Confused about exercise

[myrainbowgirl]

So I am confused about exercise. I have read (on this site) a couple of different options for exercise while swaying pink. One of course being intense exercise for 60 minutes 6-7 days/week. The other being no exercise at all.

I have been an exerciser for the past 10 years, working out 6 days/week. BUT, I would only call it moderate exercise...30 minutes of cardio 4 days a week, and 30ish minutes of light strength training (crunches, leg lifts, squats, and arms with 8 lb weights) the other 2 days. I understand that the strength training may increase T levels...so should I immediately go back to doing cardio those 2 days? It hardly burns any calories (80 for my weight), so I kinda thought it was no big deal.

Being on the LE diet, I am having a very hard time keeping weight on (also bf my one-year-old)...so the intense cardio for 60 minutes 6 days is not an option for me (bmi is only 18.4 or so). Now I'm wondering if I should completely stop exercising, which will allow me to lower calorie intake (right now it's on the higher side because of losing so much weight). Also wondering if stopping exercise will be such a change for me that it will sway pink...got all 3 boys doing 6 days of cardio for 30 minutes (no strength training while TTC them). Just added the strength training this year after DS3.

Hmmm....advice??

[myrainbowgirl]

I would also like to mention that I would rather NOT drop exercise...I'm afraid I will feel like crap, considering that it has been part of my routine for the past 10 years. But, I will do it if it gets me my girl! Is my above routine possibly swaying blue? If I drop the strength training, would the moderate 6 day a week exercise still sway blue? Or, I could drop the strength training and not replace it with anything...so I'd only be doing moderate exercise 4 days a week. Or I could even go down to 3 days a week of cardio. I just can't imagine dropping exercise totally! Thoughts??

[myrainbowgirl]

One more thing, I have PCOS, and exercise helps that, right?

[atomic sagebrush]

If you have PCOS, keep the exercise in the mix no matter if you can do the full recommendation or not. It's so beneficial for your insulin response that I think it cancels out any risk of growing muscle mass.

[myrainbowgirl]

I was hoping you'd say that! I think I will drop the strength training in a couple of weeks when I finish school (I'm a part-time teacher)...I only do it on the mornings I have to get up for work because it's faster than having to change into workout clothes, lace up, and head down to the basement to get on the elliptical machine. But I am done May 23rd, and I can just substitute walking or elliptical for the 2x/week strength training.

Thanks again for your help!