BigFatBooty re-directed me to UKFC, I had previously posted in the exercise thread where I had competition from Richard Simmons????????????????????

Anyway. I am an aerobics instructor, an exercise science university lecturer and I am just starting to set myself up as an exercise psychologist!

I weight 15 stones , check me out at the weekly weigh in, I shall not be dieting, exercise only! Yea verily the hard way is mine!

I am offering to give as much advice and motivation as I can to anyone who asks. I know it's New Year and everyone has resolutions to break but I promise, even though I am an instructor and teach classes I don't think they are right for everyone, I do easy lifestyle stuff too!

Try me out. Ask even the most simple question and I promise to give common sense, useable advice! Hopefully BigFatBooty can vouch for me here, I just wrote a whole book as a response to her question on the other board!

Anyway, hello shop's open! Stef

Hi Stef! I was wondering if you could help me out with an exercise problem.

I belong to a gym but haven't been since October as I didn't feel it was helping me to lose weight. When I did go to the gym, I used the exercise bike for 15 minutes, the treadmill for 15 to 20 minutes and the cross trainer (not sure of the real name, Nordic track??) for 20 minutes, plus a few sit ups. Do you think doing this amount of exercise 3 times a week should help me lose weight?

I am 33 and weight 14 stone 6 pounds. I never want to be this heavy again!

Thanks!

Ok Stef here's one for starters.

I work with 3 guys all of who are fair weather runners and often spend lunch times jogging the mile circuit around the business park where we work. I am not a runner, but walk round the same circuit. The guys I work with are all convinced that running is better for you than walking it, I agree it will build more stamina but am convinced that Gavin Hastings - years ago on one of those health awareness adverts - said that walking a mile was as good for you as running it.

What do you think ?

Carol

A little bit off topic - but my US Diet Budy actually sent me a Richard Simmons video in the post 'Sweatin' With the Oldies' - I laughed so much I hurt - I certainly couldn't exercise to it. He looks a bit like Leo Sayer in his hay-day - with a bubble perm and lots of lycra (aka spandex), headbands and legwarmers. As for the women who demonstrate the moves - poor things - they have got these pained expressions in their eyes while showing these amazing white and perfect teeth in slightly panic stricken smiles.

The reference to the 'Oldies' was the type of music rather than our age!! Or, at least, I hope it was!

Pheobe

How long did you do this level of work for? And did you always work at a level that left you a little breathless and a bit hot and sweaty? Working so you can still talk and are getting a bit hot and sweaty is moderate exercise intensity - and the zone we should all be working in.

This level of work a week should help you to maintain a weight loss but it is not enough to lose weight on its own. Sorry but you do need to combine diet and exercise for the best results. If you don't want to diet and want to use exercise alone to lose weight you need to consider doing 6+ hours of moderate exrecise a week. Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeuk!

Ideally you need to moderate your food intake (that's diet in old speak) and exercise, working towards 30 - 60 minutes a day on most days of the week. Now I know this sound scary but it doesn't have to be in a gym. You could walk back from work/shops/friends house/school, try it at a slightly faster than normal walking pace. Got a dog, kids, a kite? All good excuses to be seen running around like a lunatic at the weekends in any park (OK walking around like a lunatic).

Hope this helps Stef

Smiling Sal,

Oh yes, you are right. And if you are prepared to do the 'power walk' thing, exaggerate your arm movements and raise those knees you can work of loads more calories than the lunchtime joggers! Try adding hand/ankle weights and you are really burning!

Personally I love being in a gym and power walking on a treadmill at about 6.5 on the readout. Standing next to me is always someone who is 'running' at 7.5. They are convinced they are doing better than me, but I know that I am working lots harder than they are.

It's hard to explain this one without using lots of technical terms. But if anyone remembers their physics lessons at school when they talked about Work Done it becomes obvious that speed is not really a useful measure of work. Time and distance covered are the key measures, so running isn't really any harder than walking - strange but absolutely true!


Stef

Oh! he just scare the living daylights out of me! I know what you mean about his backing group though - rabbits in car headlights or what?

