Will Working Out Twice a Day Actually Help You Lose More Weight?

Are two-a-day workouts helpful if I want to see quick results for my upcoming wedding? Or am I more likely to injure myself this way? —Kim, Morristown, NJ

More isn't always more: Doing too much can have diminishing returns, depending on how much time you have left to train. If you've got more than two weeks, don't start with two-a-days yet; your body may not be able to handle that much volume and you could increase your risk for injury.

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However, if you've been working out steadily for six to eight weeks and you're ready for a final push to reach peak shape right before your wedding, have at it. Adding in a second workout the last week or two can spike your metabolism, getting you even leaner and more cut for the big day. Just follow these rules:

1) Perform the higher-intensity strength-training circuit in the morning, when you're fresh. Later, do lower-intensity cardio.

2) Take at least one complete day off each week.

3) Do not perform double-headers on back-to-back days.

4) Listen to your body! Recovery is different for everyone. If you are unable to lift much weight or go as hard on your second round, you have done too much and are better off sticking to one workout that day.

—Rachel Cosgrove, C.S.C.S., owner of Results Fitness in Santa Clarita, CA, and author of Drop Two Sizes

Have fitness questions? Send them to [email protected] or tweet them to @womenshealthmag with the hashtag #AskWH. And for answers to reader questions on various other topics, check out the "Ask Anything" section in the April 2015 issue of Women's Health, on newsstands now.

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