Hi All

i wondered fi you all could help me out a little bit - im wanting to lsoe weight but need to get my exercise routine into shape too.

Heres teh details. Im 24, not totally unhealthy - im getting the eating going well - healthy eating but could be better if you know what i mean - rarely as in once every 6 months do we havea takeaway or waht id consider junk food.

Anyway im a stay at home for the best part of the week, my little boy started school in september so i get two hours free to do as i please. I walk him to and from school which is abotu a 10 minute walk each way, i also have a dog who is walked 3 times a day for 15 - 30 minutes each time depending on weather mainly.

When my little one returns back to school ive decided to use the bike bf brought me at christmas to go cycling for a bit but i havent cycled in ages so was wondering hwo long i should aim for but bf reckons that wont aid weight loss it wil only help tone my legs (all my weight is carried on belly and bum if that makes any difference at all).

He suggested running is better but when i do try and go running ti hurts my shins. we do have a gym here but i was informed last week thats its closign for renovations for 3 months but they will be putting on exercise classes so ill look into them and maybe go twice a week. Also i work a friday night and most of sunday so sunday is goign to be my day of rest even though ill be on my feet in work for 7 hours. (i stand on a till all day so besides walking alot is there any other exrcises i can do???)

any help appreciated in figurign out a routine of some sort for me

i recommend a few things....first increase your aerobic time...walk for 30-40 min bike for same etc. Also start adding wt training...believe it or not...it really does help. Sometimes, you may find that when you first start wt training you may not loose weight, but if you take measurements (highly recommended) you'll find you start loosing inchess. As for running, itf you shins hurt it may be due to a few things...one you may have shin splints...or two you may need to strecth more. A great exercise to help hurting shins is to stnad up point your toe and use your toes to pick up a towel..it helps stretch the front of the leg. But big thing is good stretching...and also good shoes...shoes really play a BIG part...go to a good running store..get a good pair of shoes..if you have improper running shoes...it may cause shin splitns....if you find that running still hurts, than do something else...fast walking on an incline, elliptical machine etc...and don't forget the wt lifting....good luck!!!!!

gatorgalstuckinGA - thank you for the helpful comments. Yeah im wondering if could be stretchign which is giving me the hard tim ebefore i exercise.

I do have weights too so i think i will do a bit of weight training too and i also have a sit up machine so i can use that too if i make my own sort of schedule

can i aska question - should i be trying to run for a bit then walk a bit as im new to running, and how long should i look at doing this for - i can get to about a minute of running at the minute then i slow down fro 1 minute walking and repeat it - is it worth doing this for a while but being out in total for about 30 - 40 minutes.???

Biking will definitely help you to lose weight--it burns calories, and burning calories is the point. It doesn't matter where you store your fat or whether you run, walk briskly, cycle, swim or do tae-bo. You want to get your heart rate up and KEEP it up in order to burn calories. Some activities burn more calories than others, but ANYTHING is a good start.

I'd recommend 30-60 mins of cardio a day, depending on your level of fitness. And push the intensity: walk QUICKLY with your dog so that you're slightly out of breath. You want to push yourself as much as you can but without pushing so hard that you hurt yourself.

Running is tough to start. Lots and lots of people have found success with the Couch-to-5k program. It starts you with intervals: a minute of running and a few minutes of walking and gradually increases the running time. Check it out if you're interested in running: http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml
The worst thing you can do is decide, 'I'm going to take up running' and then start sprinting down the street. It's a recipe for injury and disenchantment. (I've done it many times, always hurt myself, decided that running isn't for me, and went back to the couch and the chips! Not helpful. )

Good Luck!

Wow, Baffled great post ....

I second the 30 to 60 minute cardio/day recommendation but if you can only do 15 do it, anything is better than nothing... Do do some weight bearing exercises too they are very important...

There are many good sites About.com has some very good routines for beginners ...

Hope this helps...

Coming from someone who just recently started running back in September and who is now running beyond my wildest expectations- you can run! it is also a lot of fun and a great way to lose weight and get toned. I had the same problem you did, I got shin splints, even though I stretched, etc. Is it possible that you are running on your toes rather than using your whole foot? For instance I was running on my toes which was keeping my shin flexed the whole time. Try hitting your heel first and then connecting with the rest of your foot. Also, I've learned that the easiest way to build endurance in running is to try to run a certain distance, recover (while walking), and run some more. Pretty soon you can run further. Don't worry about speed right now. I started with running 5 mins at a time and gradually increased distance and mileage- I can now do about 45 or more minutes before I get tired with my legs (but my breathing is just fine). Just force yourself to try to run about 3 times a week, and don't increase too drastically or you could injure yourself as the previous poster said. Best of all, running is addictive...crank up your ipod, lace up your shoes, and enjoy the breeze in your hair. AWESOME feeling.