpacking trip.

In general, though, you will start to “feel” better long before you see major fitness results.

“For someone starting out, I notice that within two weeks they can start feeling the benefits of exercise,” Jamie Logie, a personal trainer who runs Wellness Regained, told Healthline.

This might mean being less out of breath when you climb stairs or run to catch the subway. Or being able to play with your grandchildren in the back yard without getting tired.

Although you might not have a “ripped body” yet, these small changes shouldn’t be dismissed.

“The mental benefits of getting active are even more important than the external changes we are all so concerned about seeing,” Samantha Clayton, senior director of Worldwide Fitness Education at Herbalife, told Healthline.

This includes increased motivation and confidence to keep coming back to your workout until you start seeing physical benefits.

“If you have been out of shape, or not working out for 10 years — or forever — it will generally take about two months of working out most days of the week to get to a moderate level,” New York-based Nikki Glor, creator of NikkiFitness videos, told Healthline.

And if you exercise regularly, over time you will gain even more fitness benefits.

“At six to eight weeks you can definitely notice some changes,” said Logie, “and in three to four months you can do a pretty good overhaul to your health and fitness.”

Strength-specific results take about the same amount of time.

“For a client who is already in good cardio shape but just wants to learn how to lift weights safely, three months is usually a reasonable timeframe,” said Snow.

So, how long until you are sporting a “ripped body”?

“If you're consistent about working out and dieting properly for a full year, and you weren't significantly overweight to begin with,” said Fauci, “then after one year you can expect to sport a lean, muscular physique with a visible six pack.”

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Getting fit to compete

Not everyone likes getting fit just for the sake of getting fit.

For them, there are any number of outdoor races to choose from — 5K or 10K running races, marathons, half marathons, or 100-mile bicycle rides.

There are also triathlons, Tough Mudders, Super Spartans, and other obstacle races for people who like variety.

With this kind of specific fitness goal, it’s even more important to not rush getting in shape.

“If you are preparing for an event or race, please be over-prepared,” James Shapiro, a certified personal trainer with New York-based Primal Power, told Healthline. “If you plan to participate in an endurance event like the Spartan race and have never jogged five miles, it's time to start three to four months before. Our bodies do get stronger, but you want to run past the finish line, not crawl to get there.”

There are many training programs to help you get in shape for these races, but expect to spend at least two months on pre-race training, clocking miles three to six days each week.

That extra time will be worth it, especially for beginners.

In a 2007 study in the European Journal of Applied Physiology, researchers put a group of untrained adults through a nine-month half-length and full-length marathon training program.

By the end of the study, people in the program had increased their cardiovascular fitness — VO2 max — by 24 percent, and their running speed by 29 percent.

Even if you prefer noncompetitive outdoor activities like backpacking, kayaking, or mountain biking, expect to put in solid miles to get in shape.

“We find that it takes about four to five full days of backpacking to get into hiking shape,” Steve Silberberg, owner of Massachusetts-based Fitpacking Weight Loss Backpacking Adventure Vacations, told Healthline.

These are full eight-hour days, back-to-back, with a fully loaded pack. It may sound daunting, but lots of beginners have walked this path before.

“Many people can get right off the couch and start backpacking,” said Silberberg. “The second day is the toughest because the first day’s enthusiasm has waned and you already have sore feet and muscles.”