Heey!
I was wondering if any of you know a type of exercise that is quite simple but really burns the fat and tones you up?
I like swimming but I don't like being seen half-naked in public and I don't have the time to go to a swimming pool.
I also like dancing - I've got some dancing DVDs for me to use at home.
I do sit-ups sometimes and I go for a walk on the mountains.
But I want to know if there's any more types of exercise I can do.
I can't afford to go to the gym and I don't have the time to exercise a lot. I think I only can manage half an hour or an hour.
Any tips will be great!
Bazza xx

Why not start by walking? You can get a good workout if you walk at a decent pace. I started by just adding a little extra movement and walking into each day!

Aye but I don't have the time, though. I'm busy with school and stuff
Bazza xx

If you want to work out at home, you could do something like jogging in place for a few minutes, then do some jumping jacks, then go back to jogging in place, then do some squats or push-ups, back to jogging, etc. for whatever length of time. If you have stairs you could go up and down them several times. Jumping rope is a great workout too.

Well, you said before you had a half hour -- why not walk for a half hour to start? I am 41 and for years used the excuse of "I don't have time" to exercise. I'm only just now learning that often after exercise I can focus better and be more efficient because I've cleared my head...

I agree. A half hour walk is a wonderful way to begin. If you want something bad enough, you will make the time for it. If there is a 75% off sale at the mall, I bet you would make time to get there (I know I would ).

But any exercise is good exercise. The key is finding something that you like and that you can stick to. Do you have some music you can listen to while you walk? That really makes it enjoyable.

Walking for half an hour is great exercise. If you want something more intense to burn more calories, you can work up to running. Running half an hour burns a ton of calories. On some days, you can do a combo of some kind of cardio with some strength training mixed in. Half an hour may not seem like a lot of time but you can efficiently work your body in that time if you make the effort.

You may want to rethink your commitments, though. Working out is just something we HAVE to make time for, just like we make time for brushing our teeth and taking a shower. None of us really has the time. Many of the people here have kids, school, jobs, husbands, etc. but we make time because our health is important. If you really want to commit to it, you'll find the time. I didn't think I'd be able to find the time either, but I spend lots of time on my health now and nothing else in my life has suffered for it. In fact, everything else has just gotten better because I'm a stronger, healthier, more "together" person.

You said you were busy with school. How do you get to school? If you drive, park the farthest away that you can and walk. Or right after schools out. To burn off some of the stress from school, go for a walk around the school grounds or track. Or maybe get to school a little early and walk then. Are there stairs at school? Going up and down stairs is great for your legs! (Think free stairclimber) How about a jump rope!
In the evenings, turn on some of your favorite music and dance. Work in squats, crunches and push ups into the dance. Get your heart rate up, sweat a little and have fun. Exercise is motion.

I go to school by a taxi (cab) because my school is 25 miles away so I really can't walk to school, can I? LOL
There are stairs at school and I do use them. The lifts are only used by kids who have problems with their legs, etc.
The problem is, I can't exercise at home because my house is tiny and there's 4 of us

I concur with walking. Especially if you "don't have time." Because it just requires you to throw on shoes and head out the door. You can work up to jogging for a more intense work out. You could also add lunges and squats mid walk (to keep your heart rate up) to build muscle tone in your legs and glutes.

I would like to say a HUGE thanks to everyone who posted in this forum
It feels great to not be judged for being (nearly) overweight and being supported.
Thanks for your advice guys!
Bazza xx

Try rollerblading! It's lots of fun and uses more of your core and upper body than walking or jogging does....plus it's easier on the knees (which is important for people like me with stiff painful knees!)

Half an hour to an hour a day is a lot of time for exercise!

You could walk, you could jog, you could run, you could lift weights, you could try to find a challenging place to walk (with stairs, hills, etc).

If you invested in some dumbbells, you could do some weights at home.

There are also body weight exercises you can do such as lunges, squats, pushups, tricep dips and crunches.