However he is very motivational - but I think you have to be American, possibly Californian, to appreciate it!

He does nothing for me but make me laugh. But if I could find a niche market like he has I'd be rich and famous too! And I'd still be laughing!

Thanks for the advice Stef, its much appreciated. I have to admit, when I was visiting the gym regularly, I did tend to overeat thinking "but I go to the gym, surely I can eat this". I am now committed to a sensible weight loss plan (Weight Watchers) and am going to go to the gym tomorrow morning to get back into the swing of exercising.

Thanks again!

PS. I love this UK section!

Ok Stef here's another one...

I have planter fasciitis, it's a painful heel bone. It started about a year ago when I was doing low impact aerobics twice a week and absolutely loving it. I started to find it hard to walk first thing in the morning for about 15 mins, and after I had sat down for any lenght of time. My doctor has suggested swimming but as I am 18.4 (hopefully less next week!!) I just can't face a swimsuit just yet. Can you suggest any exercise perhaps suitable for me.

Thanks

Stef,

I have sciatica - a back problem which at the moment has flared up quite badly, is there any form of exercise that i could do that wouldn't aggrevate the situation?

Tracy
x

Tracey - I suffer from low back pain too! I don't really do anything special for it because I am good at self managing (Mine's a lifelong problem). Interesting information for you is that the latest evidence is that pepole with low back pain, sciatica etc actually do NOT have weak backs, there is no measurable difference in actual stength in pain sufferers and those without! You need to accept that you will feel pain when moving and exercising - it is unavoidable. No one exercise is good or bad for back pain, you have to try out a lot of different things to find out what works for you. Sorry that's not much help, but it really is a case of suck it and see. The only advice I would give is to make sure that you exercise your stomach muscles as well as your back and keep them strong. This will help your posture and won't put any undue strain on your back! Try searching the web for 'back pain UK' you'll find some good support sites.

Delaney - You really need to get a referral to a physio for massage and stretch and strengthening exercises. Each case is different and I am not qualified to give physio advice. Ask your GP for a referral, you have been suffering for long enough so you should get passed on easily enough (go private if you can't get NHS treatment, it really is worth it). Meanwhile I wouldn't recommend any weight bearing exercise at all, which leaves you with water work! Have a chat with other women you know who are overweight. Do they go to a water class already? I often find that my Aqua classes are 1 big group of friends who go together for moral support! Sorry I can't be more help.

Pheobe - see you knew the answer really, didn't you? Good on you for recognising your weakness and good luck with the diet and exercise.

BFB - sorry no magical thigh exercise here. As you say spot reduction don't exist!

You need to find an activity you like that gives you both aerobic, fat burning exercise and also works all the muscle groups in the thighs.

I know you are looking for a good aqua class, that should be a really good help. And getting back to your rebounding will help if you do it hard enough, apparently!

But you could get a good result without classes or equipment just by walking daily. I know it sounds boring but I have had good results with clients adding 10 -20 minutes of walking to their daily life! You feel good very quickly, about 2 weeks, and begin to notice the difference in the 'great wobble factor' (as my mother-in-law puts it) after 4 weeks.

Sorry, but thighs are the most difficult place to predict or effect cos that's where we women store our extra fat!

Hi - seeing as how everyone else is picking your brains, so will I. I hate all forms of exercise except for walking and swimming (after an unfortunate episode dating a fitness instructor a few years ago)... long story...

Anyway - at the moment I am munching on about 1,500 cals per day and Mon to Fri I am walking the dog for between an hour and an hour and a half - I actually do mean walking in that I am not strolling or ambling but walking as fast as I can in this snow and ice. At the weekends I have more of a fast stroll each day with DH and dog - which lasts for around 45 to 60 mins.

Is this enough? I am 46, had a hysterectomy last year and the reason we bought the dog was so that I got some exercise to keep my bones dense. The only problem is that the dog reaches his personal limit after 90 mins.

I would go swimming but hate the idea of showing off all my wobbly bits.